Coach says salary cap cuts could prove a winner for Southern league clubs
Reappointed St Paul’s coach Jason Heffernan believes the cut in local football salary caps will benefit Southern league clubs. And he’s given a boost to fast-rising Nick Stathopoulos.
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The reduced salary caps in metropolitan football should lead to an influx of good players to the Southern league, according to St Paul’s coach Jason Heffernan.
Heffernan says SFNL clubs have often missed out on recruits because they could find more money elsewhere.
But he says a level playing field will be in play next year with the $100,000 player-payments ceiling, and Southern clubs will stand a good chance of picking up players squeezed out of other competitions.
“Especially if you’ve got good facilities and a good culture,’’ Heffernan said.
“I know from a St Paul’s point of view that we’ve lost out on guys. We chased a former VFL player last year. I coached him at Port Melbourne, I coached him at Casey. We just couldn’t get him over the line financially, whereas now, with everyone on the same salary cap, the money might not be the sticking point. You might have guys saying, ‘Well, the ground’s nice, I know the coach, the lights are good’.
“So it might bring the competitions a bit closer.
“The Southern footy league grounds are as good as any, the competition is tight and it’s improving, but clubs in the east, west and north had a lot more to spend.
“This new cap ($100,000) will open it up. But you’ll have to sell your club, tell a player what you’ve got to offer, nice ground, nice lights, competitive comp, a little pathway to the VFL like we’ve got. If you can do that you’re in the race.’’
Heffernan said clubs’ ability to “network’’ and find players employment, always pulling power for VAFA clubs, would also help them recruit.
He said there would be players who would be happier to take a good job rather than a “pocketful of money’’.
Heffernan coached St Paul’s to the Division 1 premiership in 2018 and has been locked in for 2021.
Development coach Paul Commerford has been reappointed and Wayne Herbstreit has been appointed the Under 19s coach, stepping up from the Under 17s.
“To me, four or five years is probably a tenure at local footy,’’ Heffernan said.
“Me and the club still have a good vibe. Normally coaches are against clubs or clubs are against coaches but we’re still having good moments and planning for and ready to go forward next year.’’
The Doggies can do their planning with brilliant utility Matt Kreymborg, a two-time Division 1 league best and fairest, who has re-signed for 2021.
Curtis Murfett, the 2018 club champion, has returned, as has premiership teammate Brad Dolan and Tim Carracher, and former Bentleigh midfielder Barama Blow and Reagan Maddaford are among the recruits.
The Bulldogs have also retained Nick Stathopoulos, who joined the Oakleigh Chargers halfway through last year and wound up playing in the NAB League premiership side.
He kicked 20 goals from 11 games as a small forward, including five on debut.
Through Collingwood scout and former Doggies premiership coach Adam Shepard, Stathopoulos completed the pre-season with Collingwood’s VFL team and gained a contract.
“That kid, with no development background, has gone from local footy to NAB League premiership to VFL within 12 months,’’ Heffernan said.
“It’s a great story, actually. He was one of the first guys to sign for us for 2020, which was great. It’s amazing how when a guy signs a VFL contract, every club seems to find his phone number.’’
Heffernan said there was a can’t-wait-for-next-year feeling around the club.
“At the moment we don’t see anyone leaving, other than for a job opportunity or if overseas travel is allowed again,’’ he said.
“We’ll see. I won’t guarantee we’ll lose players but everyone is feeling good vibes and the word around the traps – and it’s probably the same at most local footy clubs – is the guys who committed for this year will be back next year. No one cut dropped, no one missed a game, no one got their money cut.’’
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