A MIDWEEK move for the two-night 2024 AFL Draft is set for the end of year event, with the Mid-Season Rookie Draft, Free Agency period and AFL Trade Period dates also confirmed. The AFL yesterday advised all 18 AFL clubs of the key dates surrounding the 2024 AFL Trade and Draft Period.

The first upcoming date is the 2024 Mid-Season Rookie Draft which will be held on Wednesday, May 29. It gives clubs with open list spots – due to injury, retirement or by choice – the chance to add extra players to their list.

Once the AFL Premiership Season is done and dusted, the post-season kicks off with the AFL Free Agency period commencing on Friday, October 4 and running until the following Friday. Coinciding with that will be the AFL Trade Period which begins on Monday, October 7 and will go for nine days, finishing on the evening of Wednesday, October 16.

The AFL Draft will take place over two nights once again, but has moved from the Monday and Tuesday night timeslot of last year, to now be held over Wednesday, November 20 and Thursday, November 21. As has been the case the last few years, the first round will take place on night one, with the remainder of the draft to follow on night two.

The AFL Rookie and Pre-Season Draft will run the day after on Friday, November 22.

Along with those dates, the AFL locked in the National and State Combines in early October, with the three-day National Draft Combine to run from Friday, October 4 to Sunday, October 6. The Victorian State Combine takes place on the same Sunday, with the South Australian and West Australian State Combines on the following weekend, Saturday October 12 and Sunday, October 13 respectively.

Dates for the AFL Women’s Trade and Draft Period will be announced at a later date.

KEY AFL TRADE AND DRAFT PERIOD DATES

Wednesday, May 29 | Mid-Season Rookie Draft
October 4-11 | AFL Free Agency Period
October 7-16 | AFL Trade Period
November 20 | AFL National Draft First Round
November 21 | AFL National Draft remaining rounds
November 22 | AFL Rookie and Pre-Season Drafts

DRAFT COMBINES

October 4-6 | National Combine
October 6 | Victorian State Combine
October 12 | South Australian State Combine
October 13 | West Australian State Combine