THE AFL RECENTLY distributed the updated list of restricted and unrestricted free agent players to the 18 clubs across the competition.

Under the rules that were agreed between the AFL and AFL Players Association (AFLPA) in February 2010, restricted and unrestricted free agents may consider offers from rival clubs during the post-season period, following the 2012 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.

An offer to a player only includes capped salary and capped ASA (Additional Service Agreements) amounts.

Under the AFL Player Rules, an unrestricted free agent may automatically move to the club of his choice.

An offer to a restricted free agent may be matched by his club, which has right of first refusal over his services. If the unrestricted free agent player does not wish to remain with his original club, he must enter the draft or seek a trade.

Compensation in the form of AFL allocated draft picks will apply to clubs with a net loss of free agents. This will be based on a formula determined by the AFL.

The AFL Free Agency period runs from October 1 to 5pm, October 19.

The Gillette AFL Trade Period for clubs runs from October 8 to 2pm, October 26.

The list of restricted and unrestricted free agents

Restricted Free Agents
Josh Drummond (Brisbane Lions); Heath Scotland (Carlton); Travis Cloke, Harry O’Brien (Collingwood); Angus Monfries (Essendon); Brent Moloney (Melbourne); Troy Chaplin, Danyle Pearce (Port Adelaide); Luke McGuane (Richmond); Brendon Goddard, Jason Gram (St Kilda).

Unrestricted Free Agents
Chris Knights (Adel Crows); Simon Black, Ash McGrath (Brisbane Lions); Jordan Russell, Bret Thornton (Carlton); Ben Johnson (Collingwood); Ricky Dyson, Dustin Fletcher, David Hille, Nathan Lovett-Murray, Henry Slattery (Essendon); Luke McPharlin (Fremantle); Shannon Byrnes, Paul Chapman, Corey Enright, Josh Hunt, Matthew Scarlett, David Wojcinski (Geelong Cats); Chance Bateman, Thomas Murphy, Michael Osborne, Clinton Young (Hawthorn); Matthew Bate, Lynden Dunn, Jared Rivers (Melbourne); Michael Firrito (North Melbourne); Brett Ebert, Steven Salopek, Jacob Surjan (Port Adelaide); Shane Tuck (Richmond); Jason Blake, Raphael Clarke, Justin Koschitzke (St Kilda); Jude Bolton, Jarred Moore (Sydney Swans); Andrew Embley, Daniel Kerr, Quinten Lynch, Mark Nicoski (West Coast); Will Minson (Western Bulldogs).

HOW THE SYSTEM OPERATES FOR ALL PLAYERS ACROSS THE COMPETITION

A player has served seven seasons or less of AFL football at one club, and is now out of contract.

The player is not eligible for free agency if his club wishes to retain him. He may only move clubs via a trade or the Draft. If he delists himself, he is subject to the Draft, and may be selected by any club.

A player has served seven seasons or less of AFL football at one club, and has been delisted by his club.

The player is a Free Agent and is eligible to field offers from all rival AFL clubs.

The player must decide on the best offer of his choice from one rival club.

The player can move AUTOMATICALLY to the new club of his choice.

His original club, which chose to delist him, does not receive any compensation pick for the loss of the player.

A player has served eight or more seasons of AFL football at one club, is one of the top 25 per cent highest-paid players at his club, and is now out of contract for the first time since March 1 in his eighth season. (Restricted Free Agent)

The player is eligible to field offers from all rival AFL clubs.

If he wishes to change clubs, the player must decide on the best offer of his choice from one rival club.

His club has the right to match the presented offer.

If the club matches the offer, he may choose to remain with his original club, seek a trade or enter the Draft.

If the club does not or can not match the offer, the player can move to the new club of his choice.

His original club will receive a compensation pick for the loss of the player, on an AFL-determined formula to apply where clubs lose more free agents than they gain in any single transfer period.

A player has served eight or more seasons of AFL football at one club, is NOT one of the top 25 per cent highest-paid players at his club, and is now out of contract for the first time since reaching eight seasons of service. (Unrestricted Free Agent)

The player is eligible to field offers from all rival AFL clubs.

If he wishes to change clubs, the player must decide on the best offer of his choice from one rival club.

His club does NOT have the right to match the presented offer, and the player can move AUTOMATICALLY to the new club of his choice.

His original club will receive a compensation pick for the loss of the player, on an AFL-determined formula to apply where clubs lose more free agents than they gain in any single transfer period.

A player has served ten or more seasons of AFL football at one club, has already come out of contract once in the period after March 1 in his eighth season, and is now out of contract. (Unrestricted Free Agent)

The player is eligible to field offers from all rival clubs.

If he wishes to change clubs, the player must decide on the best offer of his choice from one rival club.

His club does NOT have the right to match the presented offer, and the player can move AUTOMATICALLY to the new club of his choice.

His original club will receive a compensation pick for the loss of the player, on an AFL-determined formula to apply where clubs lose more free agents than they gain in any single transfer period.

2012 KEY DATES - FREE AGENCY, TRADE AND DRAFTS

October 1 - Commencement of Gillette AFL Restricted Free Agency Offer and Unrestricted Free Agency period

October 5, 2pm - Nomination of Father-Son Eligible Players and Academy Bidding Players

October 8, 10am - Father-Son Eligible Players and Academy Players Bid Meeting

October 8 - Commencement of Gillette AFL Trade Period

October 19, 2pm - Deadline for GWS Giants to pre-list balance of any uncontracted players under List Establishment rules

October 19, 5pm - Close to Gillette AFL Restricted Free Agency Offer and Unrestricted Free Agency Period

Octber 22 - Restricted Free Agency Matching Offer Response Closed

October 23, 5pm - Trade Incentive Rule (17 year-olds) Deadline for Trading

October 26, 2pm - End of Gillette AFL Trade Period

October 26, 2.10pm - Trade Incentive (17 year-olds) Selection

October 31, 2pm - List Lodgement One

November 1 - Commencement to Gillette AFL Delisted Player Free Agency Period

November 13, 2pm - End to Gillette AFL Delisted Player Free Agency Period

November 13, 2pm - Out of Contract Listed Player Draft Nomination Deadline, New Player Draft Nomination Deadline

November 13, 2pm - Deadline for Nomination of any use of 2012 GWS Giants Compensation Selections

November 15, 2pm - List Lodgement Two

November 16, 2pm - Delisted Player Draft Nomination Deadline, Non-Retained Rookies Draft Nomination Deadline, Nominated of Queensland Zone Priority Selections and Nomination of NSW/ACT Zone Priority Selections

November 22 - NAB AFL Draft, Gold Coast Convention Centre

November 23 - Second Gillette AFL Delisted Player Free Agency Period commences

November 28, 2pm - Out of Contract Listed Players Nomination Deadline, International Players Nomination Deadline, Players Not Registered / Played Three Years Deadline, NSW Scholarship and International Scholarship Players Deadline.

November 28, 5pm - Second Gillette AFL Delisted Player Free Agency Period ends

November 29, 2pm - List Lodgement Three

December 4, 2pm - Delisted Player Nomination Deadline

December 4 - Deadline for GWS Giants to pre-list balance of any previously listed or previously nominated for draft players under List Establishment rules

December 11, 11am - NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft

December 11, 11.05am - Brisbane Lions, Gold Coast Suns, GWS Giants and Sydney Swans Eligible Pre-Selected Rookies

December 11, 11.10am - NAB AFL Rookie Draft