As a result of the finding of the Court of Arbitration for Sport on 12 January 2016, AFL General Counsel Andrew Dillon (under authority delegated by the AFL Commission) has determined the following list concessions shall be granted for the 2016 season.
Essendon Football Club – signing of players
- Essendon Football Club (EFC) can sign up to 10 Players as Temporary Primary List Players on a short term contract (STC) for the 2016 season. Unless otherwise approved by the General Counsel, the Players must:
- Have been on an AFL list within the last two seasons
- Are on the Essendon VFL List
- EFC will not retain list access rights to any of these players who go onto the primary list for the 2016 Toyota Premiership Season beyond 31 October 2016.
- Payments made to these temporary players in 2016 will be included in EFC’s Total Player Payments. If payments to the additional players cause EFC to go above the TPP Limit, the club will be provided with an allowance for an amount equivalent to the amount they are over the TPP Limit.
- Unless otherwise approved by the General Counsel, EFC may not sign more than one player from the same club (with the exception of Essendon VFL players)
- The deadline for the signing of players will be 15 March 2016.
- As the additional temporary players will play the entire season with EFC, they will be signed to similar contracts to the AFL Standard Playing Contract and will play with the Essendon VFL team if not selected by the AFL side.
- At any time during 2016, EFC can upgrade any Rookie Listed Player on a similar basis as if a suspended Player was on the Long Term Injury List – noting that as with other clubs, EFC may only have a maximum of 40 players available for senior selection at any time.
Other clubs with suspended players
- Melbourne, Western Bulldogs, Port Adelaide and St Kilda may each upgrade any Rookie Listed Player on a similar basis as if the relevant suspended players were on the Long Term Injury List.
