Blame Swans for COLA scrutiny: Giants

[Ludwig]

Eddie Maguire is going on again about (other clubs) cheating, when he has used the power of footy's biggest club to get every advantage possible to use Collingwood's financial dominance to institutionalize that dominance and translate it into onfield success. In his role as Collingwood's president he sees this as his responsibility, but what a pretentious liar to lecture other clubs about cheating when they try to make inroads into Collingwood's number one status.

He reminds me so much of George Steinbrunner and the NY Yankees in the way he thinks that Collingwood should take their rightful place at the top of the ladder and everyone that might be doing better must be cheating. Poor Eddie! Everyone is trying to take part of the glory that should by right be his alone. What a flog!!

IMO, Maguire is the biggest turnoff in football, and if I should ever get sick of it, he'll be the reason.

[dimelb]

Outstanding interview by Richard - accurate and vehement.
Very strong on "mind your own business" with Fast Eddie and David Koch (who disappointed me with his intrusion into another backyard).
And the result long term is that we will have to renegotiate a COLA at some stage or suffer the consequences. Stupid, hidebound, self-obsessed so-called clubmen.

[spiffy-dude]

Eddie Maguire is going on again about (other clubs) cheating, when he has used the power of footy's biggest club to get every advantage possible to use Collingwood's financial dominance to institutionalize that dominance and translate it into onfield success. In his role as Collingwood's president he sees this as his responsibility, but what a pretentious liar to lecture other clubs about cheating when they try to make inroads into Collingwood's number one status.

He reminds me so much of George Steinbrunner and the NY Yankees in the way he thinks that Collingwood should take their rightful place at the top of the ladder and everyone that might be doing better must be cheating. Poor Eddie! Everyone is trying to take part of the glory that should by right be his alone. What a flog!!

IMO, Maguire is the biggest turnoff in football, and if I should ever get sick of it, he'll be the reason.

The problem with McGuire is no one really wants to argue with a guy who basically is a bully. He is of the Ray Hadley school of arguing..he will talk over the top of you, ridicule your POV, bully you with other things and when you finally have your say he will jump in at any chance and shout you down again for disagreeing. A big fat disgusting bully.

Why would anyone want to waste time and energy arguing with a pighead like that? So they just allow Eddie to have his rant until he gets it out of his system and they move on, its the only way to deal with McGuire..and he hates it. Once he went on some massive rant on radio trying to create an argument for the sake of trying to push his stupid POV and no one cared and they moved on and eddie got the @@@@s.

And even if you do have a go at Eddie he will then turn it around and make it out as if two good mates are just having a disagreement..look at the way he used to argue with Richard Colless...would insult our great club and to a point Richard during an interview and then make it out that they are best buds before dick could get a word in. The looks that colless gives MCGuire during those interviews were priceless.

[ShockOfHair]

Speaking of our favourite Dick, he's not holding back. He says scrapping COLA is "economic vandalism", and sticks it to Melbourne, Brisbane and St Kilda for "incompetence".

Colless launches broadside on ?mismanaged? clubs - AFL.com.au


"I can understand (criticism of COLA) if you don't know the rules, but the truth is this has been a very partisan exercise and I find it quite dispiriting.

[spiffy-dude]

"I can understand (criticism of COLA) if you don't know the rules, but the truth is this has been a very partisan exercise and I find it quite dispiriting.

I cant get over the mentality of a club outside of melbourne being allowed to play in "their" comp but not allowed to win the flag. Every interstate side that has won in the past decade has had to go through the "melbourne inquisition" at one stage. All of us interstaters havent won the flag on our merit but from hand outs or help from the AFL or through drug cheating. Of course when geelong hawthorn and collingwood won it from the massive benefits of father and son and tanking for a few seasons its called a list rebuild, something i am so proud the swans have debunked and exposed with our need to remain competitive and not bottom out for picks.

Yeah the more the turkeys down south gobble gobble about our club the louder i will get in calling their stupidity and hypocrisy out.

[erica]

Chairman's statement: Cost of Living
March 4, 2014 6:18 PM

Following today?s meeting of AFL Presidents and CEOs in Adelaide, Sydney Swans Chairman Andrew Pridham has made the following statement:

The AFL today advised our Club of its intention to phase out the Cost of Living Allowance (COLA).

COLA has been in place for over 20 years and is intended as a mechanism to compensate players in Sydney for the higher cost of living compared with other states, primarily relating to higher housing costs.

Over the years, the Club has used the allowance for its intended purpose ? to provide all players on our list compensation for the higher costs associated with living in Sydney.

Our Club believes that COLA is an integral part of equalisation in competition.

We remain extremely disappointed at the ongoing campaign to remove a longstanding and legitimate equalisation mechanism relating to the materially higher housing rental and mortgage costs borne by Sydney based AFL players.

The announcement by the AFL relating to COLA today is ironic given the headline on the front page of today's Australian Financial Review read "Sydney units now cost more than Melbourne houses".

