The AFL trade week is a period of time during which

Australian Football League The Australian Football League (AFL) is the only fully professional competition of Australian rules football. Through the AFL Commission, the AFL also serves as the sport's governing body and is responsible for controlling the laws of the gam ...

(AFL) clubs are permitted to exchange players and draft picks with each other. Trade week takes place shortly after the conclusion of each AFL season, but prior to the

national draft The Australian Football League draft is the annual draft of unsigned players, especially new nominations, by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League (AFL). History W ...

. This is the only time during the AFL season or off-season when clubs are allowed to make trades. Clubs are permitted to exchange players, draft picks in the next national draft, or compensation draft picks during trade week; draft picks in the pre-season draft or the rookie draft, or non-compensation draft picks for future seasons cannot be traded. It is permissible for a club to trade a player in exchange for a very low draft pick that it does not ultimately use, serving effectively as a direct player transfer. The majority of trades are simple exchanges between two clubs, but more complicated exchanges involving three or more clubs are permissible, and are not uncommon. From the 2012 season onwards, the duration of trade week has been lengthened from one week to three. AFL Football Operations Manager Adrian Anderson explained that the AFL had decided to expand trade week due to the introduction of

free agency In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...

References

Australian Football League draft AFL Women's draft {{AFL-stub