With the AFL confirming only a minor cut in AFL list sizes next year – from a maximum of 47 to 44 per club and 38 to 36 on the senior list – the Crows and Port will have enough players to field reserves teams in the 2021 State League competition, which had been a major sticking point.The two clubs, who had considered joining the new VFL and East Coast Second-Tier competition, also appear to have won their battle to retain a marquee player, which has been a controversial issue with the eight stand-alone SANFL clubs.Before withdrawing from the competition this year following an AFL directive because of the coronavirus pandemic, which reduced the SANFL to an eight-team competition for the first time since 1963, Adelaide’s marquee player was Matthew Wright and Port’s was Cam Sutcliffe, who captained the Magpies in the 2019 SANFL grand final.At this stage, the Crows will still be expected to pay their annual $440,000 licence fee to field a team in the SANFL, but this will be negotiated over summer, particularly as the SANFL salary cap has been slashed from $400,000 to $210,000 next season.

The league, meanwhile, will not support a proposal from the AFL to pinch more players from its competition, already boosted for next year by some big-name signings, including Bryce Gibbs (South Adelaide) and Aaron Young (North Adelaide), during the season.With list numbers trimmed for next year, the AFL has proposed to replace the contentious mid-season draft – reintroduced last year – with a floating replacement player system.Under the novel system, AFL clubs can nominate a previously undrafted or eligible player to their respective rookie lists during the season – after rounds four, eight and 12.If a player is nominated by more than one club, he would go to the team lower on the premiership table.The AFL will discuss the model further with its clubs and State leagues with the view to introducing it for next season.But SANFL general manager football Matthew Duldig said his league would not support the move.“While we support every player in trying to play at the highest level possible, the disruption it causes during a season is significant to our SANFL clubs, members and supporters,’’ he said.
AFL: The AFL have announced they will make a series of changes to the rules in 2021 in order to help ease congestion around the ball.



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