AFL 2023: Where does your club spend its salary cap
Should Dan McStay be the highest paid forward at Collingwood? Is Dylan Shiel worth $800k? Where’s Zak Butters? See who’s paid the most, and who should be earning more at your club.
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Carlton’s salary cap is top-heavy with key-position stars but also a pair of injury-prone defenders who share $1.6 million in cap space and very little output.
Gold Coast’s player retention strategy means it is the burgeoning young stars who get the biggest slice of the pie.
At Richmond it is the mid-forwards like Dustin Martin who are million dollar men, with Shai Bolton to follow in his footsteps next year.
How your club uses its $14.7 million in salary cap this year has massive consequences on its ability to keep stars, to build a premiership list and retain some space for the star free agent to fill a key list hole.
Glenn McFarlane, Jay Clark, Jon Ralph and Sam Landsberger assess where your club has spent its cash this season.
ADELAIDE
Rory Sloane $600,000-$700,000, 33, Midfielder
Rory Laird $750,000-$850,000, 29, Midfielder
Jordan Dawson $650,000-$750,000, 26, Midfielder
Reilly O’Brien $575,000-$675,000, 27, Ruckman
Izak Rankine $675,000-$775,000, 23, Forward
Taylor Walker $550,000-$650,000, 33, Forward
Adelaide has struggled mightily in recent years, so has been able to squirrel away the cap space that allowed the Crows to launch hard at Rankine and Dawson. They have used their cap space in the right areas – a trio of star mids, a crumbing forward who brings fans through the gates, a strong-bodied ruckman. Walker could ask for the same amount of salary next year, while Darcy Fogarty’s new deal also kicks in for 2024. They don’t have any outrageous salaries for underperforming stars, with Sloane likely to take a pay cut on his new deal for 2024. The club has cap space to go hard at interceptor Mason Redman while offering a responsible contract to its own free agent Tom Doedee. But given Essendon has stumped up a fair offer to Redman, the Crows would likely have to pay overs for him, which it hasn’t done with anyone else on its current list.
BRISBANE LIONS
Lachie Neale $800,000-$900,000, 30, Midfielder
Joe Daniher $725,000-$825,000, 29, Forward
Charlie Cameron $675,000-$775,000, 29, Forward
Hugh McCluggage $650,000-$750,000, 25, Midfielder
Harris Andrews $650,000-$750,000, 26, Midfielder
Josh Dunkley $625,000-$725,000, 26, Midfielder
Brisbane has spent a good portion of its cap in the forward half after big-money bids to nab Joe Daniher, from Essendon, and Charlie Cameron, from Adelaide. The salary for Daniher was enough to secure first-round draft compensation for the Bombers, even though the deal was soon extended, raising a few eyebrows. But the Bombers and Lions were both happy. Lachie Neale has been a superb pick-up and Hugh McCluggage has the ceiling to become the club’s top-paid player in the prime part of his career. Harris Andrews steers the ship from defence, and there may be some spare change left over for a play for Adelaide’s Tom Doedee.
CARLTON
Patrick Cripps $900,000-$1,000,000, 28, Midfielder
Jacob Weitering $750,000-$850,000, 25, Defender
Mitch McGovern $750,000-$850,000, 28, Defender
Sam Walsh $750,000-$850,000, 23, Midfielder
Harry McKay $700,000-$800,000, 25, Forward
Zac Williams $700,000-$800,000, 28, Defender
Charlie Curnow $650,000-$750,000, 26, Forward
Adam Saad $575,000-$675,000, 28, Defender
Did the Blues invest too heavily in defence a few years ago? Will the mega investment in their two Coleman Medallists next season hurt the Blues going forward (pardon the pun), with Curnow and McKay new deals kicking in. It’s going to be fascinating to see what unfolds. Some of the Blues’ current contract figures aren’t as high as has been speculated on, but it has still been a relatively tight squeeze. The beauty is they have bedded down the key players they want to keep – other than Tom De Koning. If TDK stays, they can still afford him. If not, they can be active at season’s end. Importantly, the Blues will be eased out of McGovern’s big contract next season – if he stays, he will be on a greatly reduced rate. The end of a few back-end mid-range contracts will help, while Jack Silvagni and Zac Fisher could yet find themselves at new homes.
