EFL 2018: Eastern Football League player salary caps announced for 2019

EASTERN Football League top flight clubs will have less money to spend in 2019 after new salary cap figures were released. See what your club can pay its players.

Noble Park’s Jake Gains and South Croydon’s Max King go up in the ruck. Picture: Valeriu Campan

TOP tier clubs in the Eastern Football League will have nearly 10 per cent shaved off their salary caps by the start of 2020.

Player payments in Division 1 are capped at $225,000 this year, but that figure will be reduced to $215,000 next year in the new Premier competition, with a view to reducing spending to $200,000 by 2020.

MELBOUNRE’S BEST SUBURBAN FOOTY GROUNDS

LIONS SCORE UPSET OF THE SEASON

The salary cap in the second tier (Division 1) will remain at $150,000 next year, while Division 2 clubs will be limited to $110,000.

Vermont and Balwyn players fly for the ball. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Payments in Division 3 will be capped at $90,000, while sides will be allowed to spend $70,000 in the fifth tier (Division 4).

EFL clubs were informed of the new salary caps last week, while AFL Victoria will review the player points cap as part of its annual end of season review.

Clubs are currently allowed 47 points per game.

EFL chief executive Phil Murton said the salary cap figures had been introduced as part of a metropolitan wide initiative.

“We’ve done the analysis on what the payments were last year and where clubs are tracking for this year,” Murton said.

“We still think there is plenty of scope for a reduction over time but we’re conscious we’re part of a bigger football environment and there needs to be some consistency across the board.

“Based on the numbers that we’ve seen from clubs who will be competing in those divisions, we think that caters for everyone.”

Norwood's Matthew Aver dishes off a handball. Picture: Steve Tanner

Meanwhile, the league could yet reduce the lower three divisions to 16-round seasons as part of the competition restructure.

The top two divisions will be home to 10 clubs, while the bottom three tiers will be eight-side competitions.

“We’re just doing some modelling on what the fixture might look like for next year so we haven’t finalised anything there yet,” Murton said.

“When we got some feedback from clubs last time it was pretty much 50-50 on what clubs’ thoughts were, so we might touch base with clubs again and get a sense of where they think things may sit.”