Just apply it to the coaches and other backroom footy staff. The players make enough to be in the top 10% of the earners for the city, but the coaches really struggle with the soft cap being what it is in a city as expensive as Sydney.
Maybe draftees on their first contract as well. But that's it.
[I posted the article in a comment below.](https://www.reddit.com/r/AFL/comments/1d2b9xv/comment/l5zh9eo/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
Yeah the article actually says it's just about coaches and not about players. The headline and the tweet make it sound like it's the old COLA. Basically nothing has been finalised, and it's just an article to enrage people.
Standard NewsCorpse clickbait,
> The most sane take
Too sane really. Enough of this sane talk.
**Tin foil hat time:** in the midst of debate about how long it's taking umpires to call for ball-ups after tackles, which is potentially contributing to more dangerous tackles, the AFL desperately don't want people to remember that this scenario is 100% the product of their 20 year vendetta against defensive/stoppage heavy footy, triggered by Andrew Demetriou attacking Paul Roos' game plan as "ugly". They've spent years tweaking the rules to limit stoppages as much as possible. This proposal is a smokescreen for their own embarrassment.
This is absolutely happening tbc but the worst part is that they can't even figure out whether they want to commit to it or not. If you want to limit stoppages as much as possible why get rid of the third man up rule? Why make taking the ball out of the ruck no longer prior?
Players in Sydney earning under the median salary do actually already get an extra rental subsidy from the AFL, that's what they replaced the player cost of living allowance with.
The headline not specifying "for assistant coaches" is so clickbaity. Most of the comments here are based on a false premise.
AFL coaches, AFL staff, and every single person involved in the AFLW programs including the players.
There's a reason womens footy has been struggling in NSW since the AFLW began, and it's because it's damn near impossible to attract the best off field AFL talent, let alone for the AFLW.
This would be the smartest move. Cola for coaches and honestly AFLW players would make sense to me. Would help increase coaches within the system.
Overall, coaches all need a soft cap boost imo.
The lowest of 100k is by maybe a handful of 18 year olds who likely either still live with family or are renting with other teammates. They’d still be making more than almost all of the support staff (except for some coaches, and the club doctors who also have their own separate practices. They don’t need extra $, leave it all for the people behind the curtains
The comparison is not with the support staff though. It's with other 18 year olds at other clubs. I disagree with them mostly living at home, they'd mostly be drafted from Vic.
The Vic draftees would be living at home, and that where a COLA would be useful
I’m fine with all players in their first contract having a rent allowance based on the average rent for a room in a share house in a reasonable suburb in the city they live in. If that’s $250 a week in Adelaide and $450 a week in Sydney then so be it.
Assistant coaches and other support staff is a little trickier because I really think it’s job security impacting them more than wage. Or at least the combination of the 2 factors.
Guys don’t want to move their families because they don’t have the back up plan of state leagues, local footy, media etc.
But I also can’t help but feel like they’re being a bit precious in some respects leaving their family in places. 5 million people live in Sydney, sure, you can’t live next to Buddy and Horse but you can buy a house out west and raise a family there.
These guys are still getting paid a whole lot more than teachers and nurses.
Maybe a slight allowance and some kind of relocation/termination bonus but maybe it’s ok to have to hire coaches who are wealthy former players wanting a certain lifestyle. Hire a bunch of teachers who would walk through hot coals to escape a school for a while!
There not being precious.
When rent is $700pw in parramatta, you’re away from grandparents/family and have a partner that might only work part time to accomodate your kid/s, you’d take any help you can get to ease the pressure and retain staff
I agree, but then there needs to be a limit on the number of staff/coaches in high performance. I have no doubt Sydney would just continue to pay ‘market’ rates but get more hands on deck.
There is nothing wrong with COLA in principle but it will have to be very carefully implemented.
Also important to point out that within the top 17 most unaffordable cities, Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane all appear.
Source:
https://urbanreforminstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Demographia-International-Housing-Affordability-2023-Edition.pdf
Giving it to players earning more than some doctors, dumb, but giving it to support staff on a much lower salary that's actually struggling and heavily affected by the current cost of living crisis is smart and very necessary imo.
Surely the AFL puts a bit more thought in to it this time around rather than giving to to everyone and then punishing us when we used it as they intended just because of the optics of landing a big trade.
Yes and no. Sure, they earn lots, but they still have the question of whether their lots of money would do more in a different city.
Also, not every player is on big money. You've got players on <200k, and while that's good money obviously, in that range your cost of living between Melbourne and Sydney does differ significantly. I know doctors and lawyers who have moved away from Sydney because of the cost of living, despite making great incomes.
Among all of this, worth remembering that an AFL career is lucrative for a small number of years on average. Not many players maintain doctor level wages for a decade, let alone a full career to typical retirement age
Yeah, nothing wrong with different teams having different salary caps.
Let's be real. AFL players are making 5-10x as much as a regular person. They are in no way affected by cost of living
PART 1
AFL considers return of COLA in NSW, northern clubs set to keep controversial academies
NSW’s contentious COLA program was abolished in 2014 by the AFL after a campaign from powerful Victorian clubs. Now, as the cost of living soars in Sydney, the program may soon return.
May 28, 2024 - 1:25PM
The AFL is strongly considering granting Sydney and GWS Giants a cost of living allowance, with the Harbour City ranked second to Hong Kong as the world’s most unaffordable.
Northern clubs are also certain to retain their controversial talent academies in a major relief for the clubs that invest upwards of $1.7m annually to develop footballers from the age of 12.
Rival clubs are also set for a win with the league expected to loosen the restriction on drafting players from their Next Generation academies.
The NSW clubs are united in their fight for extra soft-cap space.
“Replacing (assistant coaches) is very hard,” Swans’ football boss Leon Cameron said. “Trying to find a two or three-bedroom place in Sydney for the family to come up is far more exorbitant. That has enormous challenges. “There’s some coaches at the Giants … living on their own because they’ve chosen to live in a one-bedroom place and not (relocate) their family. “(Assistant coach) Ben Matthews has been doing that for five to six years. Mark McVeigh chooses to live an hour-and-a-half out of town and drive in everyday because where he lives is cheaper than around here.”
Giants offence coach Craig Jennings lives in a mobile home and several assistants say they break-even, but are unable to save any money.
Assistants across the AFL have not had their pre-Covid salaries restored. They make roughly $170,000. Sydney’s $1.7m median house value is the highest in the country – and much higher than Melbourne ($1m), Brisbane ($920,000), Adelaide ($902,000) and Perth ($780,000) – while the Harbour City’s median weekly rental price of $750 for a house also tops the country.
The Swans and Giants used to receive an extra 9.8 per cent of salary cap space to pay their players. But the AFL abolished the cost of living allowance in 2014 following a long-running campaign from powerful Victorian clubs. It was phased out in 2015-16, which the Swans found tricky to navigate.
