The AFL free agency period has officially begun, with Adelaide Crows defender Jake Kelly and Richmond Tigers tall Mabior Chol the first players to find new homes for 2022.
Kelly confirmed the long-known news he will be at Essendon next season, with the Bombers landing the 26-year old as an unrestricted free agent on a three-year deal.
>> Check out the full list of AFL free agents and out-of-contract players
Free agency rules meant the Crows were unable to match the offer for the 110-game backman.
“We know Jake brings important experience and will work really well alongside the likes of Jordan Ridley, Nick Hind, Jayden Laverde, Mason Redman and Dyson Heppell in our new-look backline,” Essendon list manager Adrian Dodoro said in a statement.
“He is very excited and motivated by the direction the club is headed, and we look forward to seeing what he can contribute to our emerging playing group in years to come.”
>> Keep an eye on all the latest news and speculation with our dedicated AFL trade period page!
Kelly might have been the first official move of the period, but player manager Ralph Carr had already confirmed his client and Richmond ruckman Mabior Chol will be at Gold Coast in 2022, having reportedly agreed to a four-year deal.
Carr Tweeted a photo of Chol in his new colours, albeit before the AFL had confirmed the switch.
IDeals22
Roar Rookie
:laughing: :laughing: That's brilliant Power!
Philby
Guest
How about 7, 17, 28 and Coleman Jones for Number 1?
JB
Guest
Yep, you should put the shovel down .. and the bong for that matter
Dusty does Danger
Roar Rookie
Your on the money Thom. Talk is we package up 17 with 7 and exchange for pick 3 with the Suns - see what happens!
Dusty does Danger
Roar Rookie
He got the best apprenticeship possible in the AFL and like CCJ he is AFL ready. This is where we need to fight hard for compensation as we lose depth in our team which gets exposed during high injury times e.g. this year.
Dusty does Danger
Roar Rookie
As a Tiger supporter I’m actually happy for Marbs. I think he is a perfect fit for the Suns and I think he knew it was a tough call when Soldo a Premiership ruckman was coming back in the lineup fully fit.
Gabe F
Roar Rookie
I mean, that if he is playing a lock down defender on an opposition half forward, he can follow him into the midfield. And if he played a tagging roll on a Toby Greene like player, he would have to give the dons some run forward as he is stopping Greene from receiving the ball, and he plays a half forward-midfield role.
JB
Guest
What? He's never played in the midfield in 110 games to date. Put the shovel down mate
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
Neglected to mention that Chol played 63 VFL games for Richmond, kicking 61 goals as a ruck/forward, not including scratch matches last year or his underage games in the NEAFL. Shows he's got a lot of footy into his legs.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
I know many. We sponsor a group of them and I tutor 4 of them. I am certainly unaware of any issue relating to AFL footy.
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
Not defending the AFL here, but Chol is the youngest player to ever test free agency, so clearly age will have something to do with it in future. The thing about free agency is that they have lifted the NFL model, which comes after a player has spent 3 to 4 years at college, then been drafted and played 4 to 5 years, so they are hitting the same age bracket in the AFL after 8 years, which is proving too long. In the NFL, teams have lists of 53, so at the end of each season they resign their free agents, and cut or trade players, the same as the AFL, except free agency is much bigger. If a team loses 3 free agents and only gains 2, the NFL decides (months later, not trade by trade) what each club's compensation will be overall. Most clubs have either the same number or fewer free agents leaving, so they get zero compo, but 30 to 40% of teams get some sort of compensatory picks that are usually very underwhelming compared to the players they've lost. If anything, the AFL needs to encourage more free agency and give clubs a more transparent compensation model, perhaps even an independent body to decide who gets what at the draft, rather than telling clubs what they'll get IF they let the player walk and how much they have to pay to get them to stay.
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
This is the Roar, not the One Nation Groupchat. I think you're lost. See your way out.
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
If you aren't aware of intercultural barriers faced by South-Sudanese refugees then maybe you should talk to one. I'm fortunate enough to teach some of them, so I have a lot more insight into the daily challenges they face in society. In Melbourne, you have this fake narrative of Sudanese gangs, which is in fact a community policing problem of racial profiling rather than an inherent community problem.
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
I am opposed to the NGA being restricted. The whole purpose is to provide the support of a club right through their drafting stages. The entire thing will now be defunded and we'll see fewer migrant players given a leg up to access elite pathways. So what if clubs have access to top talent that they have nurtured? If the system wasn't working, they should have changed the criteria to include some sort of hardship. They don't actually have NGA in Queensland, but if you look at the Academy graduates from the Lions and Suns, including Mabior Chol, there are plenty who would qualify for NGA in another State so at least they are being caught up in the junior recruitment process.
Tim Keller
Roar Rookie
Yeah I'd like an explanation on the intercultural barrier your taking about also?
Gabe F
Roar Rookie
He can play in the midfield if they need him to. If he takes a half back, then he can run through the midfield in order to tag them.
J.T. Delacroix
Guest
Some real top shelf material there, ‘Power.’ But seriously, you need to get some help. Not just with the pathetic, witless material, but with everything it would seem. There’s no denying it.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
No inter-cultural barrier at Freo. Are you suggesting there is a barrier from within his culture or from without? What, then, is the barrier?
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
Not necessarily. If there are enough picks used by Collingwood, Bulldogs and other bid matching clubs used in the first and second rounds so that the number of bids equals or is less than the picks used to match then pick 38 will retain its place. Here's how that could play out. Collingwood uses its pick 36 and trades for two more second rounders to match Daicos, that's 3 used for only 1 extra place. The Dogs do the same for Darcy, that's 6 picks to only 2 extra places. Say there's 4 Academy or father-son players matched using 4 picks inside 38, then it will actually be pick 34. End of second round is actually pretty good, but Richmond should probably trade it to the Dogs for 17 Dogs 17 (which slides to 19 or 20) for 38, 41 and 46.
JB
Guest
Kelly is lock down defender. He won't be providing any run and carry out of the midfield. He will probably still be a handy in defence for Essendon though