AFL List Overhaul: Mitchell’s Radical Vision for Club Roster Freedom
MELBOURNE — The death of the AFL rookie list is already being pencilled in for 2028, when Tasmania enters the competition and a new collective bargaining agreement kicks in. Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell wants to go further. He has proposed that clubs should be able to carry any number of players they can actually manage, with no maximum cap.
The current system locks clubs into between 36 and 38 primary-listed players, plus a set number of Category A and B rookies. Mitchell sees that as a straitjacket.
The idea is not entirely out of left field. The league is already moving toward a single-list structure. Tom Morris reported on Wednesday night that club CEOs expect rookie lists to disappear entirely, with only Category B rookies surviving.
That shift alone will force list managers to rethink how they build squads. Mitchell’s proposal accelerates the logic: if the AFL is killing the rookie category, why stop at a single list with a fixed size?
What Mitchell is really asking for is flexibility. He believes clubs should be able to decide their own roster depth, based on resources and strategy. A minimum list size would remain, but the upper limit would vanish.
That means a club with deep pockets and a strong development program could stockpile young talent. A smaller club with tighter budgets could run leaner. St Kilda champion Nick Riewoldt sees opportunity.
He described the potential change as “Christmas” for list managers, a chance to get creative and strategic. The quote suggests that Riewoldt views the current restrictions as an obstacle to smart roster management.
Remove the cap, and the game becomes about judgment, not compliance. There are obvious risks. Without a maximum list size, wealthy clubs could hoard players.
The competitive balance could tilt. But Mitchell’s proposal does not ignore that.
The key phrase is “as long as you can manage them.” That is a soft constraint, but it implies some accountability. If a club carries 50 players and cannot develop them properly, the strategy fails. The timing matters.
The 2028 deadline is not arbitrary. Tasmania’s entry will expand the competition to 19 teams, straining the player pool. A more flexible list system could help clubs adapt.
It also aligns with the broader trend in professional sport toward squad depth and rotation. AFL clubs already manage large support staffs.
Mitchell’s argument is that the playing list should reflect that reality. The rookie list has been a fixture of the AFL for decades. It allowed clubs to develop players outside the primary list, often at lower pay.
Its elimination marks a significant structural change. Mitchell’s proposal is not a minor tweak.
It is a fundamental rethinking of what a club’s roster should be. What happens next depends on the AFL and the players’ union. The collective bargaining agreement due in 2028 will be the vehicle for change.
Mitchell has put a marker down early. Whether the league adopts his full vision or something narrower, the direction is clear. The old categories are fading.
The future is one list, and possibly no ceiling.