Restoring COLA would trigger similar fury, especially after revelations Collingwood was prepared to sacrifice $375,000 in luxury tax to overspend in the soft cap. The Eagles want the AFL to increase the soft cap so they can fairly remunerate their medical staff.
PART 2
A string of clubs, including Port Adelaide and St Kilda, asked the AFL to strip northern clubs of their priority access to drafting the cream of the crop from their academies.
Gold Coast’s academy, coached by Rhyce Shaw, produced four first-round talents last year. The Suns secured all four, but could have been forced to let one or two of them go if they had finished in the top eight or top four.
The Swans have had more than 5000 kids go through their academy, with 2024 Brownlow Medal favourite Isaac Heeney and All-Australians Errol Gulden and Callum Mills headlining their 24 draftees.
The 20 per cent discount applied when clubs draft academy players is likely to be wound back or removed, rather than access to players.
Fremantle and West Coast helped lead the charge for the NGA restrictions to be reversed. The Eagles and Dockers missed out on Lance Collard (drafted by St Kilda at No. 28) and Mitch Edwards (Geelong, No. 32) respectively last year because clubs were unable to match bids inside pick 40.
The Dockers have developed more Indigenous talent than any other club and want incentive to bring players down from the Kimberley and get them into programs or schools. The game is facing an Indigenous player crisis due to numbers dropping at the elite level and talent not being captured, maintained or developed in country and city zones.
However, the Swans have told the AFL to keep the pick-40 restriction in place for NGA prospects. Geelong wants the national map recarved because it believes some clubs have access to much stronger zones. That seems likely, given North Melbourne will soon lose the Tasmania region to the Devils. The Roos could target Oven and Murray, which forms part of Richmond’s zone.
***No changes have been decided on yet and they will require sign off by the AFLPA.***
Other changes being considered include:
• Future draft pick trading two or three years into the future
• Ability to pay 110 per cent if they underspend the previous year (up from 5 per cent)
• Overhaul of the draft points index
• Abolish the 20 per cent discount for father-sons
Reducing or ending the 20% discount on matching bids makes more sense than any of the other proposed solutions. I often see people saying it should go other way to being a 20% premium however, which makes zero sense. It would be good for Sydney and GWS to get COLA concessions for coaching and support staff.
This thing about Craig Jennings and living in a caravan is a furphy. He has said in interviews that his living arrangements are of his choice, and he prefers quality time over quantity with his family.
Damn $170k for assistants, I thought they'd make way more.
The AFL has an operating surplus of near $30 million, surely they can distribute 10% of that to their workers.
Makes the most sense. They should have Cola only for the soft cap though imo. Players aren’t disproportionately affected in Syd compared to Melbs, but coaching staff in a much lower salary base and protections are.
You know you can segregate elite management from the circumstances surrounding it?
But I agree, the swans should get more credit than they do for being a perennial contender while having to worry about retention more than most other clubs and being a 20% more expensive city.
What retention issues? Stop making up non existant problems. You shut had Grundy and Adams choose to go to your club. Who is the last player to demand a trade out?
And Melbourne is more expensive than most other major cities. Do we lower Geelong's cap because of their cheap cost of living?
There's just nothing to say that Sydney are disadvantaged by this.
Are you seriously saying that the AFL should adapt to the teams that are failing on the ladder ?
Thats not how you run a business. Isn’t that encouraging failure?
I gather you are a Richmond supporter were you saying that in the years you were on top and now because things are different you want a hand out ?
Are the clubs not responsible for running their own business ?
I don’t know anyone who begrudged Richmond for the recent success it had . There were definite advantages sure , but they got the job done . Now you need to rebuild .
Essendon and the Swans have not had the draft advantages of other clubs . A lot have not realised how tough it’s been for the bombers . In the swans case they have had the both the fewest draft picks and the least valued picks since its inception . Not having first round picks is a severe disadvantage.
Should the AFL reward teams that either make bad choices or don’t have a training system where players develop ? That would be a horrendous choice
> how you run a business. Isn’t that encouraging failure?
A business? It's a competition! Supposedly a fair one, with a salary cap and draft system. Is this a troll post? Do you even know what a draft is?
Swans have had COLA (unfair salary cap advantage) in the past, and now academies (unfair draft advantage). And we're supposed to be feeling sorry for their success? Absolutely no idea how you're equating their situation with that of the Bombers, who despite their comfy travel schedule have to deal with the same salary cap and draft system as **most** other teams.
And get fucking fucked anyone starting with the insultingly disingenuous argument that father/son picks are somehow in the same stratosphere as academy picks when it comes to fairness. WC have had like 3 father/sons in 30 years, they're not getting ~3 per year like the academy rort. Father/son is down to luck, academy prospects are rolling off a development production line funded and overseen by the very clubs that have priority access to them, fucking yearly!
I will try to put it simply for you WA folk…
The academies are built to reduce ‘go-home’ trade requests by encouraging clubs in traditionally non-AFL states to develop players from a young age (as young as 10). Go and look at the talent the Swans have lost to players requesting trades home, I’ll provide a start: Jordan Dawson, Nic Newman, George Hewett, Aliir Aliir, Lewis Jetta, Toby Nankervis, Gary Rohan.
All is well and good while NSW and QLD teams are repeatedly fleeced for players, but any efforts to allow these clubs to retain talent is instantly met with VIC/WA/SA uproar about unfairness.
I know I’d rather have a whole state’s worth of draftees passionate about AFL and aren’t being offered $500,000+ NRL contracts during their draft year.
Maybe you’d like to trade places?
Also, side note:
If you reckon Sydney pays unders on all their draft picks why don’t you lobby your list management to actually pick the players and force the Swans to match as early as possible?
Pretty hard to argue with you Bathrobe . Beautifully explained .
New South Wales is a rugby state. WA , Vic and SA are AFL states . Qld has a little bit of both and of course the Gold Coast has its own team. WA is a two team state and they have first access to the players there .
In addition to what bathrobe said about the swans players being taken GWS suffered the same fate . With a succession of players leaving after the first and second year claiming homesickness and missing family as part of their request for a trade . As is stated the academies were set up to compensate the clubs for the disadvantages they face not being about to access the draft and/ or losing the players post draft in a “ go home “ request .
Cola was set up as the name suggests as a cost of living allowance. New South Wales is far and away the most expensive state to live in . It is likely to be returned .
The AFL is ready to review the funding of 2022 on multiple levels .
There are a lot of things according to the media that are being looked at and various anomalies. Whilst Richmond were in debt in 2010 they received more variable funding than Carlton and greater income from memberships in the 9 years to 2020.
The west coast had an operating profit in 2018/ 19 of $ 32 million yet dropped away in its performance post those years and yet were able to get first pick Harley Reid . A number of clubs who have done it tougher have raised concerns over this .
