Top four tax: AFL's bidding system changes revealed

THE AFL’S reinforced father-son and academy system will see a bid-matching tax levied on top-four sides.

As the league finalises new draft rules to provide more poor-performing teams with more top-tier teenagers, it can be revealed the top-four clubs on that year’s ladder will face a loading fee when it comes to matching bids.

Sources said the top-four tax could be as high as 30 per cent.

While it’s been speculated that the exact amount of points a club has to hand over under the draft value index will be tied to ladder position, it’s understood the top-four is where the only line will be drawn.

Such a scenario would mean a club like the Brisbane Lions would have had to pay significantly more than Melbourne, for example, to acquire academy prospect Dan Annable.

Adding to the difficulty for all clubs, however, is the fact they will only be allowed two picks to meet the points requirement instead of the glut of back-end picks some clubs have amassed in the past.

It means Carlton and Port Adelaide will almost certainly have to pay a record price for highly-rated father-son Cody Walker and next generation academy talent Dougie Cochrane, respectively.

Broadly, the changes are being made with a mind to better compensate the lower teams, protect the integrity of the draft and to make it harder for the best teams to keep topping up with the best players via father-son and academy streams.

There is a concern among some clubs that the top-four tax could slow the trade period in some circumstances, while the northern clubs have long argued they will be reluctant to invest time and money in local academy players if they’re less chance of drafting them.

The risk of that scenario, they argue, is kids who would go on to play AFL instead choose rugby league or another sport competing for their future, hurting the growth of the game.