AFL Women’s players will be collectively paid $500,000 more next year under a new deal designed to more accurately reflect the hours they put in.
The AFL Players Association says the competition’s 240 players for 2018 will be contracted to train an average of 13 hours a week during the pre-season and 10 hours per week throughout the in-season period.
That’s up from their contracted nine hours per week, not including games, in the inaugural 2017 season.
The league struck a two-year pay deal before the first AFLW season kicked off, but AFLPA chief executive Paul Marsh said it quickly became apparent that greater demands were being placed on players.
“Whilst we did a two-year deal with the AFL around player payments what became obvious was that the girls trained a lot more hours than what we had agreed to initially,” Marsh told reporters from the AFLW induction day in Melbourne on Friday.
“The AFL, to their credit, recognised that, we’ve adjusted their pay and I think it’s a fair deal for this year.
“We’ll look to do a more expansive CBA deal going into 2019.”
North Melbourne and Geelong will join the AFLW will in 2019, with Gold Coast, West Coast, Richmond and St Kilda to make it a 14-team competition in 2020.
The AFLPA are keen to secure a fair slice of the revenue pie, which could grow with increased sponsorship, potential television rights and charging for admission to games from 2019.
Under the changed deal agreed to this week there will be a revised tiered payment system, with the minimum wage of a senior listed player lifted from $8500 to $10,500.
Tier 1 players will be paid $20,000 (up from $17,000), tier 2 players will get $14,500 (up from $12,000) and rookie list players $8,500.
Clubs will also be able to spend up to $40,000 on two or more ambassador contracts worth between $5000 and $10,000.
Total payments will increase from $2,275,000 in 2018 to $2,752,000 next year.
“It’s really pleasing for the women’s competition,” AFL football boss Steve Hocking said.
“It’s still a start-up phase that we’re in, but it’s excellent that there’s been this type of increase for them.
“We’re pleased with where the competition sits, but there’s obviously a lot of growth still to go with it.
“From here it’s just about building a sustainable model.”
Sixty first-year players attended an induction day at Etihad Stadium on Friday where they were taken through a range of issues including player behaviour, anti-doping codes, integrity and player development.
By Marnie Banger and Jason Phelan
Mat
Guest
I don't live in Melbourne but I was amazed at the interest this comp got, particularly in Melbourne. I watched some of the games and TBH they were just hopeless contests and spectacles. It really reinforces the thought that Melbourne folk will turn up to watch two flies on a wall if they get a chance. I suspect Melbourne people will fawn over this again next year whilst the rest of the country shrugs their shoulders.
Stephen
Guest
I confess Harry, when the AFLW first kicked-off I was fairly cynical. However, after the first season a couple of things staggered me; 1. The amount of people who went to the games. I don't have the numbers - but I do know - 40% of all AFL club members are female. So there is a huge segment of the market who can perhaps 'better identify' with AFLW. 2. The standard was much higher than I expected. Not so much the skills - but the courage and tackling was impressive.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Everyone is sick of the poor skills in the AFL but it's still going great guns.
Harsh Truth Harry
Roar Rookie
Like I said, good luck to them, it's wonderful to see young girls out playing sport and following their dreams...my point is it is a totally different competition to Mens AFL...keep it separate as they don't gel or merge together. I don;t want to pour through VFL, suburban mens footy or womens footy articles to read about my team in any media so keep it separate
Penster
Roar Guru
Not a novelty. Massive growth in the grass roots of the sport, participants double, triple in some cases each year recently - we have a problem of finding grounds for the increase in numbers in fact, and the skills are improving steadily. It'll take time, but the pool of available talent is on the rise and it's here to stay.
guttsy
Guest
Yep. The women afl players will be in general have worked much harder before the start of the next season in 2018 than they did before the start of the season in 2017. I expect the public will be seeing a massive improvement in fitness across the board and a significant improvement in skill levels in most players. And these improvements don't happen without players putting in the time and effort, i.e. much more than last season. This is a paycut packaged up as a payrise. Women being sold short yet again.
Harsh Truth Harry
Roar Rookie
Good on them for having a crack at footy but the skills aren't up there for me I'm afraid....I just wonder if this will be a novelty that will soon wear off when people get sick of the poor skills? Good luck with AFLW but I won't be watching.
Aligee
Guest
@mike, unlike your propaganda!
Aligee
Guest
And cricket and netball etc, all about growing the pie and battling competitors. That is How it should be in a competitive sports market.
me too
Guest
I'll never forget doing the typical 'australian in a english pub' tour way back in the early nineties. Got paid £3 an hour. After a few months I got 'promoted' to assistant manager which came with a whopping 50p per hour pay rise. Only you got paid a set wage and no overtime. I ended up working for less than £3 an hour.
DeanM
Guest
Contracted to train more hours resulting in a rise in pay that does not match the rise in contracted working hours.
Mike
Guest
http://girlsplayfooty.com/2017/11/new-aflw-player-payments-for-2018-dont-call-it-a-pay-rise.html That's how.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
I would love to see a base contract being $40k. An almost (but not quite) basic years wage would transform the league.
Cat
Roar Guru
They got a raise, how is that lower?
Mike
Guest
Actually it's a 13% drop for the amount of hours they will be putting in as opposed to the first season. Typical AFL propaganda!
Josh
Guest
Designed to try fight the rise and rise of the Matildas more like it.