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Australia’s most publicized sports are consistently under-represented on the list of our top earning athletes, with not a single NRL star in the top 50 and only one Australian in the top five making big money on a national level.
So who are our top five earners?
1. Andrew Bogut (basketball)
He may not be a household name to all you rugby fans, but the 28-year old Aussie baller is cashing in big time; Bogut earned a whopping $13.5 million last year in the NBA with his team the Golden State Warriors.
The 7-foot centre was the first Aussie player to be drafted as number one pick in the 2005 NBA Draft and has been a knight in shining armour for Australian basketball ever since.
I’m certain the coach that dropped him from the Victoria Junior State representative side is scratching his head, as Bogut remains a strong competitor in the NBA, a league considered fantasy for Australian players.
Bogut has had an injury-riddled year but is prepared to anchor the Warriors defence in the 2013-14 NBA season.
2. Mark Webber (motorsports)
Maybe more Australians should try their hand at the wheel. Mark Webber, the Australian Formula One driver, gathered up a more than respectable $12 million dollars last year.
Despite his many endorsements, this smooth operator has 32 podiums, 11 pole positions and nine wins under his seatbelt, making him the fifth best on the F1 circuit.
Webber is retiring from Formula One racing after the 2013 season to join Porsche on a long term deal to race LMP1 sports cars in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
3. Adam Scott (golf)
Our beloved Adam Scott in 2012 collected 10.5 million with the swing of his club, making him third on the list.
Scott has won 21 tournaments around the globe, including his overwhelming 2013 Masters Tournament Championship victory over Angel Cabrera.
The Aussie wrote himself into the history books this year making him the first Australian golfer to boast the green jacket and no doubt his pockets will be bulging with cash again next year.
Scott is currently struggling to defend his Bridgestone International title, as Tiger Woods runs away with the lead leaving Scott and Swede Henrik Stenson battling for the second place prize.
4. Casey Stoner (motorsports)
Casey Stoner is set to jump back on the bike for a much-anticipated return to the sport after quitting the MotoGP in 2012.
Despite his recent wobbles, the New South Welshman coined an impressive $8 million last year, which is a credit to his successful career.
Much like Webber, the two time MotoGP World Champion made the move to the United Kingdom to pave his own road to glory and has been a driving force in the sport ever since.
The champion is kick starting his comeback with a two-day test in Japan and has booked more sessions on the bike in August to promote Honda’s 2014 model.
5. Michael Clarke (cricket)
The much-maligned Australian captain has been a talking point of this year’s Ashes Series and I’m sure many are starting to question his lofty salary.
But then again, Clarke holds the second most important position in the country – behind the Prime Minister – and he definitely deserves at least a century more than what Mickey Arthur was asking for as compensation for his sacking.
‘Pup’ earned $5.5 million last year and although he is under the watchful eye of every Australian, he is letting his bat do the talking, scoring 187 runs in the first innings of the third 2013 Ashes Test.
Do you think the top five are worth their pay cheque? Or are there others that are more deserving?
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