The AFL and AFLPA are pleased to announce that a Heads of Agreement (HOA) has been reached for the player movement period ahead of the 2023 AFLW Season (Season Eight).

Key elements of the player movement period include the Priority Signing Period (PSP) and a Sign and Trade Period.

KEY DATES

  • Priority Signing Period (PSP): 1 March (9am) – 8 March (2pm)
  • Sign and Trade Period: 10 March (9am) – 20 March (3pm)

Priority Signing Period

The PSP will allow the four AFLW Season Seven expansion clubs – Essendon, Hawthorn, Port Adelaide and the Sydney Swans – to sign ‘PSP players’ without a trade. 

‘PSP players’ are those who have completed three or more AFLW seasons.

The number of PSP players a club can lose is capped and based on their finishing position post-finals in Season Seven:

  • Clubs that finished 1st – 4th: no more than five players able to be lost through PSP
  • Clubs that finished 5th – 8th: no more than two players able to be lost through PSP
  • Clubs that finished 9th – 18th: no more than one player able to be lost through PSP

The AFLW List committee will determine any relevant compensation for clubs at the conclusion of the PSP.

Compensation will include draft picks to be used in the AFLW Draft leading into Season Nine of the AFLW. Any compensation will not be permitted to be traded in the Sign and Trade Period.

Sign and Trade Period

The sign and trade period will open at Friday 10 March 9am AEDT and close at Monday 20 March 3pm AEDT.

Clubs will pay players the pay rates from the existing CBA, with any potential changes applied retrospectively according to the ongoing CBA negotiations.

AFL General Manager Women’s Football Nicole Livingstone said: “We’re pleased that we could reach an agreement with the AFLPA and provide our players and clubs with certainty before the next season of AFLW.” 
 

AFLPA General Manager Player and Stakeholder Relations Brett Murphy said: “This agreement will provide certainty and security for players as we head towards Season Eight, enabling players and clubs to reach agreement and plan their return to training while broader CBA discussions remain ongoing.”