Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin rule requires club bosses to sign off on all player contracts of six years or more

In an attempt to slow the massive growth in super-long contracts for players, the AFL quietly introduced what could be called “the Buddy Franklin” rule – forcing club boards and chief executives to sign off on contracts of six years or longer.

The rule, which was sent to clubs before the 2024 season without any announcement, asked club bosses to sign a club letter in which the leadership accepted, “full financial responsibility for meeting all current and future contract obligations” for contracts of six or more years.

This masthead has seen a copy of this little-known rule, in which the AFL also warned clubs that “the AFL may choose, at its sole discretion, to impose this requirement of any player contract it deems high-risk, for any reason.”

But the rule, which is a less heated version of how the AFL dealt with Lance Franklin’s nine-year, $10 million deal in 2013, has not deterred clubs from offering these longer-term deals, despite the concerns about concussion and the risks clubs take, as evident in the Angus Brayshaw payout with years remaining on his contract.

Under this “Buddy” rule, clubs have to provide the AFL with a joint letter from their board and chief executive for any contract of six years or more, saying that the board have approved the deal and are aware that the club’s commitment is assured, “irrespective of any personnel changes in the club management or governance structure” over the life of the contract.

In other words, the AFL wants to ensure clubs are held responsible for the lengthy contract, knowing that different people could well be in charge of the club during the contract’s life, or that circumstances at the club could change.

Fremantle, Carlton and Collingwood together account for 10 of the 27 existing individual contracts that would require board approval. Contracts have to be approved by the AFL and, under this rule, the league will not allow the contract to be registered if the board does not sign off.

Fremantle has four players contracted for at least six seasons (to 2030) – Brennan Cox (2030), Josh Treacy (2030), Sean Darcy (2030) and Hayden Young (2033), who is contracted for longer than any other player in the competition.