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AFL free agents come in two varieties: restricted and unrestricted.
Restricted free agents are out of contract, in the top 25 per cent highest paid at their club, and have either been at their club for eight or more but less than ten years, or have been in the AFL for ten or more years but have not previously had restricted free agent status.
They can accept an offer from a rival club, but their current club has the choice to match the offer made to them and they must then seek a trade if they still wish to move clubs.
Unrestricted free agents are out of contract, and either have been at their current club for ten years or more and previously been a restricted free agent, or been at their current club for eight years or more and are not inside the top 25 per cent highest paid at their club.
They can accept an offer from a rival club and if they do then this is processed immediately. Their current club has no right to match the offer or block the move.
All players who have been free agents previously – including those who were delisted free agents – are now considered ‘free agents for life’, and will qualify for unrestricted free agency in any year in which they come out of contract.
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2023 AFL free agents and out of contract players
Adelaide Crows
Unrestricted free agents None
Restricted free agents None
Out of contract None
Retired/Delisted/Traded James Borlase*, Tyler Brown, Tom Doedee, Jackson Hately, Shane McAdam, Fischer McAsey, Andrew McPherson, Tariek Newchurch, Paul Seedsman
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*was re-drafted as a rookie
Brisbane Lions
Unrestricted free agents None
Restricted free agents None
Out of contract None
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Retired/Delisted/Traded Marcus Adams, Nakia Cockatoo, Blake Coleman, Tom Fullarton, Jack Gunston, Rhys Mathieson, Darryl McDowell-White, Daniel Rich
Carlton
Unrestricted free agents None
Restricted free agents None
Out of contract None
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Retired/Delisted/Traded Ed Curnow, Paddy Dow, Zac Fisher, Josh Honey, Lochie O’Brien, Sam Philp, Lachie Plowman
Collingwood
Unrestricted free agents None
Restricted free agents None
Out of contract None
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Retired/Delisted/Traded Taylor Adams, Trent Bianco, Arlo Draper, Jack Ginnivan, Will Kelly, Cooper Murley, Trey Ruscoe, Tom Wilson
Essendon
Unrestricted free agents None
Restricted free agents None
Out of contract None
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Retired/Delisted/Traded Massimo D’Ambrosio, Alastair Lord, Cian McBride, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Rhett Montgomerie, Anthony Munkara, Andrew Phillips, Will Snelling, James Stewart, Patrick Voss, Brandon Zerk-Thatcher
Fremantle
Unrestricted free agents None
Restricted free agents None
Out of contract None
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Retired/Delisted/Traded Eric Benning, Travis Colyer, Joel Hamling, Liam Henry, Lachie Schultz, Nathan Wilson
Geelong Cats
Unrestricted free agents None
Restricted free agents None
Out of contract None
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Retired/Delisted/Traded Jonathon Ceglar, Flynn Kroeger, Sam Menegola, Esava Ratugolea, Osca Ricciardi, Sam Simpson, Isaac Smith, Cooper Whyte
Gold Coast Suns
Unrestricted free agents None
Restricted free agents None
Out of contract None
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Retired/Delisted/Traded Jed Anderson, Connor Blakely, Chris Burgess, Mabior Chol, Charlie Constable, Sam Day*, Elijah Hollands, Brodie McLaughlin, Jeremy Sharp, Jake Stein
*was re-drafted via the pre-season draft
GWS Giants
Unrestricted free agents None
Restricted free agents None
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Out of contract None
Retired/Delisted/Traded Phil Davis, Cameron Fleeton, Matt Flynn, Jason Gilbee, Adam Kennedy*, Daniel Lloyd
*was re-drafted as a rookie
Hawthorn
Unrestricted free agents None
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Restricted free agents None
Out of contract None
Retired/Delisted/Traded Lachlan Bramble, Tyler Brockman, Fergus Greene, Emerson Jeka, Jacob Koschitzke, Ned Long, Max Lynch, Josh Morris, Fionn O’Hara, Brandon Ryan, Cooper Stephens*, Chad Wingard*
*was re-drafted as a rookie (Stephens) or via pre-season draft (Wingard)
Melbourne
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Unrestricted free agents None
Restricted free agents None
Out of contract None
Retired/Delisted/Traded Luke Dunstan, Brodie Grundy, James Harmes, Michael Hibberd, James Jordon, Jake Melksham*, Deakyn Smith, Kye Turner
*was re-drafted as a rookie
North Melbourne
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Unrestricted free agents None
Restricted free agents None
Out of contract None
Retired/Delisted/Traded Aiden Bonar, Ben Cunnington, Jacob Edwards, Todd Goldstein, Aaron Hall, Daniel Howe, Jack Mahony, Ben McKay, Flynn Perez, Jack Ziebell, Phoenix Spicer, Kayne Turner, Lachie Young
Port Adelaide
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Unrestricted free agents None
Restricted free agents None
Out of contract None
Retired/Delisted/Traded Nathan Barkla, Riley Bonner, Trent Dumont, Xavier Duursma, Orazio Fantasia, Sam Hayes, Tom Jonas, Scott Lycett, Jake Pasini, Brynn Teakle
Richmond
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Unrestricted free agents None
Restricted free agents None
Out of contract None
Retired/Delisted/Traded Kaelan Bradtke, Jason Castagna, Trent Cotchin, Bigoa Nyuon, Jack Riewoldt, Ivan Soldo, Robbie Tarrant
St Kilda
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Unrestricted free agents None
Restricted free agents None
Out of contract None
Retired/Delisted/Traded Oscar Adams, Jack Billings, Jack Bytel, Nick Coffield, Leo Connolly, Jade Gresham, Tom Highmore, Daniel McKenzie, Jack Peris
Sydney Swans
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Unrestricted free agents None
Restricted free agents None
Out of contract None
Retired/Delisted/Traded Ryan Clarke, Lance Franklin, Will Gould, Hugo Hall-Kahan, Tom Hickey, Paddy McCartin, Cameron Owen, Lachlan Rankin, Sam Reid*, Marc Sheather, Dylan Stephens
*was re-drafted as a rookie
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West Coast Eagles
Unrestricted free agents None
Restricted free agents None
Out of contract None
Retired/Delisted/Traded Greg Clark, Luke Foley, Shannon Hurn, Nic Naitanui, Xavier O’Neill, Sam Petrevski-Seton, Luke Shuey, Connor West, Isaiah Winder
