The AFL Players Association believes combining the salary cap and football department spending into a “single cap” could create a more level playing field.
In a radical proposal discussed by AFLPA Chief Executive Matt Finnis, clubs would be able to choose how they spend the cap, meaning no limit on the share of payments to players.
''Whilst we acknowledge that premierships are won through a combination of smart people, great culture and talented players, what is clearly the case is that great total spend is having an impact and thus undermining the level of the competition, not just the players' share of it,” he told The Age’s Jake Niall.
''It's legitimate in this context that the players would say 'why ought there not be a single cap capping all football spending and let the market decide where the true value in performance lies?”
Finnis says the players have witnessed a huge increase in non-player spending in recent years, particularly by ‘larger’ clubs, with the percentage of spending on players declining.
''What we've seen over the last several years is massive growth in other football expenditure, at double the level the increase in player payments.''
Average football department costs across all clubs total around $19 million, with just over 50 per cent of that spent on players. Athletes in the United States’ National Football League receive close to 85 per cent of football spend.
Kennett: ‘I take full credit’
Former Hawthorn President Jeff Kennett says he deserves full credit for Hawthorn’s 2013 premiership success.
Kennett made headlines after the Hawks’ Round 1 loss against Geelong last season, claiming Alastair Clarkson’s time as coach was up.
“If I hadn’t warned Clarkson after the first round ... You have never seen a more focused man in your life after the first round,” he told the Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph.
“My leadership style is about outcomes. What was the outcome? The premiership. Can you imagine if he had lost the second and third games? But he didn’t. He responded to the challenge.”
Hawthorn went on to win 22 of its next 24 games on the road to winning the Grand Final against Fremantle.
“I don’t regret anything I have said or done. If you take last year, I take full credit for the premiership."
McIntosh return likely
Almost two years since his last game for North Melbourne, Hamish McIntosh is finally set to line-up for his new team Geelong next Friday night.
Named for the clash against Collingwood, McIntosh was a late withdrawal due to soreness, but the Cats are confident he’ll be ready to go for the match against Melbourne.
“He was a touch sore but as far as I know he’s OK,” Geelong Football Manager Neil Balme told the Herald Sun’s Jay Clark.
“I think he’s a pretty decent chance to play.”
McIntosh played 107 games for the Kangaroos after debuting in 2005, before joining the Cats in an exchange deal at the end of 2012.
Leppitsch eyes trade table
Brisbane could head to the trade table in order to remain competitive while continuing to develop a young list, coach Justin Leppitsch says.
"I don't think we'll be in a position where we’ll want to trade every pick we've got, but trade is one avenue to get your team better," he told AFL.com.au.
"There is a balancing act that will have to be played with our list over the next three years to make sure we remain competitive but then also push for the top four."
The Lions lost five promising youngsters in last year’s trade and free agency period, with the average age of its list dropping from 12th to 14th.
"There's a basic formula for age and experience analysis out there that can tell you a premiership team's make-up and a finals team's make-up.
"We're probably a little bit south of that just on numbers.
"It doesn't mean it's an excuse for not winning or being competitive, but you have to be mature to play finals footy. It's just the way.”
