AFLCA boss Alistair Nicholson on where the soft cap squeeze is hurting the most

There is a call for the AFL to invest in its next wave of coaches as the soft cap squeeze continues to turn away ex-players.

Alistair Nicholson says the AFL must invest in its next wave of coaches. Picture: Michael Klein

Future senior coaches are front of mind for AFL Coaches Association boss Alistair Nicholson as he continues to fight for an increase in the soft cap.

The soft cap was reduced by 30 per cent ahead of Covid, slashed from $9.68m to $7.25m in 2020.

It has increased steadily every season since but remains $2m short of what it was half a decade ago ($7.675m).

The AFLCA is noticing less experienced players stepping into coaching immediately after their career and Nicholson believes the restricted soft cap is a factor.

“There’s definitely more people and players who are not jumping into coaching quite as readily,” Nicholson said.

“We’ve got some statistics around that in more recent times, 200, 300-game players aren’t jumping into coaching careers straight away.

“That was probably different maybe 10, 15 years before and I think that’s a really important issue for the game.

Alistair Nicholson says the AFL must invest in its next wave of coaches as the soft cap squeeze continues to turn away ex-players. Picture: Michael Klein

“We can’t go to the US and the UK and pull coaches in, we need a good thriving system from within.

“With the challenges that have come through of being under a reduced soft cap and the demands of it means it’s an issue and the attractiveness is important to all stakeholders to play a role in making it as good as it can be.”

Nicholson is confident the senior coaches have backed the AFLCA’s push for more money towards the next layer of coaches.

He says the lack of money is making some doubt “whether it’s worth doing”.

“Reward and recognition I think is really important,” he said.

“Even senior coaches would say ‘focus your efforts on that’, the reality is those guys and girls are our next senior coaches but you do have to do your time.

“So for the hours and the remuneration, a lot of them are weighing up whether it’s worth doing that and even at the start whether they jump in and do it.

“There’s no doubt time and remuneration is a factor and that’s why the soft cap is such an important part of the conversation.

“Then how clubs flow things through around such things as termination clauses and consistency around those things as well, which adds to the mix of how a coach is feeling about what they do and what they’re getting out of it.”

Originally published as AFLCA boss Alistair Nicholson on where the soft cap squeeze is hurting the most