THE AFL has confirmed its final key dates ahead of the AFLW priority signing (PSP), and sign and trade periods, with the Season Eight Supplementary Draft locked in for Tuesday April 4. The one-off event aims to affect an age reset on the competition, which saw two seasons played in the 2022 calendar year.

>> SCROLL for the full list of key dates

Clubs will not be required to add players at the draft, where they are usually made to fill at least three list spots. Rather, the improvised intake will act as a final method for all clubs to supplement their squads should they see fit.

The official draft order will be finalised on Friday March 24, following the conclusion of the PSP and sign and trade period. Typically, reverse ladder order is used to determine the indicative order, which would place Sydney in the box seat for pick one, once again.

Only mature-age players will be eligible to be drafted, more specifically, those born in 2004 or prior. The 2005-born players will be targeted for the post-Season Eight intake, and are thus eligible to play in 2024.

Another key stipulation for April’s one-off event is the nomination process. For the first time ever, players will have the choice to make themselves available in a national pool open to all 18 clubs, or the more commonly utilised home state preference.

Tasmanian prospects have the option to either designate North Melbourne as their preferred destination, through the club’s alignment, but can also nominate for a specific state or the national pool. Players from the Northern Territory are also open to the latter two options.

Clubs will have limited sample sizes of updated form to go off before making their decisions. Seven rounds of SANFLW action will have been played, with four from the WAFLW and just two in the VFLW. Overlooked 2004-born players will also have up to three rounds of Coates Talent League to press their case.

The AFLW PSP gets underway today, with Chloe Molloy already confirmed to have moved from Collingwood to Sydney. Port Adelaide will make the lone underage signing of the period, with Glenelg ruck Matilda Scholz a likely suitor given her school-leaving status.

An example of a star South Australian school leaver is Glenelg ruck Matilda Scholz who finished Year 12 last year and made the All-Australian team as a bottom-ager.

Missed Round 1 against West Adelaide due to a hamstring quality, but has massive upside! ?

— Peter Williams (@pawil5) February 22, 2023

BREAKDOWN

WHEN: Tuesday, April 4.
WHO’S ELIGIBLE?: Players born in 2004 or prior.
DRAFT ORDER: To be confirmed Friday March 24.
NOMINATIONS: Players can nominate for their home state, or the national pool.*
RULES: There are none! Clubs are not permitted to add any players, but can use the draft to supplement their lists.

* – excluding stipulations for Tasmania and Northern Territory players.

KEY DATES

Wednesday 1 March

• AFLW Priority Signing Period opens

Wednesday 8 March

• AFLW Priority Signing Period closes

Thursday 9 March

• PSP compensation determined

Friday 10 March

• Sign and trade period commences
• Rookie signing period commences

Wednesday 15 March

• AFLW Season Eight Supplementary Draft nominations open

Friday 17 March

• Final date for players on a two-year contract to accept or decline their 2023 offer (for those under a 2022/2023 two year contract)

Monday 20 March

• Final date for clubs to offer a contract to their existing players
• Sign and trade period closes
• Restricted Free Agency Period closes

Tuesday 21 March

• Delisted free agency period opens

Thursday 23 March

• Delisted free agency period closes

Friday 24 March

• AFLW Season Eight Supplementary Draft order finalised.

Tuesday 28 March

• AFLW Season Eight Supplementary Draft nominations close

Thursday 30 March

• Final date to make a player inactive before the AFLW Season Eight Supplementary Draft

 Tuesday 4 April

• AFLW Season Eight Supplementary Draft