MORE aggressive 'salary dumps' will be permitted in this year's off-season as cap space becomes an advanced trading tool for clubs.
The mechanism of trading salary cap space, as forecast by AFL.com.au last week, is set to be a major driver in next month's Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period.
The AFL ticks off every trade to ensure fairness is provided for clubs and has previously denied deals that they have viewed as too one-sided.
However clubs are anticipating the League will be more open to approving deals that allow clubs to complete lopsided trades in which the team that receives a player (and takes on his contract) also gains a strong draft selection or selections.
The AFL is expected to be willing to allow more significant salary dumps so that clubs can clear their own tight caps whilst seeing other clubs use their spare cash and get rewarded for taking on a player's money and adding draft selections.
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Gold Coast last year was at the centre of salary cap space being moved, with Darcy Macpherson and pick No.19 offered to North Melbourne to take his salary off the books at the Suns before Macpherson decided to stay at the Suns.
The Suns then enacted a similar deal with Will Brodie at Fremantle, with the Dockers gaining Brodie and pick No.19 as well for taking on his contract. Clubs have been aware in recent weeks that similar deals could be used this year at the Suns.
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Collingwood shapes as one of the busiest clubs of the period and could lose Brodie Grundy to Melbourne if the Demons are prepared to pay a significant portion of the five remaining years of his lucrative contract.
Hawthorn would likely let Tom Mitchell go if a suitor is willing to pick up the midfielder and the remaining year on his deal, whilst St Kilda's Bradley Hill has two years to run on his long-term contract at the Saints.
