The Working Party established by AFL Victoria to examine the escalating costs of player payments at community level has yesterday provided an update to Metropolitan Community League CEOs and Country Region General Managers (RGMs).
The Working Party presented the update at the 2014 AFL Victoria Community Leagues Conference in Healesville and requested League CEOs and RGMs consider a proposed framework addressing the issue.
The suggested framework which is still in the development stage includes three major elements:
- A state-wide salary cap – with specific limits for individual leagues
- Equalisation provision(s) – to support implementation of a salary cap
- An appropriate enforcement policy
AFL Victoria General Manager Steven Reaper said the Working Party had now asked league CEOs and RGMs to consider how such a framework would function in their league/regions and would consider their feedback before announcing guidelines to be tested in a selection of competitions, without enforcement provisions, in 2015.
“It was made very clear at the corresponding conference at the end of last year that the industry had an appetite to tackle this issue,” Reaper said.
“AFL Victoria through this Working Party has examined a range of possible solutions in order to develop a robust and flexible set of guidelines which will seek to halt the escalating cost of player payments and bridge the gap between the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ at community level.”
“While we understand the concern across all levels of football regarding these issues and the demand for a quick solution, we are committed to developing a considered set of guidelines and the feedback from League CEOs and RGMs is vital to this approach.”
In determining the appropriate framework, the Working Party has considered research derived through an extensive survey completed by 369 clubs across Victoria.
“The development of an AFL Victoria-led state-wide solution was backed by 83 per cent of clubs who responded to the survey,” Reaper said.
“More than 50 per cent of clubs surveyed also indicated their support of the implementation of a state-wide salary cap despite acknowledging that such a measure creates enforcement challenges.”
Reaper said League CEOs and RGMs have been asked to consider salary cap ranges for their respective competition(s) and also how leagues, commissions and clubs can assist with adherence to such a system given their desire to tackle the issue.
“The Working Party agrees that any salary cap mechanism needs to be tailored for specific regions to incorporate demographic and geographical challenges faced by individual leagues across the State,” he said.
“It also understands a salary cap needs to be supported by other measures, such as a player points system or an alternative equalisation provision, to have the desired impact on escalating player payments, and must also be enforceable.”
“Provisions such as a player points system already operate in some Victorian leagues and if implemented state-wide would also need to be tailored to individual leagues and/or regions.”
Reaper said guidelines to be trialled in 2015 would be announced prior to Christmas.
“A trial will take place across a selection of metropolitan and country leagues next year and be thoroughly examined before being implemented state-wide in 2016.”
Changes to the current National Transfer Regulations that better reflect standard contract expiry dates are also being proposed.
This suggested change would allow a more timely transfer of players during the off-season once they have signed with a club, but any modification will also be appropriately considered before being implemented.
Working Party Details
The AFL Victoria Player Payments Working Group comprises of suitably qualified and experienced football administrators from across Victoria’s football communities.
AFL Victoria: Steven Reaper, Brett Connell, Mick Daniher and Darryl Collings.
Country: Lee Hartman (AFL Barwon RGM), Paul Hamilton (AFL Central Victoria RGM) and John O’Donohue (AFL North East Border RGM).
Metro: Phil Murton (Eastern FL CEO) and Marc Turri (Essendon District FL CEO).
AFL Victoria Community Football Board: Nicholas Rolfe (former VCFL President and current Chair of the AFL Goulburn Murray Region Commission) and Tony Mitchell (former VCFL Board member and current Chair of AFL Yarra Ranges Region Commission).
For more information or to request further comments from AFL Victoria General Manager Steven Reaper, please contact AFL Victoria Media & Communications Coordinator David O’Neill via e-mail at David.O’Neill@aflvic.com.au
Due to commitments surrounding the Leagues Conference, Mr Reaper will be unavailable on Wednesday and Thursday (October 22-23).
Last Modified on 23/10/2014 13:28