Women’s AFL stars to be paid minimum of $5000 in inaugural season
THE AFL is proposing to pay the majority of players in the inaugural national women’s league $5000 in their debut season.
AFL
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THE AFL is proposing to pay the majority of players in the inaugural national women’s league $5000 in their debut season.
Pre-season for the NWL starts in November before the eight-week competition kicks off in February.
The Herald Sun reported in May the two marquee players at each club would earn $25,000 and can now reveal the proposed payment scale for remaining signings:
MARQUEES will be paid a confirmed $10,000 marketing component and proposed $15,000 playing fee.
PRIORITY pre-signings — one at each Victorian club — will command a proposed $10,000.
HIGH draft selections — possibly four at each club — are also on the $10,000 mark.
REMAINING players would receive the minimum $5000.
Private health insurance isn’t included in the proposal, meaning players could have to shell out thousands for cover, eating into their wage.
That cost could be defrayed by deals brokered by the AFL with insurance companies.
Victorian clubs can pre-sign one player who has an association with the club with Collingwood (Meg Hutchins), Carlton (Lauren Arnell) and Western Bulldogs (Emma Kearney) already making their move.
Adelaide and Brisbane have two priority picks while GWS can sign four.
Players will sign an employment contract based on an hourly rate of pay, which means there will be restrictions on how much time players can spend at their club each week.
Players could be limited to nine contact hours a week outside match day, which could equate to three training sessions.
Clubs are frustrated by the time limits and want clarity on issues such as pre-season camps.
They also want access to their players straight after the draft, which is expected to be held on October 12, rather than waiting until November.
The players will be required to do 20 hours of appearances and marketing duties for the AFL as part of the basic contract.
While the AFL is funding wages and travel, clubs are covering other costs which are believed to be upwards of $400,000.
The new league’s top talent will be on show on Saturday night when Western Bulldogs play Melbourne in an all-stars game at Whitten Oval.
WOMEN”S ALL-STARS
Western Bulldogs v Melbourne
Whitten Oval, 7.10pm, Saturday
LIVE ON FOX FOOTY
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