Clubs fuming at free agent compensation

Hawthorn and Adelaide are set to demand a 'please explain' from the AFL after they were left fuming at the compensation picks they received for losing players in the free agency period.

The Hawks say they feel like they’ve been "pick-pocketed" after receiving pick No.66 for premiership player Clinton Young and nothing in return for losing 95-gamer Tom Murphy to Gold Coast.

Adelaide also received no compensation for Chris Knights, who has joined Richmond.

Both clubs said the formula used to determine compensation picks should be made more transparent.

"We expected some compensation for Knights," Crows football operations chief Phil Harper told News Limited.

"We thought there would be a late pick, say in the third round. We're not overly worried today because we probably would not have used that pick," added Harper.

"But if we had been planning on a compensation pick for losing Chris Knights, we would like to know the process that formed the decision there be no compensation.

"We need to know for the future. And we're sure everyone wants to know how compensation is assigned."

Melbourne are reportedly also smarting after receiving just one third-round selection for losing Jared Rivers and Brent Moloney.

While the Crows and Hawks are angry, the AFL has confirmed the decisions are final and there is no appeals process in place.

"The compensation comes down to the age and contract offered," said AFL spokesman Patrick Keane.

"If there are two players who are the same age and there was different compensation for them, it is obvious why it is different.

"The whole purpose of free agency was that if a player leaves, there is not automatic replacement via a draft pick. The (expansion selections) provided much greater compensation because we were adding players to the competition."

Port Adelaide were the big winners when the AFL announced the compensation picks last week.

The Power received two second-round picks for losing Troy Chaplin and Danyle Pearce, while St Kilda received pick No.13 for losing star Brendon Goddard to Essendon.

West Coast received a third-round pick after Quinten Lynch joined Collingwood, while Geelong received nothing in return for Shannon Byrnes.