While some footy traditionalists continue to bemoan the introduction of free agency – with claims it will purely benefit the rich and powerful clubs – it’s worth considering the effects of last year’s inaugural free agency period where 14 players exercised their right to find a new home.

Free agency is appealing because of the opportunities it opens up. The lure of extra cash is far from the only opportunity on offer. In many cases, both the player and the two clubs involved benefited.

Brendon Goddard was the test case for free agency last year. More midfield time and the chance to play in a premiership were two of the main reasons behind his move to Essendon. It proved to be a recruiting coup for the Bombers, but also brought out the best in Goddard. The former Saint won Essendon’s 2013 Best and Fairest award – an honour he never achieved in ten years at St Kilda.

Your 2013 Crichton Medallist, @BrendonGoddard9. Well done BJ. #CrichtonMedal pic.twitter.com/hQ7lRXOAiz

— Essendon FC (@essendonfc) October 2, 2013

Danyle Pearce was another player to switch clubs in the opening days of free agency. He played every game for the Dockers, including the Grand Final and was one of the Dockers’ prime movers. While Pearce excelled at Freo, his absence at Port Adelaide allowed young players to take their games to new levels. The likes of Wingard, Hartlett and Wines gave the Power midfield a fresh new look – one that took the club into the second week of the finals series.

The Power also coped without defender Troy Chaplin, who moved to Richmond last off-season. Port Adelaide had a surplus of tall defenders – Jackson Trengove and Alipate Carlisle held down the key posts this season – while Richmond needed a cool head in defence. Chaplin got better as 2013 went on, holding Coleman medallist Jarryd Roughead goalless in Round 19 and playing a big role in the Tigers’ push towards September.

Like the Port Adelaide defence, West Coast had a swag of tall forward options at its disposal in 2012. With Darling, Kennedy and one of Cox or Naitanui in the forward line, 29-year-old Quinten Lynch’s days at the club seemed numbered. It made sense when he moved to Collingwood as an unrestricted free agent. He played 18 matches in 2013 as a forward/second ruckman, with his best game of the year coming against Carlton in Round 2.

Clinton Young was another to move to Collingwood, but he had a horror run with injury and managed just two games for the year. Should Heath Shaw move on from the Magpies, Young will be an obvious replacement in 2014. Meanwhile, the Hawks were clearly able to cover his absence – winning the 2013 Premiership.

The Hawks also lost Tom Murphy to free agency last year; he became a pillar of Gold Coast’s defence this season, playing 17 games.

While other free agents had more successful seasons, Murphy’s story might provide the best example of how free agency best works. Having been given limited opportunities at the Hawks in 2012, playing just six matches, Murphy was able to move to a club that was prepared to give him more game-time at senior level, without the stresses of having to nominate for either the Pre-season or National Draft – where any or no club might have picked him up.

It also meant he didn’t have to wait around hoping a trade could get done, which wouldn’t have been a certainty, as clubs put a priority on dealing with the ‘bigger fish’ first.

It was a similar story with Chris Knights, who ventured from the Crows to the Tigers, former Docker Dylan Roberton – who had a brilliant debut season with the Saints – and Cat turned Demon Shannon Byrnes. Ex-Docker Nick Lower was also given another chance, at the Bulldogs. They were all able to get to their club of choice without having to nominate for the draft or be involved in a trade.

https://twitter.com/WayneSchwass/status/330282080195993601

Byrnes arrived at Melbourne alongside Geelong teammate Tom Gillies, while Jared Rivers went in the opposite direction, from Melbourne to Geelong. At 28, Rivers realised his chances of achieving September success were slim at the Demons. He played in a preliminary final with the Cats, while the younger Tom McDonald, James Frawley and Colin Garland held down the Dees’ key defensive posts.

Brent Moloney was another to leave Melbourne, clearly not a fit for Mark Neeld’s game plan the 28-year-old played 16 games for Brisbane this season and showed he has plenty of good footy left in him.

Given the Demons’ need to rebuild, the departures of Rivers and Moloney haven’t been entirely disastrous. At the very least, it has meant Melbourne has freed up space in the salary cap to pursue a younger star player or two.

Invariably, there is the potential for clubs to be hurt by what happens during the free agency period, but in most cases players change clubs because they fit better somewhere else. It’s no coincidence many free agents have flourished in new environments.

While Franklin and Goddard may be the first players who spring to mind when free agency is mentioned, we shouldn’t forget about the likes of Jonathan Simpkin. Afforded limited opportunities at Geelong, he was recruited by Hawthorn as a delisted free agent.

Less than a year later, he became a premiership player.

In the words of Jessie J, ‘It’s not about the money’.