AFL pay fight to go on after grand final

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou doubts the league’s pay dispute with its players will be resolved before the grand final.

The AFL players’ association (AFLPA) last week rejected an AFL $1.144 billion, five-year offer, responding with a counter-proposal for a three-year deal.

Demetriou expected the long-running stand-off to continue at least until after the October 1 premiership decider.

“If I was sitting here being honest with you, it’s unlikely there will be a resolution (before the grand final,” the AFL boss said at the Melbourne Press Club on Thursday, according to the league’s website.

“It’s preferable for everybody (to resolve it) I think, certainly for players, player managers, clubs, the industry.”
The league will go ahead with plans to inform clubs on Monday of the distribution of funds they will receive next season, despite the uncertainty over how much must be set aside for players.

“It’s preferable to deal with the players first, that’s always been our view, but they rejected our offer so we’ll deal with the clubs and continue doing our planning,” Demetriou said.

He said the distribution package for clubs was designed according to a revised formula aimed at creating greater equality, so that none of the 18 clubs were denied a genuine chance at a premiership by their financial situation.

“I think the package of what we’ve put together for the clubs is a very comprehensive package, probably the most significant piece of work other than our broadcast rights that we’ve done in my time at the AFL,” Demetriou said.

“It tries to address this issue of equalisation and this gap that has grown and it’s an attempt to try and give every club the opportunity to do what they should be doing, and that’s win a premiership.

“… Some clubs will get significantly more than other clubs in order to try and bridge this imbalance.”