COLLINGWOOD
Darcy Moore $925,000-$1,025,000, 27, Defender
Jordan De Goey $775,000-$875,000, 27, Midfielder/Forward
Jack Crisp $625,000-$725,000, 29, Midfielder
Brayden Maynard $625,000-$725,000, 26, Defender
Taylor Adams $600,000-$700,000, 29, Midfielder/Forward
Dan McStay $550,000-$650,000, 28, Forward
Collingwood has spread its top end salary cap commitments to all parts of the field, which is ideal from a list point of view. Moore and Maynard lead the top bracket in defence, the midfield big earners include De Goey, Crisp and at times Adams, while McStay is the highest-paid forward, given the ‘tax’ required to land free agents. Collingwood has clawed its way out of the embarrassing salary cap hole that impacted its first few years of the 2020s. But Derek Hine and Graham Wright were still able to bring in four players from rival clubs late last year to fulfil needs in different parts of the ground. Now the Magpies are ready to go on the attack again by specifically targeting key trade and free agency targets. Some key defensive help for Darcy Moore in the future is on the radar. Watch this space in October.
ESSENDON
Zach Merrett $775,000-$875,000, 27, Midfielder
Dylan Shiel $750,000-$850,000, 30, Midfielder
Darcy Parish $650,000-$750,000, 25, Midfielder
The Bombers have loaded up in the midfield in recent years to assemble an engine room they believe can become A-Grade. But the next priorities are at either end of the ground. Essendon is in the market for a key defender, led by North Melbourne’s Ben McKay, and a key forward after showing some interest in Nick Larkey and Ben King. The club has about $2 million to fulfil its needs. The money is in the midfield for now, but that load will be spread more over the next two trade periods as Essendon tries to get young talls Nik Cox and Zach Reid up and running. Nic Martin will also receive a pay rise as part of the midfield core.
FREMANTLE
Nat Fyfe $1,050,000-$1,105,000, 31, Midfielder/Forward
Michael Walters $650,000-$750,000, 32, Forward
Alex Pearce $550,000-$650,000, 27, Defender
Andrew Brayshaw $750,000-$850,000, 23, Midfielder
Luke Jackson $725,000-$825,000, 21, Ruckman
Luke Ryan $650,000-$750,000, 27, Defender
Caleb Serong $650,000-$750,000, Midfielder
Sean Darcy $650,000-$750,000, 25, Ruckman
As Fremantle has moved into the premiership window it has had to splash the cash on its stars, and fair enough, too. Fyfe’s $1.1 million commitment expires next year, which has allowed the club to pay up for emerging stars Sean Darcy, Caleb Serong and Andrew Brayshaw. All of those salaries are responsible, and while throwing $900,000 a year at Luke Jackson has been the subject of hot conjecture, his potential and best performances this year show why that is a smart buy. Walters will have taken a pay cut after accepting a new two-year deal as well. So having spent up on star mids and a strong interceptor in Ryan, the only issue will be the ruck stocks. If they extend Darcy over summer on a deal of up to $900,000, will they be paying too much if they are handing over $1.8 million a year on Darcy and Jackson? Not if Jackson can emerge as the hybrid mid-ruckman-forward they believe he can be.
GEELONG
Jeremy Cameron $950,000-$1,050,000, 30, Forward
Patrick Dangerfield $600,000-$700,000, 33, Midfielder/Forward
Tom Stewart $625,000-$725,000, 30, Defender
Geelong has one of the most disciplined pay models in the game, which the club considers one of its greatest advantages. For a long time, the Cats have avoided getting into auctions with other clubs over their own stars and up-and-comers, meaning they’ve often had leftover cash to chase free agents from rival clubs. They spent one million dollars a season landing Jeremy Cameron from GWS and on the initial deal to poach Patrick Dangerfield from Adelaide. The select targets delivered handsomely last year, steering the Cats to a premiership. The next priority could be splashing the cash on another prime tall to take over the ruck. Tom De Koning would fit the bill.
GOLD COAST
Touk Miller $800,000-$900,000, 27, Midfielder
David Swallow $600,000-$700,000, 30, Midfielder
Jarrod Witts $675,000-$775,000, 30, Ruckman
Jack Lukosius $600,000-$700,000, 22, Forward
Ben King $725,000-$825,000, 23, Forward
Brandon Ellis $550,000-$650,000, 29, Midfielder
Gold Coast has set about radically reshaping its player payments after at one stage in the Stuart Dew tenure facing the prospect of being as much as $2 million over the cap if it didn’t jettison players. So as important as the re-signings – Anderson, King, Lukosius, Anderson – has been the capacity to reduce Swallow’s wage bill, move on Jack Bowes and spread out deals for Brayden Fiorini and Alex Sexton. Now the wage bill looks responsible and spent in the right areas of the field with high salaries for the co-captains Miller and Witts, $800,000 for key forward star King and a good wage for free agent Brandon Ellis which expires at the end of next year. Ellis has been in and out of the team this year but that overall contract has been a win. Anderson’s significant wage kicks in next year, but he’s worth every dollar and the hope is that King will re-sign over past 2024 on a deal likely worth seven figures a season.
