Suns head the AFL’s ladder on handouts

GOLD Coast was handed almost $14 million more than financial heavyweight Collingwood under the AFL’s club funding distributions last year.

The AFL’s exact distributions for 2017 can be revealed, with the Suns receiving $24.16 million from the AFL, given its financial issues.

The Giants received the second-biggest amount ($22.59 million), followed by Brisbane ($20.01 million) and St Kilda ($19.44 million).

Collingwood and West Coast received the least money from the AFL — both were distributed $10.61 million.

Premier Richmond was awarded $12.36 million with an extra payout from the league of $3.62 million for prizemoney and licensing royalties.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan recently told the Saints it was time for them to lift their financial performance.

A new Etihad Stadium deal should hand them as much as $2 million a season more.

Asked last week if there were no excuses for the Saints, McLachlan said: “They’ve got to get their business to work now, yep.

“All I’d say to you is in the end St Kilda have turned around, they’ve dealt with a whole series of challenges but it’s incumbent on them now to get their P and L [profit and loss] to work.’’

The league says 11 of its 18 clubs made money last year, compared to only seven in 2016. But some clubs still carry significant debt, with Brisbane having $14 million of debt.