THE AFL has been accused of fixing its free agency compensation system to make sure the club they own gets a decent prize for letting superstar Gary Ablett walk to Geelong this trade period.

Veteran AFL journalist Damian Barrett told Triple M Adelaide’s Roo and Ditts on Tuesday morning the AFL awarded Geelong an end-of-first-round draft selection as rich compensation for losing Steven Motlop to Port Adelaide through free agency as a deliberate scheme to arm the Cats with enough draft bounty to convince the Suns to let Ablett return to Geelong.

The extraordinary accusation of corruption in the AFL’s free agency compensation system comes as Barrett reported even the Cats were shocked to learn they would receive the No. 19 draft pick following Motlop’s decision to move to the Power.

Motlop received the same compensation the Brisbane Lions received for losing gun midfielder Tom Rockliff to Port Adelaide.

In 2013, Hawthorn received pick No. 19 as compensation for losing megastar Lance Franklin to the Swans through free agency.

Barrett said the Motlop compensation for Geelong did not pass the smell test.

Adelaide Crows legend Mark Ricciuto said the Power must be paying Motlop more than $600,000 per season for the Cats to receive pick No. 19.

Barrett said the AFL had “looked after” the Cats with a “bonus” gift which he said would be the key to allow Ablett to return home.

When asked if Ablett is now certain to return to the Cats, Barrett said: “Yeah, absolutely”.

“The return of pick No. 19, or the granting of pick No. 19 for Geelong losing Motlop, that was the AFL saying, ‘Here’s a real bonus for you’. They (Geelong) personally and privately thought they would only get pick No. 35 for Motlop.

“The AFL’s looked after the Cats there. Don’t for a minute think there’s a (compensation) formula, Roo. Because it allows them to go and do what they’re going to do to get Ablett in.”

The AFL’s complex compensation algorithm was also heavily criticised by Lions recruitment chief David Noble on Tuesday, who admitted his club is disappointed it was not offered more for losing Rockliff.

Ricciuto, a Crows board member, hit out at the AFL for the lack of transparency surrounding its involvement in free agency compensation.

“That is a disgrace if what you’re saying is correct,” he said. “If what you’re saying is the case, there needs to be an inquiry into that.”

Barrett said there is growing evidence for the league to dump free agency compensation completely and allow free agency to function as a free market where clubs receive nothing in exchange for losing a player to a higher bidder.

“There needs to be an inquiry full stop into this rubbish formula,” he said.

“There is no formula. It is whatever the person in charge at the AFL wants to do at the time.

“There is no way, on past experiences, that Motlop was worthy of what the Cats have got for him.”

Noble said on Tuesday he plans to meet with the AFL to demand an explanation as to why the Lions were only given pick No. 19.

“We’re really frustrated, we’re going to talk to the AFL and Greg Swann’s coming down tomorrow,” Noble told AFL Trade Radio.

“I mean it is secret herbs and spices. I understand that free agency is not full compensation, compared to when the new franchises came in. We get that but it still doesn’t equate.

“We don’t believe that there’s enough mechanisms or enough levels in there that I guess give you the understanding.

“I’ve never understood the fact that a team almost lucks in to a position where you finish on the ladder, and so therefore if you lose a free agent it’s then attached to where you finish on the ladder.

“Hawthorn lost the best player (Lance Franklin) and got pick No. 18. Melbourne looked like it got some help because it ended up for them as good compensation.”

Incoming AFL footy operations boss Steve Hocking defended the Motlop compensation decision by the AFL, declaring it was justified considering the large salary offer put to him by the Power.

He said the salary and the age of the Cats speedster were the main determining factors.

“I would say in Motlop’s case he’s signed a fairly significant contract with Port Adelaide and hence, that’s where it’s landed,” he sad.