GWS GIANTS
Stephen Coniglio $850,000-$950,000, 29, Midfielder
Toby Greene $850,000-$950,000, 29, Forward
Lachie Whitfield $850,000-$950,000, 28, Defender
Nick Haynes $850,000-$950,000, 31, Defender
Josh Kelly $800,000-$900,000, 28, Midfielder
Harry Himmelberg $700,000-$800,000, 27, Forward/Defender
Sam Taylor $700,000-$800,000, 24, Defender
The Giants have been forced to overpay for their midfield stars amid soaring interest from rival clubs every year. It was an unsustainable cycle which has caused concern at AFL headquarters. How does the league assist the Giants’ bloated cap? Josh Kelly’s salary continues to rise in coming years, while Lachie Whitfield and Stephen Coniglio are also on a packet. Toby Greene has deserved every cent and Sam Taylor holds the defence together. If the Giants lose Harry Himmelberg, the money could go on a new deal to keep No. 1 pick Aaron Cadman. But the big spend is in the engine room.
HAWTHORN
James Sicily, $850,000-$950,000, 28, Defender
Chad Wingard, $700,000-$800,000, 29, Forward
Karl Amon, $625,000-$725,000, 27, Wing
The Hawks are paying about $750,000 of Jaeger O’Meara ($500,000) and Tom Mitchell’s ($250,000) contracts to play at rival clubs this season. That is close to O’Meara’s full packet in 2023, but the Hawks were in a position to pay their exited stars because they did not have many significant salaries on their books. Wingard falls out of contract and will either re-sign on about 50 per cent of his wage or be traded elsewhere. The Hawks are hunting a second key forward to play next to Mitch Lewis, with Giant Jake Riccardi one option they are considering. Luke Breust would also be among their highest-paid players, but the Hawks have room to move. Importantly, the cap space has helped them sign up their next wave relatively quickly. They’ve already locked in Will Day (contracted to 2027), Cameron Mackenzie (2026), Josh Ward (2025), Seamus Mitchell (2025), Jai Newcombe (2026), Jarman Impey (2026) and Lewis (2026). Amon has been a shrewd purchase on about $650,000. His class on a wing was what separated him from a similar player, Blake Acres, who was traded to Carlton on around $350,000-$400,000 per season.
MELBOURNE
Clayton Oliver $950,000-$1,050,000, 25, Midfielder
Christian Petracca $950,0000-$1,050,000, 27, Midfielder
Brodie Grundy $800,000-$900,000, 29, Ruckman
Max Gawn $700,000-$800,000, 31, Ruckman
Steven May $600,000-$700,000, 31, Defender
Jake Lever $600,000-$700,000, 27, Defender
Angus Brayshaw $600,000-$700,000, 27, Defender
Jack Viney $600,000-$700,000, 29, Midfielder
The Demons assembled arguably the AFL’s No.1 midfield through the draft back in 2014-15 and then traded for two expensive backline pieces in Steven May and Jake Lever. That strategy – to invest so much cash behind the ball – was once criticised by David King, who argued there was a reason soccer strikers were paid handsomely, because they delivered silverware. But it paid off when the May-Lever partnership helped break their premiership drought in 2021. The Demons also have two of the richest rucks in the competition, although about one third of Grundy’s tab is being picked up by the Pies. However, as King once forecasted, the absence of a permanent forward in the top bracket of their earners (Petracca spends most of his time in the midfield) points to a problem that is now playing out on the field. Their lack of firepower is hurting the push for a second flag. Jacob van Rooyen is emerging sharply, and they drafted Matthew Jefferson last year. But do the Demons need to spend more money on a focal point in attack to complete what is an elite list? The Demons have been king of the long-term contracts, too, with Petracca (signed until 2029), Brayshaw (2028), Oliver (2030), Kozzie Pickett and Trent Rivers (both 2027) inked and going nowhere.