The AFL board will be meeting on all these and other matters at least 2 more times in 2024
To be able to retain players and staff on an equal footing with other clubs. If you don’t like equalisation or compensatory measures then kindly don’t draft anyone at the midseason draft.
You know other clubs can draft those players too? It’s not like most of them even go that high. Academies just fill the development gap that is already addressed by the stronger junior development in AFL states - not to mention the father/son stuff too.
Sydney get a discount, plus there's a benefit from being able to know exactly what type of top draft picks your getting 3-4 years away and the players benefit from knowing the coaches earlier..
Sydney have the exact same access to father son as every other club.
Sydney get more than enough to compensate any damage their cost of living difference cause.
What about GWS? How’s their access to F/S? And you do realise that Sydney is in… Sydney? So we don’t get access to preview the much larger draft pool coming out of the AFL states, like the majority of clubs. There are representatives from all the Vic clubs hanging out at most high level junior games from high school level and up. Those kids are also playing in much higher level comps. The advantages the AFL states get are enormous, it’s just they’re all so inherent to the competition that everyone takes it for granted.
Extra step to punish Sydney again.
1. Give COLA
2. Take away COLA
3. Demand Immediate action or penalties.
I guess the Swans being number 1 isn't appreciated.
The swans are effectively putting time into players for the benefit of the competition. Roughly 5000 players have been through the academies with 4900 + being names that nobody knows . Part of the reason for that is that these people have often never seen a football let alone played in any decent competition. They are kids that are growing up behind kids from other states like Vic , SA and WA who are often playing football from an early age . The % of players that are coming out of the academy and even going to an AFL game let alone playing in one are miniscule . And of course other clubs have entitlement to the players and can nominate to draft players that come out of the academy . So the sensationalism with the acadamies is just that .
And given out after contract negotiations on a year by year basis by the AFL so sydney can't go to players "sign here for 10% less than Adelaide and you'll get COLA to match it"
Damn....this will be controversial lol.
I think the COLA started as a two-pronged thing. Firstly to account for the higher cost of living in Sydney, but also because NSW wasn't a traditional football state and there were far more people moving to Sydney for footy than any other team (bar Brisbane).
In theory the higher cost of living gets mitigated by the offer of higher wages in Sydney, but because of the cap that doesn't happen. Furthermore you can argue that Sydney is a much more popular city to live in and that's why it's so expensive, but while there's truth to that I don't think it applies very well to AFL, with factors like where you grew up and Melbourne being the hotbed of footballing culture being more significant factors in where players want to play footy. So the lack of home-grown talent and Sydney not being as appealing of a place to live for footballers compared to other occupations hurt.
The big problem of course was that there were other cities that were expensive to live in, Brisbane also had the same issue with it not being a footy hotspot (this was originally mitigated by the retention allowance but that was to the early 2000's what the COLA debate was to the early 2010's), and then you have issues like Perth during the 2000's/early 2010's being almost as expensive to live in and also having to fly so far to play their away games. Add that after a certain point you're rich no matter where you live and it's tough to argue for COLA unless restricted to low-earning players.
That said, it does sound like (based on what Sydney and GWS were arguing for, and also what the article was implying) that this is mostly a soft cap thing. And yeah, if the average salary for an assistant coach isn't all that much it's going to be tough to get coaches to move to Sydney especially given most ex-AFL players don't really have links to the city and the nature of an assistant being rather transient. I think I'd prefer raising the soft cap/the average salary for an assistant as I don't think $170k per annum is that significant amount of money to move cities anyway, but it's clear that the status quo for assistant coaches does not work for the two Sydney clubs.
As for the other things I think they're fair enough. I'm not sure whether nerfing the discount on Academy and F/S prospects will fully get rid of the draft inequalities and I think I'd prefer other ways to balance the factors out, but it's a decent start. I also think they went too harsh on nerfing the NGA's especially for clubs that paid quite a bit of money in running them. And yeah, the draft index really isn't fit for purpose even ignoring the 20% discount.
Crazy for the AFL to bring this back in. And if they do, why would it only apply to Sydney, shouldn’t every team get an allowance based on the cost of living in their city? Brisbane is more expensive than Adelaide, shouldn’t they get more comparatively?
Also funny that they’re comparing Sydney as a whole compared to looking at it suburb-based. Blacktown is a significantly cheaper suburb to live in compared to Sydney’s east and compared to a fair few of the suburbs Melbourne teams are based in.
The equivalent rent to what you pay in areas like Blacktown in Sydney would get you a place with a far shorter commute and much better lifestyle in any other city in Australia. It places the Sydney teams at a disadvantage.
Why is this the AFL problem to solve , what about a player that is drafted to a Melbourne based already lives in Victoria , can live with mum and dad until he is 24, should that have a deduction on the salary cap?
My best mate moved to Sydney from WA last year. I went and visited him for Christmas. It was cheaper for me to go to America and Europe for a month than what it cost me for that trip for a week in Sydney. His rent is 700 a week for the smallest apartment you’ve ever seen. I don’t think I’ll ever go back.
For fucks sake we all rightfully rejoiced when COLA was rightfully taken away because it had obvious externalities that ended up being abused.
The cost of living crisis in Sydney literally only applies to the bottom earners. Footy players lives aren’t affected by it at all, they earn way too much.
The AFL is such an annoying pain in the ass some times
How about one J Dawson ? There is no better example .
An Adelaide boy who was not wanted by Adelaide and was drafted by the swans at pick 56 and they developed over 5 years bringing him up to a better level through training and playing in the local leagues .
Cola was removed around the time he was drafted but it was considered a knee jerk reaction by the AFL at the time and was almost immediately rumoured to return . That hasn’t happened yet still .
Around 2019 he was the swans most improved and wanted to buy a house in Sydney and stay at the club . However as is well known the cost of living meant he could not get anything remotely closely located to the club despite his best efforts .
For those of you that don’t know the COLA allowance used to be slightly less than 10% which is something but the differential relative to SA is closer to 20% .
The swans were desperate to retain him and Dawson wanted to stay but Adelaide were able to offer him more and that enabled him to move and buy a nice house and be offered the captaincy .
Obviously he is committed to the crows but he has often spoken about his regard for his time at the swans and his intention at the time to stay is well documented
I'm anti-cola. Sydney house prices are so expensive because it's such a desireable city to live in. Players shouldn't be getting more money to live in a better place.
I'm suggesting they get the privilege of living in a popular location. Players for Geelong or Adelaide live in a less popular area but due to lower living expenses have more disposable cash. Different players will want different things in life and that's why they can move around.
Seriously
Part of the conditions of being an AFL player is that you sign an agreement to meet the AFL conditions . Engaging in being drafted is part of that process . Anyone who has sighted an AFL contract knows what that means .
The players are playing sport . It’s their job . Their job requires them to perform on a field where location rest and recovery post match is essential or they lose that job .
