So players are going to cut in alot of cases when they shouldn't be
Some good players due to their age will go. Some kids who haven't had time will go
Tough decisions are on the horizon
It will be interesting to see how the AFL handles this.
The easiest way to cut lists is to remove players who are out of contract. It avoids the whole complication of contract law.
Having said that I cannot see how you could remove a draftee who only signed this year, for two years, and hasn't played a game.
I think we have 12 senior players and 3 rookies out of contract this year (among them of course Houli).
To avoid any extra legal issues over breaking contracts we would delist our quota from those players.
Of course this does not even consider the way large contracts - Dusty, Lynch, etc - can be re-negotiated to fit a lower salary cap.
IMO this is the very reason why the richer clubs - including Richmond - have decided not to take too much debt from the AFL.
If you are in debt to the AFL they will make a lot of the decisions about support structures and even who remains on your playing list.
I can see some clubs being put in the position where, if they don't have many players out of contract, some of their most important players would be delisted.
Similarly Richmond and Collingwood would probably opt to structure their off-field to keep Murray and Maxwell at their club. Debtor clubs may not have the choice.
We already know that head office thinks there are too many game analysts, sports science staff and player welfare personnel (leadership, minfullness) at clubs.
This is an opportunity to restructure off-field staff that I don't think the AFL will be able to resist.