NORTH MELBOURNE
Jy Simpkin $650,000-$750,000, 25, Midfielder
Griffin Logue $600,000-$700,000, 25, Defender
The much-talked about Kangaroos war chest is ready, willing and waiting to be enabled. Getting the right player or players will be paramount, though. North Melbourne might only have two players in the AFL Rich 100 this season – co-skipper Simpkin and former Docker Logue – but a number are just outside the bracket. Luke McDonald’s deal until the end of 2026 sits between $550,000-$650,000. Controversial but talented Kangaroo Tarryn Thomas is on under $600,000 and is contracted until the end of next season, though a move wouldn’t surprise. Cam Zurhaar signed on for between $500,000-$600,000 when he knocked back interest from Essendon last year to stick with the Roos. Out of contract defender Ben McKay is on a similar deal, but is being courted by several clubs. Defender Aidan Corr isn’t on what some have suggested. His figure is close to $525,000. Star forward Nick Larkey, one of the club’s most marketable players, has provided outstanding value for money and he won’t kick into a higher end deal until the end of next year. But his loyalty and belief in the club has meant he left some money on the table for the Roos to chase fresh talent when it emerges.
PORT ADELAIDE
Ollie Wines $750,000-$850,000, 28, Midfielder
Connor Rozee $650,000-$750,000, 23, Midfielder
Scott Lycett $600,000-$700,000, 30, Ruckman
Charlie Dixon $550,000-$650,000, 32, Forward
Junior Rioli $550,000-$650,000, 28, Forward
The Power have in recent seasons been able to save their pennies through astute list management so when the opportunities came up they could cash in. It meant they could drag Rioli out of the Eagles on a $600,000 per season deal and use picks and salary cap to secure Jason Horne-Francis, with his salary above $600,000 a season kicking in next year in his third season. The Lycett salary will drop off their books next year and while Zak Butters is clearly underpaid – he is on around $550,000 – the Power would ideally sign him in coming months on a new long-term deal past 2024 which would reward a player clearly worth $800,000-plus a year. The cap space the Power have saved has allowed them to pay Miles Bergman a healthy wage on his new two-year deal and Mitch Georgiades would also be on $600,000 or more if he stays. Then there is the search for a key back, with Ben McKay some chance to get $800,000 a year if he leaves for a club like Port Adelaide. He’s not really worth it, but it’s the free agency premium and the Power still have the kind of cap space to get into that conversation.
RICHMOND
Dustin Martin $1,250,000-$1,350,000, 32, Midfielder/Forward
Tom Lynch $925,000-$1,025,000, 30, Forward
Tim Taranto $700,000-$800,000, 25, Midfielder
Jacob Hopper $700,000-$800,000, 26, Midfielder
Dion Prestia $625,000-$725,000, 30, Midfielder
Shai Bolton $600,000-$700,000, 24, Midfielder/Forward
Nick Vlastuin $600,000-$700,000, 29, Defender
Richmond hasn’t budged from the strategy that prevailed in its premiership years that the midfield is where the bulk of its high-end salary cap should be spent. Leaving aside key forward Tom Lynch and experienced defender Nick Vlaustin, the investment is heavily in the engine room. But the beauty of that is that two of those players – Dustin Martin and Shai Bolton – are mid-forwards who are dangerous in both areas of the ground. Lynch’s deal was heavily back-ended, which means he is on close to $1 million now. Martin has one more year to run on his monster deal that helped to change the club’s fortunes. Does he see it out? Those close to him say he will, and he looks invested. Tim Taranto’s deal is a long one, but looks darn cheap now given his first season at Punt Rd could yet end in a Brownlow Medal. Bolton might be the Tigers’ most important player going forward. He is an exceptional value player right now, but his price will skyrocket next season as his new long-term deal starts.
ST KILDA
Brad Hill $825,000-$925,000, 29, Midfielder
Jack Steele $800,000-$900,000, 27, Midfielder
Dougal Howard $550,000-$650,000, 27, Defender
Max King $725,000-$825,000, 22, Forward
Brad Couch $600,000-$700,000, 29, Midfielder
Rowan Marshall $650,000-$750,000, 27, Ruckman
Jade Gresham $600,000-$700,000, 25, Forward
Jack Sinclair $550,000-$650,000, 28, Defender
Brad Hill still has two more seasons on a deal of up to $900,000, which clearly isn’t great business despite his improved output this year. Jade Gresham also needs to get a wriggle on this year given his mediocre output compared to his solid deal. But St Kilda should by year’s end have significantly improved a cap picture which has it paying top-10 picks Hunter Clark and Nick Coffield as well as Jack Billings too much compared to performance. On his output, Sinclair was clearly underpaid so that will have been rectified by the new extension out to 2027, which also saw Jack Higgins and Cal Wilkie secure a pay rise. St Kilda has cap space to bring in a Tom De Koning type and is paying big money on mids – Steele, Crouch – mid-defender Sinclair its star tall King and its ruckman Marshall. It is money well allocated. Now to strip back the generous deals and go hunting for difference-makers who will put the Saints into the premiership window.