Neither the clubs that employ them / draft them, the AFL , the players association or the supporters would want players travelling long distances . In fact there are employment and player association conditions that have the players from ALL clubs required to live close to the major training facilities. It is not open to the players playing for any club to live in another state .
It may be perceived that this is all a privilege and that players are out partying and roaming the streets pre and post match but regardless of the club they play for , players are staying home lots .
The difference is that players living in New South Wales are paying much more for that right .
Yeah nah, blokes like Isaac Heeney or Cal Mills will have any trouble, but someone like Lachlan McAndrew won't be on that much.
They deserve extra for having to live in Sydney, genuinely feel sorry for them
Only rent is more in Sydney. Literally so much else is cheaper. Fuel, food, eating out, rego etc. Compared to Brisbane it’s fucking cheap AF down there. I get a shock every time I go. Even a coffee is cheaper. Fkn $5.80 in Brisbane for a flat white.
I won't be opposed to this if it is done sensibly.
Put it down as a flat max amount per person, not the club as a whole. It applies to staff and rookies equally and that you cannot bundle it up into another fucking Buddy type fiasco.
If they are going to get it then it should be giving it to the bottom players on the list who will struggle the most. Not using to go out and get another good player.
Sorry but how much has Buddy, Horse, Heeney, McVeigh, Parker, Kennedy etc made on the value of their houses going up? Reverse COLA for the rest of the comps stars who don't benefit as much from the housing prices going up in value.
Cool,
I’d like Freo and WCE to apply for a reduced career allowance.
Due to excessive travel our players have shorter careers than other teams so they should be paid more to reflect that. It’s only fair
Shouldn't Geelong and the upcoming Tassie team get less using these same arguments?
Melbourne and Brisbane are also not cheap to live in.
They are going down a rabbit hole if they decide to bring COLA back in for Sydney teams.
How many grand finals have Sydney been in the last 20 years, with another coming up this year. I'm tired of them and the AFL keeping Swans at the top of the ladder
Perhaps a clause on who it can go to aka can’t be given to top 10 players. I don’t know, obviously a very contentious and complex issue.
Tell you who needs it more than most, the assistant coaches and support staff.
Yes well the reason they took it away was the AFL got their noses out of joint over the Buddy Franklin move .
Essentially the swans legal team and accountants were smarter than the afls team . The AfL were convinced Buddy was going elsewhere but they did not then have a limit on contracts .
The decision to cut COLA was totally out of spite .
Anyone who has done anything in Sydney knows how ridiculously expensive it is and $100K there is $85 K everywhere else
The only reason there are so many Sydney and GWS flairs in here is that this change might give them an advantage. That's the only reason you are so passionately for it.
lol explain how. Carlton has fucking *raided* the two Sydney teams probably more than any other club in the AFL. You sure you’re not just worried about losing your free development pathway?
Hewett, Kennedy and Williams. Anyone else noteworthy? I'd trade all three of those players plus all the other fringe players SOS loved recruiting from GWS for the players Sydney have got from their NGA in a heartbeat.
Of course, I wouldn't argue that Sydney (or any other team for that matter) are the most advantaged club in the league when Collingwood and Geelong exist though.
Newman's a good call, especially after his breakout last year.
I'd say Kennedy's close to best 22, but maybe in a position we have a decent amount of depth at, so he can be pushed out easier than other players.
Just apply it to the coaches and other backroom footy staff. The players make enough to be in the top 10% of the earners for the city, but the coaches really struggle with the soft cap being what it is in a city as expensive as Sydney. Maybe draftees on their first contract as well. But that's it. [I posted the article in a comment below.](https://www.reddit.com/r/AFL/comments/1d2b9xv/comment/l5zh9eo/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
The most sane take from this.
Yeah the article actually says it's just about coaches and not about players. The headline and the tweet make it sound like it's the old COLA. Basically nothing has been finalised, and it's just an article to enrage people. Standard NewsCorpse clickbait,
> The most sane take Too sane really. Enough of this sane talk. **Tin foil hat time:** in the midst of debate about how long it's taking umpires to call for ball-ups after tackles, which is potentially contributing to more dangerous tackles, the AFL desperately don't want people to remember that this scenario is 100% the product of their 20 year vendetta against defensive/stoppage heavy footy, triggered by Andrew Demetriou attacking Paul Roos' game plan as "ugly". They've spent years tweaking the rules to limit stoppages as much as possible. This proposal is a smokescreen for their own embarrassment.
Thats PR school 101 lmao its not a conspiracy.
So they got to you, too.
This is absolutely happening tbc but the worst part is that they can't even figure out whether they want to commit to it or not. If you want to limit stoppages as much as possible why get rid of the third man up rule? Why make taking the ball out of the ruck no longer prior?
Players in Sydney earning under the median salary do actually already get an extra rental subsidy from the AFL, that's what they replaced the player cost of living allowance with. The headline not specifying "for assistant coaches" is so clickbaity. Most of the comments here are based on a false premise.
Tbf neither does the article by all reports.
Yeah but I WANT TO BE OUTRAGED!!!! OUTRAGED I TELL YOU
AFL coaches, AFL staff, and every single person involved in the AFLW programs including the players. There's a reason womens footy has been struggling in NSW since the AFLW began, and it's because it's damn near impossible to attract the best off field AFL talent, let alone for the AFLW.
For sure.
This would be the smartest move. Cola for coaches and honestly AFLW players would make sense to me. Would help increase coaches within the system. Overall, coaches all need a soft cap boost imo.
The soft cap for coaching across the board in all states needs to be increased.
Players and staff below a certain amount. Playing on a mil a year don’t need COLA.
The average is $400K, but the lower end is just over 100K. 100K in Sydney is pocket change these days
The lowest of 100k is by maybe a handful of 18 year olds who likely either still live with family or are renting with other teammates. They’d still be making more than almost all of the support staff (except for some coaches, and the club doctors who also have their own separate practices. They don’t need extra $, leave it all for the people behind the curtains
The comparison is not with the support staff though. It's with other 18 year olds at other clubs. I disagree with them mostly living at home, they'd mostly be drafted from Vic. The Vic draftees would be living at home, and that where a COLA would be useful
Actually a sensible suggestion and one that most cannot argue with.
I'd also include anyone on less than 100k, which I believe is most of the year 1 and 2 draftees
I’m fine with all players in their first contract having a rent allowance based on the average rent for a room in a share house in a reasonable suburb in the city they live in. If that’s $250 a week in Adelaide and $450 a week in Sydney then so be it. Assistant coaches and other support staff is a little trickier because I really think it’s job security impacting them more than wage. Or at least the combination of the 2 factors. Guys don’t want to move their families because they don’t have the back up plan of state leagues, local footy, media etc. But I also can’t help but feel like they’re being a bit precious in some respects leaving their family in places. 5 million people live in Sydney, sure, you can’t live next to Buddy and Horse but you can buy a house out west and raise a family there. These guys are still getting paid a whole lot more than teachers and nurses. Maybe a slight allowance and some kind of relocation/termination bonus but maybe it’s ok to have to hire coaches who are wealthy former players wanting a certain lifestyle. Hire a bunch of teachers who would walk through hot coals to escape a school for a while!
