But European football is a bit of a joke when you consider that realistically in the top leagues it's just the same huge clubs year after year who have any real chance of winning anything. And so that's where all the best players end up, No parity, salary caps or draft so it's a bit of a free for all.
I really don’t think it’s about where players are going when talking about AFL tbh. I will admit that they’re completely different environments and I think that creates some differences.
But I think the concept that a contract for x amount of years means you’ll play for a team for x amount years will soon be an outdated concept and realistically for clubs and players that is already recognised . Fans and media are probably 3-5 years behind seeing what’s happening naturally.
Longer term contracts in AFL have become more normal imo. I’ve seen in European football where it increases a player’s value and also where a contract of an underperforming players completely devalues them. We’ll see less and less uncontracted players moving clubs via trades and most out of contract players will be fringe players and/or guys about to be delisted anyway. Maybe free agency will stop that.
We’re almost at a point where we’re trying to find a medium between the system in American sports and the system in European football IMO. Things will change and they’ll be a bit from each system as we’re 10-15 years behind these sports in working out what’s best for the AFL.