The Lions are one of only two clubs - along with North Melbourne - without concern of having any of their existing players test their value on the open market over the coming weeks.
Players from Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney are also exempt from Free Agency given neither club has been part of the AFL competition long enough for their players to be eligible.
Of the Lions’ potential Free Agents, Jonathan Brown, Ash McGrath, Simon Black and Jed Adcock have all re-signed with the Club, while Josh Drummond announced his retirement from football last week.
So there are no Lions players in immediate danger of being tempted by overtures from other clubs during Free Agency.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean the Lions won’t be active participants over the next few weeks - as the Club can still approach any of the available Free Agents in a bid to secure their services.
Under the rules that were agreed between the AFL and AFL Players Association (AFLPA) in February 2010, restricted and unrestricted Free Agents may consider offers from rival clubs during the post-season period, following the 2012 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.
Under the AFL Player Rules, an unrestricted Free Agent may automatically move to the club of his choice. An offer to a restricted Free Agent may be matched by his club, which has right of first refusal over his services. If the unrestricted Free Agent player does not wish to remain with his original club, he must enter the draft or seek a trade.
Compensation in the form of AFL allocated draft picks will apply to clubs with a net loss of free agents. This will be based on a formula determined by the AFL.
The Free Agency period is open from Monday 1 October until 5pm on Friday 19 October.
HOW FREE AGENCY WORKS
A player has served seven seasons or less of AFL football at one club, and is now out of contract.
The player is not eligible for free agency if his club wishes to retain him. He may only move clubs via a trade or the Draft. If he delists himself, he is subject to the Draft, and may be selected by any club.
A player has served seven seasons or less of AFL football at one club, and has been delisted by his club.
The player is a Free Agent and is eligible to field offers from all rival AFL clubs.
The player must decide on the best offer of his choice from one rival club.
The player can move AUTOMATICALLY to the new club of his choice.
His original club, which chose to delist him, does not receive any compensation pick for the loss of the player.
A player has served eight or more seasons of AFL football at one club, is one of the top 25 per cent highest-paid players at his club, and is now out of contract for the first time since March 1 in his eighth season. (Restricted Free Agent)
The player is eligible to field offers from all rival AFL clubs.
If he wishes to change clubs, the player must decide on the best offer of his choice from one rival club.
His club has the right to match the presented offer.
If the club matches the offer, he may choose to remain with his original club, seek a trade or enter the Draft.
If the club does not or can not match the offer, the player can move to the new club of his choice.
His original club will receive a compensation pick for the loss of the player, on an AFL-determined formula to apply where clubs lose more free agents than they gain in any single transfer period.
A player has served eight or more seasons of AFL football at one club, is NOT one of the top 25 per cent highest-paid players at his club, and is now out of contract for the first time since reaching eight seasons of service. (Unrestricted Free Agent)
The player is eligible to field offers from all rival AFL clubs.
If he wishes to change clubs, the player must decide on the best offer of his choice from one rival club.
His club does NOT have the right to match the presented offer, and the player can move AUTOMATICALLY to the new club of his choice.
His original club will receive a compensation pick for the loss of the player, on an AFL-determined formula to apply where clubs lose more free agents than they gain in any single transfer period.
A player has served ten or more seasons of AFL football at one club, has already come out of contract once in the period after March 1 in his eighth season, and is now out of contract. (Unrestricted Free Agent)
The player is eligible to field offers from all rival clubs.
If he wishes to change clubs, the player must decide on the best offer of his choice from one rival club.
His club does NOT have the right to match the presented offer, and the player can move AUTOMATICALLY to the new club of his choice.
His original club will receive a compensation pick for the loss of the player, on an AFL-determined formula to apply where clubs lose more free agents than they gain in any single transfer period.
Restricted Free Agents (as at 27 September 2012)
Angus Monfries (Essendon); Brent Moloney (Melbourne); Troy Chaplin, Danyle Pearce (Port Adelaide); Luke McGuane (Richmond); Brendon Goddard (St Kilda).
Unrestricted Free Agents (as at 27 September 2012)
Chris Knights (Adel Crows); Jordan Russell, Bret Thornton (Carlton); Ben Johnson (Collingwood); Ricky Dyson, Dustin Fletcher, David Hille, Nathan Lovett-Murray, Henry Slattery (Essendon); Luke McPharlin (Fremantle); Shannon Byrnes, Josh Hunt (Geelong Cats); Thomas Murphy, Michael Osborne, Clinton Young (Hawthorn); Matthew Bate, Lynden Dunn, Jared Rivers (Melbourne); Brett Ebert, Steven Salopek, Jacob Surjan (Port Adelaide); Jason Blake, Raphael Clarke (St Kilda); Jude Bolton, Jarred Moore (Sydney Swans); Quinten Lynch, Mark Nicoski (West Coast); Will Minson (Western Bulldogs).
