GOLD Coast could be forced to trade a late draft pick to acquire Scott Pendlebury as the Suns look to protect their top-10 compensation pick for departing star Ben King in a strange quirk of the League's free agency system.
The Suns will be eligible to receive pick No.7 from the AFL's compensation system - a band one compensation pick - when King moves to the Hawks next month.
King, a restricted free agent, is moving on a seven-year deal to the end of 2034 worth more than $9 million across its life span.
However, in a twist of the system, the Suns may have to hand over a late draft pick to get Collingwood champion Pendlebury to avoid diluting their King compensation pick.
The AFL's free agency compensation model is based on the net result of a club's ins and outs via free agency in each window, meaning if a club gets a top-end free agent and loses one of similar value, they would not receive a compensation pick.
It is generally viewed by clubs that a top-end free agency move would not be affected or diluted by the addition of an older unrestricted free agent. However, the Suns may still be forced to swap a late draft selection for Pendlebury to protect their compensation pick due the deal they have offered the Magpies champion.
Under the system, there are two ways free agency compensation is determined, with the age of a player an essential part of the AFL's decision. However, when a club both brings in a free agent and loses one in the same period, the age of the incoming free agent is not taken into account and the formula is determined more by the average of the player's salary.
Pendlebury, who turns 39 in January, has a two-year playing deal at the Suns worth around the $600,000 mark – slightly above average wage – while King's average will be around the $1.3-4 million mark.
Pendlebury is an unrestricted free agent, having come out of contract at the Magpies where he played for 21 seasons in his record 442 games.
Should Gold Coast take the compensation pick for King, its next live draft selection in this year's draft is No.60.
A similar scenario happened in 2017, when Brisbane essentially traded pick 75 for Hawthorn champion Luke Hodge, who qualified as an unrestricted free agent, so they could protect their end-of-first round free agency pick they gained for losing Tom Rockliff to Port Adelaide.