A 30 per cent increase in AFLW salaries, mid-season trades and more five day breaks in the AFL features of signed CBA

AFL footballers will be able to be traded mid-season under the new CBA agreed to by all players while AFLW players will receive a pay rise of almost 30 per cent. All the details revealed.

AFL player have voted in support of new CBA deal. Picture: Mark Stewart

Incoming AFL boss Andrew Dillon says a mid-season trade period could be introduced as early as next season as part of a historic joint five-year collective bargaining agreement.

The AFL’s new pay deal will deliver more Thursday night football and an immediate pay rise of almost 30 per cent to female players.

In the first joint collective bargaining agreement between male and female players, the men will receive a 10 per cent pay boost – plus back pay to the start of the season – with the average wage rising to $519,000 in 2027.

Women’s players will see the average wage rise from $46,000 to $60,000 immediately, then up to $82,000 – plus ASAs – by 2027.

The $2bn deal promises “ongoing discussions” between the AFL and clubs over the trade innovation, while more five-day breaks will be introduced in the men’s competition to increase the number of Thursday night matches.

“I think there’s been opportunities to have more Thursday night games even over this past season, so perhaps they need to look at the fixturing a bit more,” AFL Players’ Association president Patrick Dangerfield said.

“But clearly there’s a great appetite for it, the game’s in a really healthy shape, and there’s something about starting the weekend earlier on a Thursday night that just feels like the weekend is closer.”

AFL CEO, Andrew Dillon. Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Each club could receive up to three five-day breaks during the home and away season under the new deal, with Dillon saying it would give the AFL the “flexibility” required to potentially fixture a Thursday night clash every round.

But he would not guarantee the fixture would become a permanent timeslot.

“It’s really important for broadcast, it’s great for the fans, but attendance is really crucial for us as well,” Dillon said.

After months of tense negotiations, the deal also includes:

DRAFTEES taken inside the top 20 will be contracted for three years, up from the current two. Players drafted outside those picks will sign two-year contracts.

PLAYERS across both competitions will receive 31.7 per cent of all assessable football revenue, up from 28 per cent.

THE AFLW season will increase to at least 12 games by 2025, and potentially 14 games by 2027.

A $40 million injection to injury and player hardship funds – up from $20 million in the last deal.

The successor to outgoing chief executive Gillon McLachlan said a mid-season trade period was “certainly a chance” in 2024.

Outgoing AFL CEO poses with AFL and AFLW players. Picture: Mark Stewart

He said key details still needed to be worked through with clubs and the AFLPA, including whether “parameters” were required to limit player eligibility during the window.

“We will work through it … we’ve had the discussion with the (AFLPA) that in principle, we’re there,” Dillon said.

“There’s certainly a chance that we could have it next year, but we’ll do that work over the next few months.

“All of those things are on the table – it could be open, or we might want to put parameters around (players eligible to be traded).

“Just to make sure there’s not any unintended consequences … it would be great to provide opportunities, but we just want to make sure we think through all the permutations and combinations that could occur.”

Dillon said the new three-year contracts for the top 20 picks would involve a third year with “regulated payments”, which would take into account performance to ensure players are not paid below their worth after a strong first two seasons.

He said more detail would come from the league on how third-year pay would be determined.

Pay rises, mid-season trading: Players back $2.2 billion CBA

Players have agreed to a historic joint collective bargaining agreement worth $2.2 billion over five years that opens the door to mid-season trading.

This masthead has sighted an email distributed to players confirming that the agreement – the first joint agreement between men’s and women’s players – has been ticked off by the playing group.

A huge 98 per cent of players have supported the deal with 99.7 per cent of AFL Women’s players backing the agreement that will deliver huge pay rises to both playing cohorts.

An announcement confirming the deal is imminent with legal paperwork to be completed.

The deal also encompasses increases to injury hardship allowances and concussion funds.

Mid-season trading has been ticked off by players as part of the agreement that will deliver a pay rise to men’s players of 31 per cent over five years.

The landmark deal is worth $2.2 billion over five years and will see men’s players set for a $200,000 pay rise over five seasons and top women’s players to pocket almost $130,000 by 2027.

An overwhelming majority of players have voted in support of a historic joint CBA. Picture: Mark Stewart

The player union was contacted for comment but declined.

Female players will see continual growth in their home and away season over coming years but will not reach the hoped-for 17 home and away games by the end of the deal.

The 2025 season will mark the first time that Tier 1 female players will receive more than $100,000 as a base playing wage, with Tier 2 players to hit six figures in 2027.

The biggest jump will come in the current season where wages will increase by 26 per cent, with another jump of the same amount over the next two seasons.

The average salary for women’s players will increase from $49,000 to $92,000 over the life of the deal, with a number of significant increases to off-field services and boosts to policies for female players.

This masthead revealed last week that mid-season trading in some form was part of the CBA.

More than 50 men’s players are set to earn over $1 million a season by 2027.

It marks the end of months of tense negotiations between the bodies, and includes an increase of at least one AFLW game next season – potentially more depending on metrics like 2023 season crowds – with an expectation of reaching as many as 14 games by 2027.

Originally published as A 30 per cent increase in AFLW salaries, mid-season trades and more five day breaks in the AFL features of signed CBA