Remembering the 10 year rule from 1973

 

Roar Pro

By Jason Cave, 24 Feb 2010 The Crowd is a Roar Pro

Tagged:

 10 year rule, AFL, Free Agency, VfL

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The AFL’s recent announcement of restricted free agency for players who have eight years’ service to move to the club of their choice, revived memories of the 10 year rule which was in place for a short period in 1973.

In 1973, the then VFL announced a rule whereby players who had 10 years’ service at one club could move to the club of their choice.

Ironically, North Melbourne, who ended up being the main winners of the rule, voted against the rule being implemented.

But when it became clear that the rule was force, the Kangaroos moved quickly and interviewed all 22 players who were eligible under the new rule within 48 hours of the new VFL law being in place.

Among them were Carlton’s Adrian Gallagher, Essendon’s Barry Davis, Carl Ditterich of St Kilda, South’s John Rantall and Doug Wade of Geelong.

Davis, Rantall and Wade ended up signing with North Melbourne, Ditterich went to Melbourne, Geelong’s Gareth Andrews went to Richmond.

But the rule wasn’t without its problems.

During that year, the late Sir Maurice Nathan, who was president of the VFL, took time out from a VFL dinner to attack players ‘for their lack of loyalty’.

Finally, in May 1973 the VFL decided there was so much trouble caused by the 10 year rule, the VFL board decided that the rule would be rubbed out.

But North Melbourne ended up being the big winners from that rule. Within 2 years, North would win their first VFL premiership.

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