No one refutes the reality that all statistical measurements show Sydney's rental and house purchasing costs are around 27 percent higher than those in Melbourne.

While the Club is disappointed with today?s announcement, we are tempered by the AFL?s acknowledgement that there is a substantial cost of living disparity associated with living in Sydney.

We look forward to working with the AFL in designing and implementing an alternative housing equalisation mechanism that can provide fairness for Sydney based AFL players.

[Reggi]

In a couple if years we will be more or less uncompetive. Not many will cope with earning less than they can in Melbourne

[Bloods05]

In a couple if years we will be more or less uncompetive. Not many will cope with earning less than they can in Melbourne

No. We'll find a way.

[spiffy-dude]

People are celebrating like we actually used the COLA to cheat and buy us premierships. The stupidification of melbourne afl fans continue. Honestly did the moron bomb drop in that city or what?

"Demetrou is gone, Barlett is gone and now those cheating flogs from @@@@ney got their flag money removed..a great day for football"

COLA on the way out | BigFooty AFL Forum

[Ludwig]

Based on the statement by Andrew Pridham, it would seem that the Cola will be replaced with some sort of compensation for living in Sydney, although certain be less than the Cola and probably more specifically directed to relate to actual expenditures associated with the higher costs in Sydney.

I think the Swans have moved well beyond some of those dismal days of the past when players regularly wanted to leave, and we are now a preferred destination club that only needs to have a modest supplement to the base pay packet to achieve a de facto equalisation.

Based on the comments of Swans' players, we will be far from noncompetitive. No one is jumping ship. Like in any job, you just don't go to another employer for a few extra bucks. I think our players truly feel that they are at the best club. With free agency, players will move for the really big hike in their pay packet, like Mummy and Lamb. And some will go the other way, as has been the case with Buddy and Tippett. In the end, it all sort of evens out.

Pridham's statement also indicates that the Cola ill be 'phased out.' So no panic stations yet. I would imagine that the current contracts will be honoured, as they were entered into in good faith based on the rules applicable at the time. If in fact, if there was a provision for loss of pay commensurate with any cancellation of the COLA, then the players knew the risk when they signed. I doubt this is the case. Buddy will not be getting a pay cut anytime soon.

Colless and Ireland, as well as the players and coaches, have put in place a strong foundation that will hold the Swans in good stead for some time to come. The next generation of leaders like Hanners, Parker, Mitchell and Jones are the types that will ensure the bloods culture remains intact even beyond Buddy's contract, (or global environmental collapse, whichever comes first).

[ShockOfHair]

People are celebrating like we actually used the COLA to cheat and buy us premierships. The stupidification of melbourne afl fans continue. Honestly did the moron bomb drop in that city or what?

"Demetrou is gone, Barlett is gone and now those cheating flogs from @@@@ney got their flag money removed..a great day for football"

COLA on the way out | BigFooty AFL Forum

Yep they are morons and life can only get better if you ignore them.

I wonder if Pridham is hinting there about an allowance for junior players and rookies - god knows they need it and there's fair support for it.

[liz]

Even McGuire is on record as acknowledging there is a real cost of living difference between Sydney and the rest of Australia (maybe with Perth also too requiring consideration). I find it difficult to conceive that this won't be recognised by some mechanism for the lower paid players at least. If not, the AFLPA simply aren't doing the right thing by a group representing around 10% of their constituency.

[Ludwig]

'Axing the COLA' makes a good headline that placates the Melbourne media jocks and jealous Melbourne supporters. Also makes the Melbourne club CEOs appear to be responsive to their supporter base.

As Liz points out, even the most vocal critics of the COLA recognise that there is a cost of living differential that needs to be addressed. There are enough hints in the media statements to suggest that there will be a repackaged COLA with a different moniker that the non-Sydney clubs see as fair and equitable.

[Doctor]

As long as there is a genuine allowance that reflects the higher cost of living in Sydney, I don't mind what format it takes specifically. For ease of reference though, let's just call it a COLA...

[Rod_]

Several points

Buddy = 10 years of no change. (or sliding change that phases in and out the new from the old..) By signing him up for a long contract would suggest the phase out will take as long as the current longest contract. (unless the AFL pays him out of the contract that the Swans entered into in good faith.. Eat them words AFL!)
Giants - try and get players now.. Or try and keep players. Took the Swans 15 - 20 years to understand the mechanics of living and getting players to stay in Sydney. Learn fast!
Living in the West is much cheaper that Eastern suburbs - hope the averaging is considered on location of the team and not the mean average!
The average cost of a shopping basket of items is one way. Cost in Sydney vs the cost in Melbourne.. - Tricky part "what is in the basket" ... that will probably take 10 more years!...
It would seem that there is general agreement that it is more costly to live in Sydney. Pay a commiserate allowance and I guess that will close the issue..



OK to simplistic.

I guess this issue will be the new CEO baby to introduce him to us and keep us discussing media crap for a while.

Bring on the footy, cause this diverts my thinking on real footy issues.


Rod_