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Bring back the biff -
Re: Free Agency
Backroom spending could free AFL stars to go
AFL players have been handed a big bargaining chip in their bid to secure better conditions, with free agency to come in a year early if football's arms race spirals out of control.
The AFLPA last night confirmed that under the new collective bargaining agreement, free agency would start at seven seasons if football department spending eclipsed a set formula.
Clubs including Collingwood and Fremantle continue to spend big money on assistants, development coaches and technology such as high-altitude rooms.
Yet the AFL cried poor in negotiations with the players, denying them a fixed percentage of revenue.
Under the agreed formula, if the proportion of players' wages to average football department spending across the 18 clubs slipped below 55 per cent, free agency provisions would change.
It would see restricted free agents after seven years, unrestricted free agents after nine years and only half the number of players protected as restricted free agents.
The AFLPA said if football department spending continued to soar it would be proof clubs could afford to pay more for their players.
The triggers for free agency now are eight years for restricted free agents and 10 years for unrestricted free agents.
Instead of free agency's rules changing, the league and AFLPA could sit down and increase the salary cap, which is clearly the player union's preferred outcome.
The AFL has committed to a review of the CBA after three years of the five-season term, and in effect this clause guarantees both sides commit to the review.
Richmond's Brett Deledio is still only 24 but a restricted free agent, meaning players eligible for free agency after seven years would be as young as 23.
Collingwood turned over an extraordinary $75,592,030 last year but, given the salary cap was $8.21 million, the only way to find a competitive advantage was to boost football department spending.
The proportion of the salary cap to football department spending is hovering about 60 per cent, and dropping about 1.5 to 2 per cent a year.
The curse is dead.Comment
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Re: Free Agency
How many players don't get where they want under the old system?
Unjustified in my opinion.Comment
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Re: Free Agency
It's just a case of the rich clubs trying to outdo everyone by spending big in the footy dept. Now the have not will lose their better players sooner because of them.Don't piss off old people
The older we get the less "LIFE IN PRISON" is a deterrent...Comment
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Re: Free Agency
If we had 40,000 plus members we would probably be given more blockbusters and wouldn't be as reliant on the equalization fund. Becoming a more successful club with a strong supporter base is the key to just about everything. Free agency will be a nightmare for a lot of clubs not just the poorer ones.Western Bulldogs Football Club "Where it's cool to drool"Comment
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Re: Free Agency
Catch 22 blame the AFL from the start they should have given every team a part in ANZAC day etc, I believe that game would be sold out no matter what by now, but alas once you start having favourite clubs you build your own grave with equalization monies.Bring back the biffComment
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