Border Mail |
HOWLONG coach Karl Jacka says Hume league clubs are being forced to budget $100,000 a season, just to remain competitive.
With player payments soaring in recent years, Jacka said the average budget had almost tripled in the past decade.
He questioned how sustainable it was for clubs if the trend continued.
“Ten years ago we played finals at Henty on a player budget of $30,000,” Jacka said.
“Five years ago you could win a flag with $70,000.
“This year unless you have an unbelievable crop of locals that you don’t have to pay, you are probably looking at spending $100,000 just to remain competitive.
“Some clubs are even spending up to $150,000.
“There are clubs out there paying $100,000 that won’t even play finals.
“I’m not blaming the players and I’m not certainly saying Howlong is immune from it.
“Howlong has spent its fair share of money in the past couple of seasons too.
“I don’t know what the answer is but something has to give.”
Earlier this season, Murray Magpies coach Ken Mansell said the financial demands of would-be recruits had left him gobsmacked and labelled some players “prostitutes that shop themselves around”.
The Hume league scrapped its salary cap in 2002 in favour of a points system after clubs became tired of salary cap rorting.
Jacka said another worrying trend was players relying on their income from football to survive on a weekly basis.
“Some players are now relying on their football payments to pay the bills,” he said.
“It is concerning that guys rely on football now for an income.
“I don’t know how sustainable it is because times are tough on businesses and sponsorship and everyone is competing for the same dollar.
“Country football just seems to be a lot more dollar driven. Howlong is not immune to it and no club immune to it with everyone chasing the same dollar to be competitive.
“We are in an era now where guys demand X amount of dollars a game plus pay their health insurance, income protection and whatever else.
“I just don’t know how sustainable it is.”