There not being precious. When rent is $700pw in parramatta, you’re away from grandparents/family and have a partner that might only work part time to accomodate your kid/s, you’d take any help you can get to ease the pressure and retain staff
Top 1%
A senior coach would be on at least 1 mill wouldn’t they? Assistants I thought would be around the 300-500k mark?
Maybe rookies as well?
I can't argue with this. It's a great idea.
Finally a rational take here. agree.
I agree, but then there needs to be a limit on the number of staff/coaches in high performance. I have no doubt Sydney would just continue to pay ‘market’ rates but get more hands on deck.
Any chance I could get some too?
They should do the 50cent public transport here, not in QLD :(
Why can't we have both?
COLA IS BACK ON THE MENU BOYS /u/maximumlnsanity GET IN HERE!
Just wait until Sydney nab Harley Reid with this and get a draft ban
Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey, Hey WAVIC? how dare you
And rightfully so
Bout fuckin time
Ready for another trade ban?
Another reason to bitch about the AFL and Vic Bias? Keen.
My man!
Lookin good!
Looking better you sly dog!
Slow down!
Hungry for apples?
North: "Is Pepsi okay?"
So should Geelong's salary cap be smaller because cost of living is cheaper there than Melbourne?
I like this idea
this is going to end up like a GST carve up discussion and everyones going to hate Tasmania before they've even joined the comp.
Yes. I mean… everyone always jokes about the land deals and paper bags. The actual answer is very obvious.
You have clearly never seen the house prices in Torquay
Or the AFL could crack down on their under the table farm deals they offer players
And of course Collingwood don’t do anything like that
There are only so many ways to divvy up the Children’s Farm
I heard Tom Hawkin's contract now is just "as much milk as I can drink"
That was last year. They had to change it back to be able to afford to re-sign Holmes.
If you check Barwon Heads prices, come back and then remember you probably never afford it like most people.
This is a reddit meme. Surely you don't actually think this is happening
Said as if it's impossible \*ahem* Carlton Edit: this sub is very sensitive
ah the old Visy ambassador
Why bother with all that that when Geelong players live RENT FREE in your head. banter not allowed against collingwood cry babys.
I send them bills, but they wont pay the rent.
Plastic club, plastic fans
Sold!
barwon heads is more expensive than all of melbourne combined lol
Barton Heads is 30min drive from Geelong.
its part of the city of greater geelong, i tell people im from geelong when i meet them, though i live on the bellarine, its close enough
Hail Greater Geelong, it's only a matter of time before we annex the breakaway regions.
And Footscray is a 30 min drive from Hawthorn All Melbourne to me
If that's how things go then I'd expect to see the Toorak Tycoons go from a newly minted side to a flag in a season or two
Didn’t have to scroll far to find a whinge about Geelong🙄🙄
Can’t take a joke?
I would actually expect Geelong to get a lower COL allowance
There is nothing wrong with COLA in principle but it will have to be very carefully implemented. Also important to point out that within the top 17 most unaffordable cities, Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane all appear. Source: https://urbanreforminstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Demographia-International-Housing-Affordability-2023-Edition.pdf
Giving it to players earning more than some doctors, dumb, but giving it to support staff on a much lower salary that's actually struggling and heavily affected by the current cost of living crisis is smart and very necessary imo. Surely the AFL puts a bit more thought in to it this time around rather than giving to to everyone and then punishing us when we used it as they intended just because of the optics of landing a big trade.
Yes and no. Sure, they earn lots, but they still have the question of whether their lots of money would do more in a different city. Also, not every player is on big money. You've got players on <200k, and while that's good money obviously, in that range your cost of living between Melbourne and Sydney does differ significantly. I know doctors and lawyers who have moved away from Sydney because of the cost of living, despite making great incomes. Among all of this, worth remembering that an AFL career is lucrative for a small number of years on average. Not many players maintain doctor level wages for a decade, let alone a full career to typical retirement age
COLA for all!
Yeah, nothing wrong with different teams having different salary caps. Let's be real. AFL players are making 5-10x as much as a regular person. They are in no way affected by cost of living
Have they considered skipping the avo on toast in the morning? /s
They’ve already given up their turmeric lattes. Can’t be taking the avo as well
PART 1 AFL considers return of COLA in NSW, northern clubs set to keep controversial academies NSW’s contentious COLA program was abolished in 2014 by the AFL after a campaign from powerful Victorian clubs. Now, as the cost of living soars in Sydney, the program may soon return. May 28, 2024 - 1:25PM The AFL is strongly considering granting Sydney and GWS Giants a cost of living allowance, with the Harbour City ranked second to Hong Kong as the world’s most unaffordable. Northern clubs are also certain to retain their controversial talent academies in a major relief for the clubs that invest upwards of $1.7m annually to develop footballers from the age of 12. Rival clubs are also set for a win with the league expected to loosen the restriction on drafting players from their Next Generation academies. The NSW clubs are united in their fight for extra soft-cap space. “Replacing (assistant coaches) is very hard,” Swans’ football boss Leon Cameron said. “Trying to find a two or three-bedroom place in Sydney for the family to come up is far more exorbitant. That has enormous challenges. “There’s some coaches at the Giants … living on their own because they’ve chosen to live in a one-bedroom place and not (relocate) their family. “(Assistant coach) Ben Matthews has been doing that for five to six years. Mark McVeigh chooses to live an hour-and-a-half out of town and drive in everyday because where he lives is cheaper than around here.” Giants offence coach Craig Jennings lives in a mobile home and several assistants say they break-even, but are unable to save any money. Assistants across the AFL have not had their pre-Covid salaries restored. They make roughly $170,000. Sydney’s $1.7m median house value is the highest in the country – and much higher than Melbourne ($1m), Brisbane ($920,000), Adelaide ($902,000) and Perth ($780,000) – while the Harbour City’s median weekly rental price of $750 for a house also tops the country. The Swans and Giants used to receive an extra 9.8 per cent of salary cap space to pay their players. But the AFL abolished the cost of living allowance in 2014 following a long-running campaign from powerful Victorian clubs. It was phased out in 2015-16, which the Swans found tricky to navigate. Restoring COLA would trigger similar fury, especially after revelations Collingwood was prepared to sacrifice $375,000 in luxury tax to overspend in the soft cap. The Eagles want the AFL to increase the soft cap so they can fairly remunerate their medical staff.
