What to do, with Stew?

[bornadog]

I'm 42 and I don't earn nearly as much as that!

He is an elite athlete

[Twodogs]

$75,000 per annum - not a lot of money for a 29 year old.

That's his base rate, he gets extra for every senior game he plays. It's up to him and his dedication to football as to whether he earns 75k or much more if he has a big preseason and plays his way into their AFL team. New rules next year as wel. Clubs can promote rookies straight into the senior team without dropping another player off the list. It's much easier to play rookies than it was.

[bornadog]

New rules next year as wel. Clubs can promote rookies straight into the senior team without dropping another player off the list. It's much easier to play rookies than it was.

When is a rookie not a rookie - next year.

I think the AFL needs to scrap the words Rookie

[Twodogs]

When is a rookie not a rookie - next year.

I think the AFL needs to scrap the words Rookie

Give them a couple of years and they might. They just have to catch up with the consequences part of their equation-they aren't real good at seeing them sometimes.

[Hotdog60]

Maybe Rookie can be replaced with Auxiliary players then age and experience doesn't cloud the title.

[Twodogs]

Maybe Rookie can be replaced with Auxiliary players then age and experience doesn't cloud the title.

It is a bit of a misnomer isn't it?

[bornadog]

To me a rookie should be a player that has never played AFL before. A player that was overlooked in the draft, or a mature age recruit playing in a state league but hasn't had the opportunity to play AFL. The recycled players were in the past picked up in the pre-season draft. The AFL has lost the plot with the rookie classification.

[Twodogs]

To me a rookie should be a player that has never played AFL before. A player that was overlooked in the draft, or a mature age recruit playing in a state league but hasn't had the opportunity to play AFL. The recycled players were in the past picked up in the pre-season draft. The AFL has lost the plot with the rookie classification.

That's what it started out as. The rookie list players had all sorts of limitations about age and background originally. I think it's worked much better since they made it more flexible.

[jeemak]

Supplementary players?

If Stu plays ten or so games he's probably going to take home the median household income as a single earner, most 29 y.o. wouldn't be doing that, nor would they be getting the best medical, dental, and other health opportunities AFL football provides.

Also, playing AFL football provides networking capability other professions don't. Dickhead or otherwise, there will be plenty of people willing to give Stu a decent paying job after he finishes playing football.