PORT Adelaide has made a submission to the AFL as the League considers drastic changes to the draft bidding system as soon as 2026, with the Power raising "serious concerns" about any rules being fast-tracked.

AFL.com.au can reveal the Power this week wrote to the AFL's new executive general manager of football performance Greg Swann setting out the club's hopes for a 'grandfather period' of transition over two or three years if new bidding rules were to be implemented.

Gettable revealed last month that football bosses had left their recent meeting with the League believing headquarters was eyeing potential 'lockouts' of matching Academy and father-son bids early in the draft, with the top five, top 10 and first round all among the options up for discussion.

The AFL has confirmed no changes will be applied this year but are on the radar for 2026 onwards, with Power chief executive Matthew Richardson this week writing to Swann.

"AFL clubs operate sophisticated list management strategies that extend three, four and sometimes five years into the future. Club recruitment, development, and salary cap planning is built around predictable draft frameworks that allow us to make informed strategic decisions," Richardson said in the submission.

"Any proposal which includes immediate implementation of rule changes fundamentally undermines this planning process and creates an environment of regulatory uncertainty that is detrimental to the competition's integrity.

"When clubs invest in F/S prospects or NGA talent, we do so based on the rules framework that exists at the time of that investment. Families make decisions about their sons' development pathways (including whether they play the sport at all), clubs allocate resources to Academy programs, and strategic planning occurs all within the context of established rules."

The Power are one of the clubs with plenty to lose if the AFL brings in a restricted zone at the top end of the draft, with the club having father-son pair Louis Salopek and Tevita Rodan coming through in 2027 and Next Generation Academy prospect Zemes Pilot available the same year. Pilot and Salopek are on track to be very early selections, with Pilot wooed to football via the NGA ahead of a promising basketball career.

The club is also waiting on the AFL's ruling on its bid to have Dougie Cochrane be eligible as a NGA player under his Indigenous background, with Cochrane a No.1 pick contender in 2026.

Richardson said in the submission that the lack of a 'grandfather clause' – a transition period between the old and new rules – would disproportionately impact clubs who have made strategic decisions under the current rules. The Power also said a draft lockout wouldn't have the desired effect and would see clubs disincentivised from investing in their Academies.

"Port Adelaide, like many clubs, has invested significantly in our NGA program and has been planning for potential F/S selections based on existing rules. These investments were made in good faith, with the reasonable expectation that rule changes would be implemented with appropriate transition periods," he said.

The Power recognised in the submission the AFL's need to change rules where appropriate but suggested a two or three-year transition period; an impact assessment of the effect on existing programs and family planning; and staged implementation, citing American sports as examples.

"The NFL provides three-year notice periods for significant rule changes affecting draft processes. The NBA implements phased transitions for roster and draft rule modifications. These approaches recognise that sudden regulatory changes undermine the strategic planning essential to competitive balance," Richardson said.

Essendon and Carlton are also among the clubs set to fiercely push back against any changes limiting access to top-line players tied to clubs, with the Blues committing to father-son Cody Walker in next year's draft and father-son Koby Bewick eligible for the Bombers in 2027.

This month's AFL Commission meeting is looming as a significant one in the recruiting and list management spheres, with Tasmania's list build rules expected to be ratified and the League's new NGA zones and any potential bidding changes set to be discussed further.