COLA to be replaced by rent subsidy

[Matt80]

Free agency will only add to the squealing from rubbish clubs like Footscray as their decent players start to gravitate to better clubs (including the Swans) in search of finals footy

Be careful who you call rubbish. In the early 90s the Swans were the laughing stock of the league.

Troy Chaplin will never be a premiership player because he left what was thought to be a rubbish club (Port Adelaide) under free agency at the end of 2012.

Things can move up and down very quickly for football clubs.

The Western Bulldogs are a David Koch away from becoming a league powerhouse.

[R-1]

The ASA is closer to 700k these days.

When the fuss started last year about Franklin's contract Richard Colless made a point of saying that a significant portion of the money paid to Buddy would be in the form of an Additional Services Agreement (to do promotional work for the club) and that COLA would NOT be paid on that. For all we know Tippett may also have some part paid as an ASA.

So no, collective COLA is not 9.8% of $1m+.

In addition it may be that match payments (at least 3k per game) don't get any COLA loading?

[Mug Punter]

Be careful who you call rubbish. In the early 90s the Swans were the laughing stock of the league.

Troy Chaplin will never be a premiership player because he left what was thought to be a rubbish club (Port Adelaide) under free agency at the end of 2012.

Things can move up and down very quickly for football clubs.

The Western Bulldogs are a David Koch away from becoming a league powerhouse.

The demographics of an overcrowded Melbourne market with that of Port Adelaide could not be more different, although I agree Kochie has done a great job.

And I blame the VFL/AFL for the state we found ourselves in ion the early 90s

The Bulldogs are by any measure below ordinary, they are a throwback to a bygone age. Whilst I actually have a soft spot for them, when I hear their Chairman blaming us for their averageness.

The Melbourne clubs are segregated into two very distinct categories these days. You have the powerhouse clubs where I would place Collingwood, Hawthorn, Carlton and Essendon. Geelong are also more or less in this list too albeit as the competitions only regional club.

You then have North Melbourne, Melbourne, Western Bulldogs, St Kilda and Richmond who vary between battling success (as North seem to be aspiring to in 2014) or absolutely basketcase territory. Save a massive fallout from the ASADA investigation and a $20M class action by players against Essendon, it is hard to see any of the blue blood clubs falling back to the pack. I also think that it will be incredibly difficult for any of the second tier teams to climb the ladder.

By any measure the Western Bulldogs are the most mediocre of a mediocre bunch of Melbourne clubs.

[churry]

First thing I thought of when I saw the title of this post is Muppet. Then I read the first sentence, classic! By the way sam Reid was de listed and is now in a coaching role at the giants and I think Howard played today but hasn't played much footy at all for the dogs.

Pridham said some good words on this, i'm glad he and Ireland have stepped up in their defence on this issue. For those who haven't read you can check it here http://m.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport...-1226939058347
Sick of hearing bs from all kinds of people on this, pridham or swann should have a go about pokies revenue and stir some @@@@ themselves this truly "undermines the integrity" of the sport IMO

[Meg]

Thanks for this link. Wow Pridham has really let fly! Good.

Re: "The Swans believe Gordon?s comments draw into question his role on the three man sub-committee which has reported to the AFL on equalisation. Club officials will meet in Melbourne tomorrow to discuss their recommendations.

?It has to raise questions about the voracity of the equalisation process,? Pridham said.

I have wondered previously about the membership of the sub-committee and how they were selected. I know Eddy McGuire was on it hardly unbiased) and I think also AFL Chairman Mike Fitzpatrick.

[GongSwan]

He's done a bit of a back pedal on this now. Trying hard to recover by piling on more BS. Flog

[Meg]

Answering my own question. One article I've just read lists the following as the members of the equalisation sub-committee:

Collingwood president Eddy McGuire, Hawthorn president Andrew Newbold, Western Bulldogs president Peter Gordon, alongside chief executives Brendon Gale (Richmond), Trevor Nisbett (West Coast) and Keith Thomas (Port).

Hardly a surprise they would recommend the abolition of COLA for Sydney!

[Doctor J.]

By any measure the Western Bulldogs are the most mediocre of a mediocre bunch of Melbourne clubs.

Nah that honour belongs to St Kilda

[liz]

I find it amazing that some other club officials, when discussing the COLA, refuse to acknowledge that is does actually cost significantly more to live in Sydney than it does to live in Melbourne, Adelaide or South-east Queensland. I can understand why the perception that Buddy and Tippett get 10% extra on their total contract might be unfair. But not the argument that the impact on lower paid players is significant and if the Swans had exactly the same salary cap as teams in the above three regions, they would be significantly DISADVANTAGED by the cap (not to mention the "go home factor" which is quite separate). At least EMc acknowledges that some form of assistance for lower paid players is justified.

I realise Perth is another matter, and I think serious consideration should be given to extending the rental allowance to WC and Fremantle too. An advantage of that for the Swans (and Giants) would be that it might finally persuade the rest of the competition that the COL allowance, however structured, is not about giving a leg up to the Swans but about directly addressing an imbalance caused purely by the location of clubs and hence the net disposable income (after life's necessities) of the players at those clubs.

[Meg]

I agree Liz. I've had to emphasise this point to friends and family in Melbourne and Adelaide on several occasions.

And Andrejs Evieritt, who is someone with the experience to be authoritative, has said several times that it is a key reason he returned to Melbourne. From the most recent article I read about Everitt:

"Indeed, Everitt argued vehemently that the often-ridiculed and recently culled Cost of Living Allowance was more than just a thinly veiled scheme to assist the Swans. Recently engaged and hoping to start a family at some point, he argued that making ends meet could be challenging for players in Sydney making less-princely sums, and that despite being offered a contract by the Swans, financial considerations steered him to Visy Park."

Carlton's Andrejs Everitt showing his worth after move from Sydney

[Meg]

What is the minimum amount of the salary cap that can be paid?

I believe it is 95%.

[Meg]

The ASA is closer to 700k these days.

I think the ASA total is actually $963,000 in 2014. It has increased a lot over the last three years as a result of the last collective bargaining agreement made with the AFL players association.

[Reggi]

Peter Gordon's statements have probably killed the credibility of the committee on equalisation. Personally I am not in favour of giving $3 million to clubs like the bulldogs each year.

That is outrageous, they are either financially viable or they are not

[Big Al]

Footscrays coach must be so happy that his president has called the Swans cheats. Considering footballers have long memories and they've yet to play the Swans.... Mmmmmmm

Would have thought with a bumper crowd of 14k turning up to see the "No premiership in 60years" Footscray Bulldogs on the weekend that he had other issues.

Fact is Footscray could have recruited Franklin. My mail is Franklin was offered a contract by the Dogs. After Buddy stopped laughing (took about an hour) he asked where Footscray was and politely said No.

[Big Al]

Also can someone explain to me why the Swans need to vehemently defend themselves against outright lies and misinformation while the AFL is pathetically mute on the subject.

I hope the new CEO has more balls than the outgoing bloke to stand up to the likes of Maguire but I certainly won't be holding my breath.