MPNFL: AFL South East Commission cuts MPNFL salary cap

THE AFL South East Commission has reduced the salary cap for MPNFL clubs but increased the player-points ceiling.

MPNFL clubs will have a salary cap of $140,000 from next year.

MPNFL clubs will have an extra player point next year but also a reduced salary cap under new AFL South East Commission guidelines.

The cap in Division 1 and 2 will drop from $150,000 to $140,000 from 2019.

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It follows the commission’s annual review into the “community club sustainability program’’ introduced by AFL Victoria in an effort to cut spiralling player payments and take financial pressure off clubs.

A mid-year audit suggests the cap reduction is likely to affect only four of the 22 clubs across the two MPNFL grades.

AFL South East region general manager John Anderson.

But as part of the review the commission has also decided to lift the player-points allocation from 39 to 40.

“The commission regards the increase in the player points system as a further

positive for MPNFL clubs, helping with the recruitment of players,’’ region GM John Anderson said.

He said the commission could add points to a club if it:

* was “located in a region with a low population base’’.

* “didn’t qualify for finals or had been promoted from previous seasons’’.

* was enduring “significant hardship, lack of success, coming out of recess or is a recently merged or restructured entity’’.

* had no Under 18 or 19 or younger under-age sides and couldn’t develop a junior program owing to reasons outside its control.

At the same time the commission could reduce a club’s total team points if it had won multiple premierships and enjoyed sustained success.

Earlier this year Hastings was fined for going over the salary cap last year and Edithvale-Aspendale lost points for exceeding its point tally against Bonbeach.

Anderson said he was confident there would be no breaches of this cap this year.

“The administration of it has been much better,’’ he said.