The AFL is on the verge of making contemporary updates to its official trade period protocols with reports that clubs will be afforded the right to make 'salary dumps' during the upcoming exchange period.
The practice would allow clubs to right to part ways with expensive players from their books in an effort to avoid salary cap constraints, as well as allowing salary-rich sides to, essentially, buy their way into the draft.
Despite being commonly applied across a vast majority of international sporting codes, the exercise had previously been outlawed by league laws.
In a report filed by Michael Gleeson for The Age,ย each of the competition's 18 clubs are currently being alerted to the updates to the procedures.
Said updates will now allow sides to sever ties with expensive names on their rosters for small draft prizes, as well as allowing lowly sides to add seasoned talent to their own without parting with a King's ransom.
Though dumping star talents and paying portions of their salaries to ply their trades elsewhere is sure to rankle pockets of club's membership bases, an anonymous club recruiter revealed to Gleeson that there wouldn't be one side in the competition that hasn't already engaged in the practice.
While technically illegal prior to this season's trade period, Collingwood's choice to part company with both Adam Treloar (Bulldogs) and Jaidyn Stephenson (Kangaroos) at the cessation was said to be within league guidelines at the time.
North Melbourne is likely to dip its toe back into the water this November given the relative wealth on offer to the Arden Street side via their own salary cap.
Collingwood's pursuit of Brownlow medallist and its impending trade involving contracted ruckman Brodie Grundy are both certain to fall within the bounds of these amended regulations.
Clubs taking on rich deals will also be afforded the right to alter contracts that come with hefty price tags, allowing breathing space and halting the possibility of history repeating.
The 2022 AFL Trade Period is set to commence on Monday, October 3 and come to a close on Wednesday, October 12.
