AFL considers return of COLA in NSW, northern clubs set to keep controversial academies

NSW’s contentious COLA program was abolished in 2014 by the AFL after a campaign from powerful Victorian clubs. Now, as the cost of living soars in Sydney, the program may soon return.

Sydney's Chad Warner and Giants Connor Idun at the SCG for the launch of the Sydney Derby XXVII between the Sydney Swans and the GWS Giants. Photo by Phil Hillyard (Image Supplied for Editorial Use only – **NO ON SALES** – ©Phil Hillyard )

The AFL is strongly considering granting Sydney and GWS Giants a cost of living allowance, with the Harbour City ranked second to Hong Kong as the world’s most unaffordable.

Northern clubs are also certain to retain their controversial talent academies in a major relief for the clubs that invest upwards of $1.7m annually to develop footballers from the age of 12.

Rival clubs are also set for a win with the league expected to loosen the restriction on drafting players from their Next Generation academies.

The NSW clubs are united in their fight for extra soft-cap space.

“Replacing (assistant coaches) is very hard,” Swans’ football boss Leon Cameron said.

“Trying to find a two or three-bedroom place in Sydney for the family to come up is far more exorbitant. That has enormous challenges.

“There’s some coaches at the Giants … living on their own because they’ve chosen to live in a one-bedroom place and not (relocate) their family.

“(Assistant coach) Ben Matthews has been doing that for five to six years. Mark McVeigh chooses to live an hour-and-a-half out of town and drive in everyday because where he lives is cheaper than around here.”

The NSW clubs are united in the quest for more soft-cap space. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/AFL Photos/via Getty Images )

Giants offence coach Craig Jennings lives in a mobile home and several assistants say they break-even, but are unable to save any money.

Assistants across the AFL have not had their pre-Covid salaries restored. They make roughly $170,000.

Sydney’s $1.7m median house value is the highest in the country – and much higher than Melbourne ($1m), Brisbane ($920,000), Adelaide ($902,000) and Perth ($780,000) – while the Harbour City’s median weekly rental price of $750 for a house also tops the country.

The Swans and Giants used to receive an extra 9.8 per cent of salary cap space to pay their players. But the AFL abolished the cost of living allowance in 2014 following a long-running campaign from powerful Victorian clubs.

It was phased out in 2015-16, which the Swans found tricky to navigate.

Restoring COLA would trigger similar fury, especially after revelations Collingwood was prepared to sacrifice $375,000 in luxury tax to overspend in the soft cap.

The Eagles want the AFL to increase the soft cap so they can fairly remunerate their medical staff.

A string of clubs, including Port Adelaide and St Kilda, asked the AFL to strip northern clubs of their priority access to drafting the cream of the crop from their academies.

Gold Coast’s academy, coached by Rhyce Shaw, produced four first-round talents last year. The Suns secured all four, but could have been forced to let one or two of them go if they had finished in the top eight or top four.

The Swans have had more than 5000 kids go through their academy, with 2024 Brownlow Medal favourite Isaac Heeney and All-Australians Errol Gulden and Callum Mills headlining their 24 draftees.

Some of Sydney’s biggest stars are homegrown. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

The 20 per cent discount applied when clubs draft academy players is likely to be wound back or removed, rather than access to players.

Fremantle and West Coast helped lead the charge for the NGA restrictions to be reversed. The Eagles and Dockers missed out on Lance Collard (drafted by St Kilda at No. 28) and Mitch Edwards (Geelong, No. 32) respectively last year because clubs were unable to match bids inside pick 40.

The Dockers have developed more Indigenous talent than any other club and want incentive to bring players down from the Kimberley and get them into programs or schools.

The game is facing an Indigenous player crisis due to numbers dropping at the elite level and talent not being captured, maintained or developed in country and city zones.

Geelong wants the national map recarved because it believes some clubs have access to much stronger zones. That seems likely, given North Melbourne will soon lose the Tasmania region to the Devils. The Roos could target Oven and Murray, which forms part of Richmond’s zone.

No changes have been decided on yet and they will require sign off by the AFLPA.

Other changes being considered include:

• Future draft pick trading two or three years into the future

• Ability to pay 110 per cent if they underspend the previous year (up from 5 per cent)

• Overhaul of the draft points index

• Abolish the 20 per cent discount for father-sons

Originally published as AFL considers return of COLA in NSW, northern clubs set to keep controversial academies