AFL increases offer after players reject initial pay deal

THE AFL has given ground in the pay stoush with players after Gillon McLachlan fronted talks with the players association for the first time since February.

AFLPA President Matthew Pavlich, Board Member Patrick Dangerfield and CEO Paul Marsh. Picture: Alison Wynd

THE AFL has given ground in the pay stoush with players and significantly increased its six-year offer.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan fronted talks with the AFL Players’ Association at a neutral CBD location on Thursday — his first appearance since February — in a sign the league is keen to end the salaries stand-off.

Players had flatly rejected a heavily front-ended offer put by the league two weeks ago that would have delivered massive gains in year one but increases of just 1 per cent a year to follow.

The AFL’s improved offer is yet to be put in writing but goes closer to meeting the AFLPA’s list of demands, including improved travel and accommodation conditions.

An anticipated 20 per cent hike this season would boost the club salary cap from $10.37 million to $12.4 million.

The average player wage (not including rookies) would climb from $309,000 last year to $371,000.

Thursday’s meeting involving McLachlan and AFLPA counterpart Paul Marsh was one of several held this week with key negotiators from both sides.

Clubs and player agents preparing contract renewals and free agency offers are becoming increasingly frustrated by the deadlock.

The salary cap for this season, let alone future years, is still not known.

But a resolution to the pay row could still be several weeks away.

Once accepted by the AFLPA negotiating team, the AFL proposal will be put to the player union’s board which includes Patrick Dangerfield, Rory Sloane, Scott Pendlebury, Leigh Montagna, Phil Davis and Easton Wood.

A vote of all 817 listed AFL players would also be required before the deal is sealed.

The AFLPA and league negotiating team have reached broad agreement on a “mechanism” for players to receive a slice of any unbudgeted AFL revenues.

While a devastating player strike was always seen as a last resort, players had been planning other disruptive actions if the AFL refused to budge on their push for a fixed slice of the game’s rising riches.

The six-year wages deal will be worth more than $1.5 billion, not including additional payments for retirement, hardship, welfare and player development schemes.