The new Tasmanian AFL team will be handed a $5m leg-up to lure talent south, with a two-year window to use the cash for signing bonuses outside the salary cap ahead of their 2028 entry into the competition.
As part of the list of concessions handed to the Tasmania Devils, they will be granted seven first-round picks in the club’s first draft, including the No.1 selection, before their inaugural season.
But of those picks, 5, 7, 11 and 13 must be traded away from the club, while 1, 3, and 9 can be used to select incoming talent.
The Devils will also be allowed to have up to 48 players on their list for up to the first five seasons.
With Nathan Buckley being touted as the 19th team’s inaugural coach, the signing bonus cash could be used to lure up to 18 out-of-contract players across tha