Clubs could cut losses
Salary dumping an option that would free up much-needed cash
SALARY dumping could be considered in the AFL where clubs punt rotten contracts in one-sided trades to free up valuable cash to splash.
List experts yesterday said Collingwood should radically offload Chris Mayne plus a valuable draft pick for nothing more than a late pick to save $1.5 million in its tight salary cap.
The Magpies owe Mayne, 28, $500,000 per season until 2020, which former list boss Chris Pelchen said could jeopardise their ability to attract talent or recontract players.
Eighteen Pies including Jamie Elliott, Darcy Moore and Jordan De Goey are out of contract next season as they look to also poach Tom Lynch (Gold Coast) or Rory Sloane (Adelaide).
The hypothetical Mayne deal would hinge on a club with salary cap space taking on him and his high price in order to gain a high draft pick.
The idea is common in the NBA. In 2011 the LA Clippers sent a washed-up Baron Davis’s $13 million contract and an unprotected future pick — ultimately No. 1 (Kyrie Irving) — to Cleveland for a pair of players.
The theory could also ap- peal to Sydney (Kurt Tippett) and Hawthorn (Ty Vickery), which have tight caps.
St Kilda, North Melbourne and the Brisbane Lions are believed to have space in their salary caps.
The Pies hold picks six and 36. Former Hawthorn re- cruiter Gary Buckenara said pick 36 in this year’s draft would not be enough to take Mayne’s full salary.
“North might say, ‘ OK, we’re not going to pick up the whole tab, we’re prepared to pay $350,000 (per season) and you might have to pay $150,000,” Buckenara said.
“If you could get the Magpies’ second pick in next year’s draft, which looks to be a ripper draft, that might equate (to the full salary).
“If it’s not illegal to do then I can’t see why clubs wouldn’t go down that path.”
AFL integrity officer Ken Wood must approve every trade.
Clubs routinely pay players to play at other clubs to inflate their trade value.
Heath Shaw, Brett Deledio and Ryan Griffen had parts of their salaries paid by their former clubs while at GWS.
Pelchen predicted AFL salaries would be made public in the next decade so trades become transparent.
The Giants gained salary cap relief by trading Rhys Palmer to Carlton for pick 135 last year and Pelchen said Hawthorn jettisoned All-Australian Jonathan Hay to bank money in 2005.
“Salary cap banking is a new concept, but a very, very important one,” Pelchen said.
“It’s important the public don’t assess trades purely on the draft selection or player in return, because there could be a bigger issue at play.
“The salary cap is a movable beast, it’s fluid because it changes week on week according to who’s playing and who’s injured.”
Mayne finished eighth in the Pies’ VFL best-and-fairest. Pelchen said if he wasn’t in Collingwood’s best 22 plans the club should cut its losses now. “And it makes good sense (for North) to bring someone in who can give them experience,” Pelchen said.
“You get him well under value.’’