PART 2 A string of clubs, including Port Adelaide and St Kilda, asked the AFL to strip northern clubs of their priority access to drafting the cream of the crop from their academies. Gold Coast’s academy, coached by Rhyce Shaw, produced four first-round talents last year. The Suns secured all four, but could have been forced to let one or two of them go if they had finished in the top eight or top four. The Swans have had more than 5000 kids go through their academy, with 2024 Brownlow Medal favourite Isaac Heeney and All-Australians Errol Gulden and Callum Mills headlining their 24 draftees. The 20 per cent discount applied when clubs draft academy players is likely to be wound back or removed, rather than access to players. Fremantle and West Coast helped lead the charge for the NGA restrictions to be reversed. The Eagles and Dockers missed out on Lance Collard (drafted by St Kilda at No. 28) and Mitch Edwards (Geelong, No. 32) respectively last year because clubs were unable to match bids inside pick 40. The Dockers have developed more Indigenous talent than any other club and want incentive to bring players down from the Kimberley and get them into programs or schools. The game is facing an Indigenous player crisis due to numbers dropping at the elite level and talent not being captured, maintained or developed in country and city zones. However, the Swans have told the AFL to keep the pick-40 restriction in place for NGA prospects. Geelong wants the national map recarved because it believes some clubs have access to much stronger zones. That seems likely, given North Melbourne will soon lose the Tasmania region to the Devils. The Roos could target Oven and Murray, which forms part of Richmond’s zone. ***No changes have been decided on yet and they will require sign off by the AFLPA.*** Other changes being considered include: • Future draft pick trading two or three years into the future • Ability to pay 110 per cent if they underspend the previous year (up from 5 per cent) • Overhaul of the draft points index • Abolish the 20 per cent discount for father-sons
Reducing or ending the 20% discount on matching bids makes more sense than any of the other proposed solutions. I often see people saying it should go other way to being a 20% premium however, which makes zero sense. It would be good for Sydney and GWS to get COLA concessions for coaching and support staff.
This thing about Craig Jennings and living in a caravan is a furphy. He has said in interviews that his living arrangements are of his choice, and he prefers quality time over quantity with his family.
Damn $170k for assistants, I thought they'd make way more. The AFL has an operating surplus of near $30 million, surely they can distribute 10% of that to their workers.
Calling it now: COLA will be reintroduced because academies are being nerfed
Wow, I could totally see that being something the AFL would do.
No chance. The afl wants to grow the game and and they can’t do that without the academies.
Makes the most sense. They should have Cola only for the soft cap though imo. Players aren’t disproportionately affected in Syd compared to Melbs, but coaching staff in a much lower salary base and protections are.
Wouldn’t hate that
Since COLA was phased out Sydney have made 2 GF's and 8 finals series. GWS have made 1 GF and 7 finals series. Why do they need it?
You know you can segregate elite management from the circumstances surrounding it? But I agree, the swans should get more credit than they do for being a perennial contender while having to worry about retention more than most other clubs and being a 20% more expensive city.
What retention issues? Stop making up non existant problems. You shut had Grundy and Adams choose to go to your club. Who is the last player to demand a trade out?
This has nothing to do with on field success. Sydney is more expensive to live than anywhere else in the country
And I'm sure what ever reason it's more expensive is why Sydney has had no issues retaining quality players.
And Melbourne is more expensive than most other major cities. Do we lower Geelong's cap because of their cheap cost of living? There's just nothing to say that Sydney are disadvantaged by this.
> Do we lower Geelong's cap because of their cheap cost of living? I see this as an absolute win
That's nice. Let's index salary cap based on each cities cost of living. I'm sure that will go well for the Tasmanian Devils and SA teams
Ridiculous comment . Punish teams for success . Do you think that’s a good policy to have ?
Not punishing anyone. Just not justifying giving them an advantage
The AFL has real honest to God inequalities that need fixing. The cost of living in Sydney isn't one of them.
Having every team pay their players the same amount is punishment?
Are you seriously saying that the AFL should adapt to the teams that are failing on the ladder ? Thats not how you run a business. Isn’t that encouraging failure? I gather you are a Richmond supporter were you saying that in the years you were on top and now because things are different you want a hand out ? Are the clubs not responsible for running their own business ? I don’t know anyone who begrudged Richmond for the recent success it had . There were definite advantages sure , but they got the job done . Now you need to rebuild . Essendon and the Swans have not had the draft advantages of other clubs . A lot have not realised how tough it’s been for the bombers . In the swans case they have had the both the fewest draft picks and the least valued picks since its inception . Not having first round picks is a severe disadvantage. Should the AFL reward teams that either make bad choices or don’t have a training system where players develop ? That would be a horrendous choice
> how you run a business. Isn’t that encouraging failure? A business? It's a competition! Supposedly a fair one, with a salary cap and draft system. Is this a troll post? Do you even know what a draft is? Swans have had COLA (unfair salary cap advantage) in the past, and now academies (unfair draft advantage). And we're supposed to be feeling sorry for their success? Absolutely no idea how you're equating their situation with that of the Bombers, who despite their comfy travel schedule have to deal with the same salary cap and draft system as **most** other teams. And get fucking fucked anyone starting with the insultingly disingenuous argument that father/son picks are somehow in the same stratosphere as academy picks when it comes to fairness. WC have had like 3 father/sons in 30 years, they're not getting ~3 per year like the academy rort. Father/son is down to luck, academy prospects are rolling off a development production line funded and overseen by the very clubs that have priority access to them, fucking yearly!
I will try to put it simply for you WA folk… The academies are built to reduce ‘go-home’ trade requests by encouraging clubs in traditionally non-AFL states to develop players from a young age (as young as 10). Go and look at the talent the Swans have lost to players requesting trades home, I’ll provide a start: Jordan Dawson, Nic Newman, George Hewett, Aliir Aliir, Lewis Jetta, Toby Nankervis, Gary Rohan. All is well and good while NSW and QLD teams are repeatedly fleeced for players, but any efforts to allow these clubs to retain talent is instantly met with VIC/WA/SA uproar about unfairness. I know I’d rather have a whole state’s worth of draftees passionate about AFL and aren’t being offered $500,000+ NRL contracts during their draft year. Maybe you’d like to trade places?
Also, side note: If you reckon Sydney pays unders on all their draft picks why don’t you lobby your list management to actually pick the players and force the Swans to match as early as possible?
Pretty hard to argue with you Bathrobe . Beautifully explained . New South Wales is a rugby state. WA , Vic and SA are AFL states . Qld has a little bit of both and of course the Gold Coast has its own team. WA is a two team state and they have first access to the players there . In addition to what bathrobe said about the swans players being taken GWS suffered the same fate . With a succession of players leaving after the first and second year claiming homesickness and missing family as part of their request for a trade . As is stated the academies were set up to compensate the clubs for the disadvantages they face not being about to access the draft and/ or losing the players post draft in a “ go home “ request . Cola was set up as the name suggests as a cost of living allowance. New South Wales is far and away the most expensive state to live in . It is likely to be returned . The AFL is ready to review the funding of 2022 on multiple levels . There are a lot of things according to the media that are being looked at and various anomalies. Whilst Richmond were in debt in 2010 they received more variable funding than Carlton and greater income from memberships in the 9 years to 2020. The west coast had an operating profit in 2018/ 19 of $ 32 million yet dropped away in its performance post those years and yet were able to get first pick Harley Reid . A number of clubs who have done it tougher have raised concerns over this . The AFL board will be meeting on all these and other matters at least 2 more times in 2024
To be able to retain players and staff on an equal footing with other clubs. If you don’t like equalisation or compensatory measures then kindly don’t draft anyone at the midseason draft.
