Player Agent Brochure

6 important things to know about player agents.

1.

Rob Murphy explains the benefits of having a good player agent.

Overall, AFL player agents make playing AFL a much easier job. They assist in taking care of your financial and business interests, which allows you to worry about what you do best, playing AFL football. Good player agents provide you with an additional support network to help you cope with the difficulties of AFL life. Having to relocate away from family and friends is often a difficult and daunting situation, so having someone to meet up with for coffee or a meal, away from the club environment, provides a great mental break and ultimately benefits your football.

Other benefits include: Contractual negotiations: Player agents are well positioned to handle contract negotiations with your football club. They understand the market value of a cross section of players and therefore are best equipped to negotiate the best deal for the player.

Strong networking power: Player agents can offer great networking power. Should you need to seek any advice regarding real estate, insurance, loans etc, your player agent will be able to easily point you in the right direction to a suitably qualified advisor.

Sponsorship & appearances: Player agents are well positioned to secure you sponsorship deals outside those that are available to you at your football club. Agents understand and have experience in the business sector and they also thoroughly understand what benefit you can bring to any business wishing to form a commercial partnership with you.

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AFL rules require that any player who wishes to use a player agent to represent them in contract negotiations with an AFL club must use an AFL Players’ Association accredited player agent.

2. A player or a player’s parent/legal guardian can also conduct contractual negotiations with an AFL club.

3.

Prior to representing or advising a player, a player agent must enter into and comply with the terms of an AFL Players’ Association Standard Player Agent Agreement. A copy of this agreement is to be supplied to the player and the AFL Players’ Association.

3.

A player agent can only sign a player when he is at least 17 years old and eligible to be selected in the next scheduled AFL National Draft.

4.

5.

A player agent’s primary responsibility is to provide players appropriate representation and advice while ensuring the player’s best interests are catered for.

Approximately 90% of AFL players are managed by an accredited player agent.

Selecting a Player Agent

For these reasons the AFL Players’ Association endorses the services provided by accredited player agents who can play a valuable role in guiding a player throughout his career.

Require more information?

Check out the Accredited Agents section at www.aflplayers.com.au or call (03) 9926 1344

www.aflplayers.com.au

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Brad Sewell’s advice on selecting a player agent.

“One of the most important aspects to consider when meeting with prospective player agents is to ensure that you feel comfortable with that particular agent. Over what will hopefully be a successful journey spanning many years, the relationship that is built with your manager is equally important as the various benefits that they present in terms of what they can offer.

A well rounded agent has the ability to effectively communicate and represent the player’s best interests, yet at the same time has the ability to keep the player grounded to ensure there is no false sense of self worth.

Agents need to be accessible and good communicators.

The AFL Players’ Association and its role with accredited player agents.

The AFL Players’ Association is the representative body for all AFL Players, responsible for ensuring the fair employment terms, conditions & personal development opportunities for past, present and future AFL footballers. The AFL Players’ Association manages a compulsory accreditation process for player agents to ensure competent & ethical individuals represent its members.

Accredited player agents receive regular training & information relevant to their roles, they must maintain professional indemnity insurance, engage in a structured professional development program and abide by a set of regulations, which includes a code of conduct.

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Invariably, many agents main draw card may be their ability to promote a player through means of marketing and endorsements or offer all kinds of professional networking opportunities. This must be considered very carefully.

The glitz and glam of becoming a professional footballer is only a by-product of years of hard work, via which such opportunities will present themselves in time.

A good agent has the ability to create a strong foundation through good counsel and in particular, sound financial advice.

Equally important is their interest and concern with making a player’s transition to ‘life after football’ as smooth as possible”.

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