AFL footy boss Laura Kane won’t stop meetings like West Coast Eagle Oscar Allen’s catch-up with Sam Mitchell

The AFL has ruled out bringing in laws to prevent players and clubs from discussing switching teams each during seasons, despite the fall out from West Coast co-captain Oscar Allen’s meeting with Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell. Player movement is a massive part of the AFL industry but unlike the NBA and NFL, the league doesn’t have anti-tampering rules in place to prevent clubs from communicating with opposition stars during the season. AFL coaches have made it clear that meetings with players are constantly occurring behind the scenes, but Allen’s decision to catch up with Mitchell created shockwaves at the Eagles when it became public, and the West Coast co-captain admitted he felt “embarrassed and ashamed.” AFL executive general manager of football Laura Kane told The West Australian that policing a ban would cause enormous challenges and the league has no desire to legislate against mid-season meetings. “I think it’s a reality of all sports all around the world. I think we’re naive if we think it doesn’t happen,” Kane told The West Australian. “It’s probably unfortunate that it becomes so public and upsets people. I understand why it upsets fans. I get it, and the players apologise or they talk to that position. I think professional sport is a business in part and we are naive to think players don’t do it in all sports around the world. It’s probably just the how. “There’s sports that apply regulations around in-season, when games are actively being played and those discussions shouldn’t happen. Whether they do or not, I think we know what the answer would be to that. “There’s certainly formal rules about the ability to offer contracts more formally. It’s not something we’ve ever done and at the moment we’re not looking at it. I don’t think it’s something we need to regulate. But I think it’s something that needs to remain respectful.” Kane believes players deserve the opportunity to meet with any potential employers so they can make informed decisions about their future, and those discussions don’t always result in someone choosing to change teams. But Kane said was more important for the players, clubs and managers to organise meetings in a way that doesn’t create negative attention for anyone involved. “I think it’s an individual decision around who you meet with, but probably more importantly about when you meet with them and in what circumstance you meet with them,” she said. “Players rightly should do due diligence and that might inform a decision to move clubs but it equally might inform a decision to stay. I think sometimes getting perspective and understanding what the world around you looks like and then coming back to your home base, sometimes you can like it more.”