Jimmy Bartel has lauded AFL clubs for being proactive in signing their star players on mega deals, as the league gears up to welcome the 19th team Tasmania Devils in 2028.
Tasmania’s impact on the league will begin to be felt from the 2024 draft, with new first-round deals to increase to a minimum of three years.
It means players who are drafted in 2024 will be out of contract by the time the Devils enter the league, which could likely see players in this year’s, 2025, 2026 and 2027 drafts be poached by Tasmania.
It also means that current players who come out of contract in 2028 will be able to move down south to join the 19th AFL club.
“I know a number of people begrudgingly look at long term contract and think ‘why would you give six years (deals)?’,” Bartel said on Nine’s Footy Classified on Wednesday night.
“What they’re trying to do is get them (players) out beyond that 2028 period (when Tasmania join).
“You want to take these guys completely off the market and 2030 certainly does that.”
Leading AFL journalist Damien Barrett explained how the Devils’ impact will begin to be felt as early as season 2025.
“This is going to, as of this upcoming draft in 2024, start affecting the incumbent football clubs,” Barrett said.
“We know what happened in 2011 and 2012, respectively Gold Coast and GWS coming in (they had the first 11 picks of each draft).
“What’s important now is this year’s draft, with the new three-years (contracts) for first round draft picks, they come out (of contract) at the perfect time for team Tassie.”
Matthew Lloyd has urged AFL clubs to prepare early for Tasmania to raid not only the draft, but their clubs ahead of their debut season, which is still another four years away.
“The year before the Giants came in, they had 11 of the first 14 selections (at the draft). That’s where Toby Greene came and all these champion players for the GWS Giants,” Lloyd said.
“So you’d want to get your next three drafts right if you’re an existing club, otherwise you’ll be in the hole for a long time.”
Tasmania has already surpassed 125,000 founding members since being launched on Monday night.