SYDNEY
Isaac Heeney $850,000-$950,000, 27, Forward
Dane Rampe $800,000-$900,000, 33, Defender
Callum Mills $700,000-$800,000, 26, Defender
Tom McCartin $650,000-$750,000, 23, Defender
Luke Parker $650,000-$750,000, 30, Midfielder
Lance Franklin $550,000-$650,000, 36, Forward
The Swans will free up about $600,000 when Franklin calls time on his glittering career. The word is they want to go shopping, with bookends Ben McKay and Aaron Naughton, as well as Eagles intercepting defender Tom Barrass, on their list of potential targets. But after a tight salary cap helped squeeze out the likes of Aliir Aliir, Jordan Dawson and George Hewett, you would hope they have some cash banked for their next-generation stars. Co-captain Callum Mills is due for a pay rise when his long-term contract kicks in while Errol Gulden, Braeden Campbell, Chad Warner are tracking towards being superstars of the game, and it would not surprise if Angus Sheldrick and Logan McDonald eventually broke into their top bracket. Nick Blakey has signed until 2031 (yes, 2031). Another elite midfielder should be high on the target list – the Swans were smacked 19-7 in centre clearances on Thursday night – considering they will regard themselves as being right in the premiership window in 2024.
WEST COAST
Jeremy McGovern $1,000,000-$1.1 million, 31, Defender
Tim Kelly $1,000,000-$1.1 million, 28, Midfielder
Andrew Gaff $750,000-$850,000, 31, Midfielder
Elliot Yeo $700,000-$800,000, 29, Midfielder
Oscar Allen $700,000-$800,000, 24, Forward
Jack Darling $700,000-$800,000, 30, Forward
Tom Barrass $700,000-$800,000, 27, Defender
West Coast needs to absorb another season of salary cap pain before they can hope to be in an aggressive frame of mind with their total player payments They have two of the top-five paid players in the AFL thanks to Tim Kelly and Jeremy McGovern, but McGovern’s deal halves next year. And Andrew Gaff’s contract expires at the end of 2024. Nic Naitanui is only on around $300,000 this year and next at most. So the Eagles can bunker down for another year, aware they have the cap space to keep Tom Barrass, whose five-year deal only kicks in this year. At 27 it would be lunacy to even consider allowing him to leave. The Eagles have their cap space allocated in the right places – two key forwards, two key backs, an assortment of star mids. It’s the output that is the issue from those players.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Marcus Bontempelli $1,000,000-$1,100,000, 27, Midfielder
Adam Treloar $825,000-$925,000, 30, Midfielder
Aaron Naughton $800,000-$900,000, 23, Forward
Tim English $725,000-$825,000, 25, Ruckman
Jackson Macrae $700,000-$800,000, 28, Midfielder
Bailey Dale $650,000-$750,000, 26, Defender
Caleb Daniel $650,000-$750,000, 27, Defender
The worry for the Bulldogs is they have a list profile that must capitalise on now. Marcus Bontempelli is 27, Jack Macrae turns 29 next month while Tom Liberatore, Adam Treloar and recruit Rory Lobb are the wrong side of 30. They ideally need to secure a second premiership (after 2016) with this list while the likes of Bontempelli, Macrae, Dale, Daniel, English and Naughton are all still in their prime years in the next few seasons. Lobb, who is on about $550,000, was an interesting investment, particularly after limited return from Jackson Trengove and Josh Bruce. Trengove played just 33 games and no finals for the club while Bruce had one good year in 2021 before an ACL injury on the eve of that finals series. The contracts offered to Lobb, Trengove and Bruce would total more than $5 million. But the spread of dollars across the field is healthy. They have All-Australians in defence and in the midfield, which is a status English could also reach this year. Naughton could also be destined for those honours one day while Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and Sam Darcy – No.1 and No.2 picks in their drafts – are also full of promise. The Dogs are already the land of the giants, and have another 200cm father-son prospect in Jordan Croft available this year. Again, that heightens the intrigue on Lobb. Could a team in 2026 (which is the final year of Lobb’s contract) really contain key-position players English, Naughton, Ugle-Hagan, Darcy and Croft ... not to mention first-round draftee Jedd Busslinger, Ryan Gardner and James O’Donnell? The forward planning by intelligent list boss Sam Power would be fascinating.
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