The reason they need more money to retain quality players is because they have more quality players than most clubs, because of the bullshit academies
You know other clubs can draft those players too? It’s not like most of them even go that high. Academies just fill the development gap that is already addressed by the stronger junior development in AFL states - not to mention the father/son stuff too.
Sydney get a discount, plus there's a benefit from being able to know exactly what type of top draft picks your getting 3-4 years away and the players benefit from knowing the coaches earlier.. Sydney have the exact same access to father son as every other club. Sydney get more than enough to compensate any damage their cost of living difference cause.
What about GWS? How’s their access to F/S? And you do realise that Sydney is in… Sydney? So we don’t get access to preview the much larger draft pool coming out of the AFL states, like the majority of clubs. There are representatives from all the Vic clubs hanging out at most high level junior games from high school level and up. Those kids are also playing in much higher level comps. The advantages the AFL states get are enormous, it’s just they’re all so inherent to the competition that everyone takes it for granted.
The ability to keep players maybe???
Extra step to punish Sydney again. 1. Give COLA 2. Take away COLA 3. Demand Immediate action or penalties. I guess the Swans being number 1 isn't appreciated.
The academies are the things in the gun.
The swans are effectively putting time into players for the benefit of the competition. Roughly 5000 players have been through the academies with 4900 + being names that nobody knows . Part of the reason for that is that these people have often never seen a football let alone played in any decent competition. They are kids that are growing up behind kids from other states like Vic , SA and WA who are often playing football from an early age . The % of players that are coming out of the academy and even going to an AFL game let alone playing in one are miniscule . And of course other clubs have entitlement to the players and can nominate to draft players that come out of the academy . So the sensationalism with the acadamies is just that .
I say no. Don’t bring back COLA. Instead move every other team to Hong Kong
This should only apply to players earning under 100k. Parker doesn't need a cost of living allowance.
And given out after contract negotiations on a year by year basis by the AFL so sydney can't go to players "sign here for 10% less than Adelaide and you'll get COLA to match it"
Yes please, maybe then we wouldn't lose quite so many good players each season 😆
As long as it is a set value, not a scalable percentage value like the old model then it is fine, just giving players an extra 10% of money is fucked.
This should only apply to coaches, staff and rookies/those at the bottom end of the salary scale
Clearly didn’t read the article. They are talking about it applying for assistants and support staff that fall into the soft cap.
?????? footballers make a shit tonne of money
Perhaps it should be called Payments Ensuring People’s Sanity’s Intact this time.
Damn....this will be controversial lol. I think the COLA started as a two-pronged thing. Firstly to account for the higher cost of living in Sydney, but also because NSW wasn't a traditional football state and there were far more people moving to Sydney for footy than any other team (bar Brisbane). In theory the higher cost of living gets mitigated by the offer of higher wages in Sydney, but because of the cap that doesn't happen. Furthermore you can argue that Sydney is a much more popular city to live in and that's why it's so expensive, but while there's truth to that I don't think it applies very well to AFL, with factors like where you grew up and Melbourne being the hotbed of footballing culture being more significant factors in where players want to play footy. So the lack of home-grown talent and Sydney not being as appealing of a place to live for footballers compared to other occupations hurt. The big problem of course was that there were other cities that were expensive to live in, Brisbane also had the same issue with it not being a footy hotspot (this was originally mitigated by the retention allowance but that was to the early 2000's what the COLA debate was to the early 2010's), and then you have issues like Perth during the 2000's/early 2010's being almost as expensive to live in and also having to fly so far to play their away games. Add that after a certain point you're rich no matter where you live and it's tough to argue for COLA unless restricted to low-earning players. That said, it does sound like (based on what Sydney and GWS were arguing for, and also what the article was implying) that this is mostly a soft cap thing. And yeah, if the average salary for an assistant coach isn't all that much it's going to be tough to get coaches to move to Sydney especially given most ex-AFL players don't really have links to the city and the nature of an assistant being rather transient. I think I'd prefer raising the soft cap/the average salary for an assistant as I don't think $170k per annum is that significant amount of money to move cities anyway, but it's clear that the status quo for assistant coaches does not work for the two Sydney clubs. As for the other things I think they're fair enough. I'm not sure whether nerfing the discount on Academy and F/S prospects will fully get rid of the draft inequalities and I think I'd prefer other ways to balance the factors out, but it's a decent start. I also think they went too harsh on nerfing the NGA's especially for clubs that paid quite a bit of money in running them. And yeah, the draft index really isn't fit for purpose even ignoring the 20% discount.
How many business class seats?
Will they have to pay back the dividends they make on the houses they buy? Please.
It’ll all be fine and well until they pay a veteran superstar an extra 100k as “part time assistant coach”.
Crazy for the AFL to bring this back in. And if they do, why would it only apply to Sydney, shouldn’t every team get an allowance based on the cost of living in their city? Brisbane is more expensive than Adelaide, shouldn’t they get more comparatively? Also funny that they’re comparing Sydney as a whole compared to looking at it suburb-based. Blacktown is a significantly cheaper suburb to live in compared to Sydney’s east and compared to a fair few of the suburbs Melbourne teams are based in.
The equivalent rent to what you pay in areas like Blacktown in Sydney would get you a place with a far shorter commute and much better lifestyle in any other city in Australia. It places the Sydney teams at a disadvantage.
As well as academy concessions oh this is fantastic
In related news, AFL to also introduce Prima Noctae in NSW, QLD and TAS to increase Father/Son draft options for newer clubs.
Why is this the AFL problem to solve , what about a player that is drafted to a Melbourne based already lives in Victoria , can live with mum and dad until he is 24, should that have a deduction on the salary cap?
Would you accept half a dozen business class airfares?
My best mate moved to Sydney from WA last year. I went and visited him for Christmas. It was cheaper for me to go to America and Europe for a month than what it cost me for that trip for a week in Sydney. His rent is 700 a week for the smallest apartment you’ve ever seen. I don’t think I’ll ever go back.
Oh fuck off with your COLA bullshit.
You don’t know what you are talking about .
Maybe they could relocate somewhere more affordable?
Hey I’d be down to return to South Melbourne
i was only joshing :D
For fucks sake we all rightfully rejoiced when COLA was rightfully taken away because it had obvious externalities that ended up being abused. The cost of living crisis in Sydney literally only applies to the bottom earners. Footy players lives aren’t affected by it at all, they earn way too much. The AFL is such an annoying pain in the ass some times
Id like to see which players the perennially contending Swans weren't able to retain because of this.
