'Mini-drafts', longer access to pre-listing youngsters and a dozen first-round picks over three years are key parts of the proposed Tasmania draft concessions set to be handed down by the AFL.
Since 2022, the league along with the competition's list managers have been compiling and revising a fair and equitable welcome package to the soon-to-be AFL's 19th team.
A part of that list of concessions is reportedly six of the first 13 selections in the 2027 National Draft, according to AFL Media.
At this stage, it doesn't include Pick 1. But a caveat might be drawn on certain selections, which could be used to incentivise trading those high-end picks for established players.
Ahead of Gold Coast's entrance to the league, they were given the first three picks, as well as 7, 9, 10, 11 and 13.
For the fellow expansion club, the Giants held Picks 1-5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13 and 14 to kickstart their journey.
The Devils are expected to be given roughly a dozen first-round picks over their first three years.
As for the 'Mini-Draft', the league recognised the benefit of handing GWS four selections that would be used to recruit 17-year-old players who weren't eligible for the 2011 National intake, and couldn't play until 2013.
The Giants were forced to trade these selections to other clubs. Jaeger O'Meara was traded to the Suns; Brad Crouch landed at Adelaide; Jack Martin at the Suns; and Jesse Hogan to Melbourne.
They gained an additional seven first-round picks. The Suns didn't have this benefit.
Among the other list concessions being workshopped for Tasmania's entry into the competition are:
- Access to uncontracted players as 'free agents' across two trade periods. A maximum of one player from every club, with the clubs that lose players to be given draft compensation picks.
- A sign-on bonus fund of up to $1 million to help attract players.
- Access to Tasmanian father-son selections.
- Access to Tasmania as an Academy zone.
- Access to multiple Tasmanian prospects eligible for the 2026 draft who can opt to sign with the Devils instead of entering that year's draft. Instead, they would play in the VFL the following year, ahead of the Devils' AFL debut in 2028.
- Multiple early selections in rookie and mid-season drafts.
- Selections at the start of rounds two onwards in the draft.
Tasmania's list build rules are expected to be finalised midway through the 2025 season.
Devils CEO Brendon Gale also made it known that the state will not be shared with Hawthorn.
As it stands, the Hawks have had a long-standing relationship in Tasmania at Launceston, and will continue to until the end of 2027, hosting four matches at UTAS Stadium.
Gale has declared that although it is up to the Victorian club and the state government, he doesn't want "divided loyalties".
"My wish as the CEO of the Tasmania Devils is there will be a time when that (partnership) will come to an end," Gale said on SEN Tassie's The Devil's Advocate.
"There's a lot of Hawthorn supporters (in Tasmania) who have done a fantastic job over 25 years, and rather than losing something, I think they are going to win so much more.
"Because it won't be Hawthorn playing small market teams.
"It will be Tasmania playing Collingwood or Carlton or Essendon."
