AFL Victoria addresses all the big local footy talking points

Plagued by a horror off-season where several local footy clubs were found to have breached player payment rules, AFL Victoria has revealed its plans for the controversial salary cap amid calls for it to be scrapped.

Keilor was punished for salary cap breaches. Picture: Andrew Batsch

The future of local footy’s salary cap has been revealed, while AFL Victoria continues to navigate the state’s shifting demographic and economic challenges facing community clubs.

The viability of the salary cap has been a burning debate since its inception in 2017, with many prominent local footy identities calling for an overhaul.

Several clubs in the off season were penalised for breaching the salary cap, most notably the Mick McGuane-coached Keilor in the Essendon District Football League.

Keilor was stripped of its 2023 premiership for the breaches and heavily fined. EDFL neighbour Burnside Heights was also caught out.

Country footy clubs Kerang and Rumbalara also made headlines for their own breaches in recent weeks. But AFL Victoria chief executive officer Greg Madigan declared the cap was set to remain.

“The purpose of the salary cap is anchored in community club sustainability and to support volunteers,” he said.

“On that basis, as long as the current system is serving those two purposes, it is here to stay.”

Part of the Community Club Sustainability Program (CCSP), the AFL Victoria boss said the structure ensured clubs continued to invest in areas such as coaching, facilities and growing the game, while it also aimed to “ease the burden on volunteers”.

“The CCSP ensures that clubs are putting money into these areas to remain sustainable, money that would otherwise go into player payments,” Madigan said.

“If payments to players were unconstrained, volunteers would have to spend their own time and money to fundraise for those purposes instead.”

Keilor’s leaders faced the music. Picture: Jason Edwards

But attracting and retaining volunteers remains one of grassroots football’s biggest challenges over the next five years according to Madigan.

“Volunteers are the backbone of community footy clubs,” he said.

“AFL Victoria plans to continue providing a framework in which the role of a volunteer is supported, especially through education and consultation about the unique needs of our communities, alongside improving collective capabilities to collaboratively address other challenges that will inevitably arise.”

Madigan said working with country regions and metropolitan leagues had a been a major focus over the past two years for the AFL and AFL Victoria, to increase clubs’ volunteer support.

Those employed in Club Development Lead (CDL) roles across the state had “grown rapidly” from two at the start of 2023 to 17 in 2025.

“Each CDL is employed to work with clubs in their region/league to identify the unique challenges/opportunities of that particular section of the state – with a higher priority initially on those regions/areas most in need of support,” Madigan said.

“AFL Victoria has recently introduced a simple online ‘Club Health Check’ to help CDLs identify key areas that each club may require additional support.

“Each year AFL Victoria regions and leagues host club development workshops to provide tips and resources to help make it easier for clubs and, through their club development leads, are available to help them with tailored support.”

Filling volunteer roles is one of the big challenges.

Meanwhile, ground availability to keep pace with the community game’s expansion is another major hurdle expected across the next decade.

“With the explosion of women’s football, we need two ovals a week, every week for the next 10 years to keep up with the growth of the game nationally as we push towards one million participants,” Madigan said, with growth remaining steady through Auskick and Superkick (up eight per cent for the year to date), junior football (one per cent) and seniors (three per cent).

Despite the rise, a number of clubs have been forced into recess or have withdrawn teams for 2025 – many owing to a player shortage.

Eastern club Nunawading – two years shy of its centenary – is among those not fielding a senior men’s or reserves team, Broadford enters a second season in recess, while 153-year-old club Maryborough is also sidelined.

But Madigan denied the volume of battling clubs was increasing.

“It is easy to look at a number of isolated incidents, in reality this is uncommon and those few isolated cases are a result of a range of factors that may be unique to that club or community,” he said.

“Going into recess does not mean a club has permanently folded and there are examples where clubs have returned.

“As an industry, AFL Victoria works collaboratively with the relevant clubs, leagues and communities to develop plans and support networks to provide clubs the best opportunity to continue and thrive based on local circumstances.”

Nunawading is not fielding senior men’s teams this year. Picture: Davis Harrigan

Madigan recognised the current cost-of-living crisis paired with a changing demographic in Melbourne’s suburbs and the regions had significantly impacted community clubs.

Pointing to the AFL’s ‘Ways to Play’ campaign as an “important focus for 2025”, the governing body would “look to address ways to increase participation and attract new participants who do not have an existing connection to our game.”

“Changing demographics and the economic situation are having a major influence on how clubs operate and as a code we are focusing on addressing this by supporting new ways to connect with the game, and to maintain and increase participation in a sustainable manner,” Madigan said, highlighting the AFL 9s format and Superkick (for kids aged 7-12 years) as a bridging program between Auskick and junior football.

“The ability of a community club to adapt and take a longer-term strategic view will best support their future.”

The AFL’s 2022 move to enshrine 10 per cent of industry revenue to grassroots football is set to result in $1 billion injected by 2033, with regions, clubs and leagues statewide already reaping the benefits through the AFL and AFL Victoria to the tune of “millions of dollars in direct funding and grants” according to Madigan.

“This excludes the additional funding support to people that provide guidance, support and, in some cases, run programs to support the health of the game.”

Meanwhile, the number of women and gender diverse people in president or vice-president positions at local footy clubs continues to rise, with a range of initiatives including Lead Your Way, the Women & Girls Charter and Gender Equity Engagement Program spearheading an increase of 13 per cent in 2023 to 19 per cent in 2024.

Madigan declared shoring up the future of community football remained firmly fixed in AFL Victoria’s vision.

“We have strong aspirations to continue growing participation in Victoria, as well as working with all community stakeholders to maintain the strength of men and boys’ community football representation and the continued growth of women and girls’ pathways on offer.”