Geelong Advertiser |
AFL Barwon has confirmed the region’s three leagues will be policed by either a salary cap or player points system in 2016.
The landmark change comes amid a statewide crackdown on skyrocketing player payments.
A 46-question survey was recently sent to all AFL Victoria clubs to address widespread concerns about the impact of escalating player payments on clubs and leagues.
According to figures declared in annual reports, an average GFL club spends about $140,000 on players.
But anecdotally, the top-splurging clubs spend beyond $200,000 and then there’s the issue of jobs and other incentives.
“The feel is player payments are not out of control (in Geelong), but the feel at the same time is it’s not a level playing field,” AFL Barwon region manager Lee Hartman said.
“There is a gap between the top and bottom in all four leagues (including CDFL) — it needs to be evened up.
“If the top GFL club is paying say $200,000, there’s no point setting the cap at $250,000 because the ones that are paying $120,000 will continue to be left behind.”
Hartman is part of a nine-member AFL Victoria panel that is spending the season investigating player payments.
He said only five clubs in the Geelong region did not complete the survey.
“It shows there’s a genuine interest and concern,” he said.
“We know clubs think there’s an issue. The early responses say the clubs identify something needs to happen — just what that golden answer is is what’s being debated.”
AFL Victoria will make it mandatory on all leagues across the state to introduce a form of spending equalisation — it will then be up to individual leagues to decide what type of system suits them.
By October this year, clubs will be informed about what is likely to be implemented.
Some clubs in the Ovens and Murray league, the Goulburn Valley league and some Melbourne metro leagues are said to be spending in the order of $300,000 on players a year.
While a salary cap sounds good in theory, how would it be enforced?
Players may be required to sign statutory declarations or there could be more rigorous checking of the books. But history tells us clubs would find a way around.
“The early indications are there would be some very strict penalties if clubs were to breach the salary cap,” Hartman said, pointing to loss of points, fines or even suspensions of clubs.
But, under a player points system, there is no hiding. It is transparent and can be linked to a national database.
Each player is rated based on their credentials — junior products at the low end of the scale, elite players or marquee recruits at the other. Each team must then fit within a set points cap each week.
“Clubs need to be smarter about how they go about things,” Hartman said.
“The issue is not so much the top-line players, it’s more about clubs spending over the odds for players who shop themselves around and probably don’t have the credentials.
“Club loyalty is still there to an extent, but there’s probably more players in it for the dollars as well.”
Geelong Addy’s Saturday previews
LARA v ST MARY’S
LARA ruckman Peter Street has been ruled out of today’s clash with St Mary’s after succumbing to a foot injury. Street, who was allegedly run over while on police duty, failed to prove his fitness yesterday. “He had a bit of a run around on it this morning and it was a bit sore,” Cats coach Matt Kershaw said. “It was no good, so he’s set to miss this week unfortunately.” Dallas Redfern returns to the reserves as Lara makes two changes to its team that lost to Colac. Full back and Matthew Wilkinson and Daniel Weigl return. The in-form Saints have included five players to their squad, with Luke Bath, James Koroneos, Nick Connors, Jordan Carruthers and Tom Waters back in.
COLAC v GROVEDALE
KEY pair Michael McNeel and Tom Monahan return for Grovedale’s do-or-die clash against Colac. McNeel, who has been a consistent performer in the reserves, has won a recall to the senior line-up while Monahan returns from injury after battling knee tendinitis.
They replace youngsters Luke Ford and Leigh Ellis, who will return to the under-18s. Sitting two games outside the top five with four rounds to play, Grovedale coach Grant Tanner knows his team faces an uphill battle to make the finals. “It’s out of our hands in a way,” Tanner said. “If we win our last four games we finish on 11 ½ wins and last year you would’ve made it. We need things to go our way.” Grovedale meets St Mary’s, Bell Park and North Shore on the run home but can kiss 2014 goodbye if it fails against Colac today.
ST JOSEPH’S v GEELONG WEST-ST PETER’S
ST Joseph’s has made four changes from the side that drew with Grovedale last round. Daniel Gibbs has been recalled to Geelong’s VFL side, who has also named Brant Haintz as its 23rd man. Josh Hovey and Jack Thackeray have been omitted. Joeys regain Joseph Macula, Tim Arnel, Lachlan Howe and Tom Littore. Kevin Bourke is a chance to return for the Roosters, while Chris Moreland remains in doubt with an ankle injury. “We want to try and win as many games as we can,” West coach Terry Bright said. “Certainly we go out to win every week but more importantly we have to try to continue to work on the way we play footy. At the moment we turn it over too much and our players are aware of that.”
NEWTOWN & CHILWELL v BELL PARK
FINALLY, some continuity at Bell Park. The Dragons are set to go into today’s clash unchanged for the first time this season. ”We’ve obviously got a little bit more consistency with our performance over the past three games against lower opposition as personnel have come back in,” co-coach Tim Sheringham said. “(Today) though is a great challenge against a team that is not only top of the table, but that gave us a belting earlier in the year. The focus for us at this stage of the year is continuing the improvement we’ve seen in recent weeks and making sure we are hard to play against and getting something out of the remainder of the year regardless of results.”
NORTH SHORE v LEOPOLD
IT’S two-versus-12 but Leopold coach Steve Clark insists there’s plenty to play for. “Internally, it’s always about how close we can get our performance to 100 per cent, no matter what colour the opposition’s number is,” Clark said. There’s still competition for spots and we can’t afford to drop off, so there’s plenty of motivation.” The Lions can maintain a two-point buffer on Colac with victory and stay on the heals of ladder leader Newtown & Chilwell. Daniel Pitcher will make his debut for the Lions after impressing in the reserves. “He’s a mid-sized forward who is very fit and good for his size,” Clark said. Jackson Bews also comes in to the Leopold side, while Jake Dowsett (flu) and Leigh Thompson (soreness) are out.
ST ALBANS v SOUTH BARWON (Sunday)
SOUTH Barwon’s Trent Richards brings up his 50th match in the stand-alone GFL Sunday match at St Albans Reserve. The match has been moved to tomorrow as part of the Victorian WorkCover Authority match of the month. Four-time premiership coach David Parkin and former Australian netball coach Norma Plummer are among special guests. It comes as South Barwon reappointed co-coaches Matthew Scarlett and Warwick Knuckey for next season. “It’s great they’ve continued on, they’re all excited and looking forward to the future,” president Richard Holz said. After a sluggish start to the season, South Barwon, now only two points adrift in sixth, could be back inside the top-five by the end of the round.
BFL
DRYSDALE v ANGLESEA
BARWON HEADS v GEEL AMATEUR
PORTARLINGTON v MODEWARRE
QUEENSCLIFF v OCEAN GROVE
TORQUAY v NEWCOMB POWER
GDFL
ANAKIE v EAST GEELONG
WINCHELSEA v BELL POST HILL
NTH GEELONG v WERRIBEE CENT
THOMSON v CORIO
BANNOCKBURN v BELMONT LIONS
GEELONG WEST v INVERLEIGH