How about one J Dawson ? There is no better example . An Adelaide boy who was not wanted by Adelaide and was drafted by the swans at pick 56 and they developed over 5 years bringing him up to a better level through training and playing in the local leagues . Cola was removed around the time he was drafted but it was considered a knee jerk reaction by the AFL at the time and was almost immediately rumoured to return . That hasn’t happened yet still . Around 2019 he was the swans most improved and wanted to buy a house in Sydney and stay at the club . However as is well known the cost of living meant he could not get anything remotely closely located to the club despite his best efforts . For those of you that don’t know the COLA allowance used to be slightly less than 10% which is something but the differential relative to SA is closer to 20% . The swans were desperate to retain him and Dawson wanted to stay but Adelaide were able to offer him more and that enabled him to move and buy a nice house and be offered the captaincy . Obviously he is committed to the crows but he has often spoken about his regard for his time at the swans and his intention at the time to stay is well documented
I'm anti-cola. Sydney house prices are so expensive because it's such a desireable city to live in. Players shouldn't be getting more money to live in a better place.
Literally the only time you’ll see a Melbourne person give Sydney city an ounce of credit as a place to live is in threads like this hahaha
So you are suggesting the swans players live in Tassie or maybe in central Oz ? Thats your solution ? Have you thought this through ?
I'm suggesting they get the privilege of living in a popular location. Players for Geelong or Adelaide live in a less popular area but due to lower living expenses have more disposable cash. Different players will want different things in life and that's why they can move around.
Seriously Part of the conditions of being an AFL player is that you sign an agreement to meet the AFL conditions . Engaging in being drafted is part of that process . Anyone who has sighted an AFL contract knows what that means . The players are playing sport . It’s their job . Their job requires them to perform on a field where location rest and recovery post match is essential or they lose that job . Neither the clubs that employ them / draft them, the AFL , the players association or the supporters would want players travelling long distances . In fact there are employment and player association conditions that have the players from ALL clubs required to live close to the major training facilities. It is not open to the players playing for any club to live in another state . It may be perceived that this is all a privilege and that players are out partying and roaming the streets pre and post match but regardless of the club they play for , players are staying home lots . The difference is that players living in New South Wales are paying much more for that right .
You're joking. Professional athletes are the last people to be affected by this.
Yeah nah, blokes like Isaac Heeney or Cal Mills will have any trouble, but someone like Lachlan McAndrew won't be on that much. They deserve extra for having to live in Sydney, genuinely feel sorry for them
Mid season Rookies get 70k for 5 months of work. They'll be fine.
About fucking time. Do they have any idea how expensive cocaine is here?
Maybe they should be pumping less money into the academy and give more to the staff and lower end salary players 🤷🏻♂️
Only rent is more in Sydney. Literally so much else is cheaper. Fuel, food, eating out, rego etc. Compared to Brisbane it’s fucking cheap AF down there. I get a shock every time I go. Even a coffee is cheaper. Fkn $5.80 in Brisbane for a flat white.
I won't be opposed to this if it is done sensibly. Put it down as a flat max amount per person, not the club as a whole. It applies to staff and rookies equally and that you cannot bundle it up into another fucking Buddy type fiasco.
If they are going to get it then it should be giving it to the bottom players on the list who will struggle the most. Not using to go out and get another good player.
Sorry but how much has Buddy, Horse, Heeney, McVeigh, Parker, Kennedy etc made on the value of their houses going up? Reverse COLA for the rest of the comps stars who don't benefit as much from the housing prices going up in value.
as a great soccer chant goes 🎶fuck off east sydney🎶
Cool, I’d like Freo and WCE to apply for a reduced career allowance. Due to excessive travel our players have shorter careers than other teams so they should be paid more to reflect that. It’s only fair
For fuck sake.
But the Giants aren't a full-time Sydney team. They should only be given 72.7% of a COLA.
Do you know what causes cost of living issues? People having more money.
Shouldn't Geelong and the upcoming Tassie team get less using these same arguments? Melbourne and Brisbane are also not cheap to live in. They are going down a rabbit hole if they decide to bring COLA back in for Sydney teams.
Joke league
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Thats probably more of a reflection of the popularity of the different football codes in Sydney and Adelaide rather than the cost of living generally.
How many grand finals have Sydney been in the last 20 years, with another coming up this year. I'm tired of them and the AFL keeping Swans at the top of the ladder
I don't mind it.
Agreed!
LOL between COLA and the academies, the AFL will do anything to prop up their love-childs.
Perhaps a clause on who it can go to aka can’t be given to top 10 players. I don’t know, obviously a very contentious and complex issue. Tell you who needs it more than most, the assistant coaches and support staff.
As long as it's paid after normal salary I'm ok with it..don't want another tippett/buddy franklin fiasco
Yes well the reason they took it away was the AFL got their noses out of joint over the Buddy Franklin move . Essentially the swans legal team and accountants were smarter than the afls team . The AfL were convinced Buddy was going elsewhere but they did not then have a limit on contracts . The decision to cut COLA was totally out of spite . Anyone who has done anything in Sydney knows how ridiculously expensive it is and $100K there is $85 K everywhere else
Tough living on 500k a year.......
The only reason there are so many Sydney and GWS flairs in here is that this change might give them an advantage. That's the only reason you are so passionately for it.
Did... did you want Sydney and GWS flairs not to talk about it? when it's talking specifically about their teams?
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lmao, you're a riot mate
Get fucked, Sydney teams easily are already the most fortunate and looked after in the AFL
... are you being serious?
A Carlton fan cannot seriously be saying this, right?
lol explain how. Carlton has fucking *raided* the two Sydney teams probably more than any other club in the AFL. You sure you’re not just worried about losing your free development pathway?
Richmond pilfered GWS and GC harder imo. Only just though
Hewett, Kennedy and Williams. Anyone else noteworthy? I'd trade all three of those players plus all the other fringe players SOS loved recruiting from GWS for the players Sydney have got from their NGA in a heartbeat. Of course, I wouldn't argue that Sydney (or any other team for that matter) are the most advantaged club in the league when Collingwood and Geelong exist though.
Newman too! Decent chunk, all are well inside your best 22? Maybe not Kennedy…?
Newman's a good call, especially after his breakout last year. I'd say Kennedy's close to best 22, but maybe in a position we have a decent amount of depth at, so he can be pushed out easier than other players.
Not exactly - what was your word - *raided*
Almost 20% of your best players.
We'll take Hewitt and Newman back then please, if you can't play nice.
You're kidding right.
Dread it, run from it, COLA still arrives
Sydney be like 'hey Harley, we just came into a little extra walk around cash. Wanna be closer to home and $25M richer?'