Players to vote on new AFL pay offer after two-day Crown talks

A BUMPER $1.5 billion, six-year pay deal for the AFL’s 817 players was thrashed out over two days of high-powered talks at Crown’s Metropol Hotel.

AFLPA chief Paul Marsh. Picture: Norm Oorloff

A BUMPER $1.5 billion, six-year pay deal for the AFL’s 817 players was thrashed out over two days of high-powered talks at Crown’s Metropol Hotel.

League chiefs and an AFL Players’ Association negotiating team spent most of Wednesday and Thursday last week locked-up in casino conference rooms.

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan ticked off on a significantly improved collective bargaining agreement offer that will now be put to a vote of all players.

AFLPA chief Paul Marsh and his deputy, Brett Murphy, will visit all 18 clubs over the next two weeks to detail the league’s latest proposal.

Acceptance of the offer will require a “yes vote” from 75 per cent of players.

The deadlock was broken when the league agreed to increase its offer for the final five years of the deal.

It will see the salary cap climb by 20 per cent this season — from $10.37 million to about $12.4 million — followed by smaller annual increases greater than the 1 per cent tabled two weeks ago.

The AFL has also guaranteed players a slice of any unbudgeted AFL revenues.

Improved travel and accommodation conditions have also been granted, including guaranteed business class flights for West Coast Eagles and Fremantle players travelling to and from Perth.

The $1.5 billion in wages does not include additional payments for retirement, hardship, welfare and player development schemes.