Delay for AFL pay deal likely

HOPES of a new pay deal for AFL players by Friday’s free agency opening have drifted despite the league boasting of a rapidly improved financial position in recent days.

The league has the player union’s pay proposal in front of it but chief negotiator Gillon McLachlan will holiday with his family for the next week after a gruelling season.

It means there will only be a handful of days to negotiate before the trade period starts on Wednesday, November 4.

AFL clubs are desperate for certainty, with some players set to miss out on the chance to be traded if risk-averse list managers protect cap space because of the impasse. p

McLachlan (pictured) said at the weekend the league’s feared $965 million black hole at the start of the year would shrink to a loss of less than $100 million.

AFL players have sacrificed more than that figure this season, after taking pay cuts of about 28 per cent, but the league wants an ongoing cut to the $13,273,522 salary cap for 2021 (plus $1,194,555 in marketing allowances) given a potential drop in crowds and memberships.

Players who were initially frustrated that the league proposed a pay cut of up to 30 per cent will be prepared to again take a cut if the AFL’s revenue remains low in 2021.

But they will be keen for a guaranteed minimum wage in a potential deal that has a clawback facility seeing them receive extra money on the basis of a better-than-expected financial result for the AFL.

There is an existing CBA that rolls through to 2020 so list managers could progress in the trade period working off the current 2021 salary cap.

The AFL will not delay the trade period so will have to make significant ground before tomorrow week.