AFL PLAYER manager Marty Pask has called on the AFL to abolish the compensation picks that he believes are hindering the free agency process.
Under the system, in play for the first time this year, clubs that lose a player to free agency will receive a compensation pick for the loss of that player with the value of the pick determined by an AFL formula.
That formula is based on the net loss or gain of players from a club and Pask argues that a club like St Kilda, that has lost big fish Brendon Goddard to Essendon, will become a non-player in free agency so as not to devalue the compensation it will receive once the period ends on October 19.
The Saints are expected to receive pick No.13, which must be used at November's NAB AFL Draft, for Goddard's loss, while Port Adelaide will be hoping for similar compensation for the losses of Danyle Pearce (to Fremantle) and Troy Chaplin (to Richmond).
The Power has signed free agent Angus Monfries from the Bombers, but protected its compensation pick by trading pick No.48 for the former Don.
"It's got to go, yeah, it has to go," Pask said of the compensation system on AFL.com.au's Trade Radio.
"That goes against probably what free agency says. We then can't say, 'We'll look after you around the back and support the football club'.
"It's almost against the spirit of free agency.
"These clubs now that are waiting on their compensation picks, theoretically they're not going to do anything for quite some time.
"It's creating a backlog of players that aren't able to move."
Pask manages former Bulldog Brian Lake, who switched to Hawthorn via a trade on Monday, as well as former Blue free agent Jordan Russell, who was strongly linked to Port before the Adelaide club lost Chaplin and Pearce.
At the very least, Pask said the AFL should consider handing out compensation picks while free agency was still going, instead of October 19, so as not to slow the process down.
"At the end of the day we are a professional organisation, so these things need to be addressed and need to be ironed out," he said.
The Gillette AFL Trade Period extends a week past the conclusion of free agency - ending on October 26.
Jason Phelan is a reporter for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter at @AFL_JasonPhelan.
