AFL Tasmania to crack down on player payments with statewide salary caps enforced

AFL clubs face the loss of premiership points, fines and suspensions if they are found guilty of breaching salary caps. See how the new system will work and what players will be paid.

“IF you do flagrantly breach the rules, watch out.”

This is the strong message from Head of AFL Tasmania Damian Gill, with the organisation introducing a sustainability model that will crack down on clubs that exceed salary cap payments from next season.

The statewide salary cap model will be in place for senior men’s competitions with the TSL, SFL, NTFA, OSFA, NWFL, NWFA and DFA all falling under the enforced total player payments scheme.

Damian Gill has vowed to do more around salary caps and player payments. Picture: Grant Viney

While the cap will differ depending on the league, the message from Gill was that the model was brought in to make clubs more sustainable for the long term.

“For a long time it’s been identified by the footy community that we need to do more around salary caps and player payments and we are now in a place where we’ve got a model that will oversee eight competitions statewide,” Gill said.

“The buy in from clubs and leagues throughout the process has been really important, everyone is on board and we are ready to make sure clubs are sustainable way into the future.

“It’s important that clubs are paying to the level they can and not putting themselves in harm’s way trying to chase a premiership.”

TSL Grand Final 2022. Tigers V Launceston Tom Wright, Tigers. Jack Tuthill, Launceston Picture: Linda Higginson

The model has introduced an increased cap for the TSL to $110,000 with the maximum annual payment for a state league coach to be capped at $50,000.

The SFL, NWFL and NTFA premier division’s yearly caps are at $65,000 with the NTFA division 1 at $50,000 and the Old Scholars at $40,000.

TSL player match payments have been given a $12,000 limit with the maximum a player can be played per match at $600 while they range from $250 to $400 for the underpinning leagues.

AFL Tasmania will centrally manage the model’s investigation process, with AFL investigation officers employed to investigate and audit alleged breaches.

The investigation process will see any allegations vetted prior to the conduct of any full investigation with Gill making it clear to clubs and players that any unbecoming conduct will be looked at.

SFL qualifying final. Cygnet V Huonville at Kermandie. Thor Boscott Cygnet playing coach with Brady Jones Huonville. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“The rumour mill swirls and our role in this and the investigators role will be to make sure what is just rumour mill and what a legitimate breach is and then what needs to go forward for investigation,” Gill said.

“If you don’t do anything wrong then you’ve got nothing to worry about but if you do flagrantly breach the rules, watch out.”

AFL Tasmania CEO Damian Gill at North Hobart Oval. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

“We are looking at former police officers and detectives to fill those roles and it’s important we have people with that level of expertise because we are deadly serious about this.”

Premiership points, fines and suspensions are all in play should a club or player be found guilty of breaching the salary cap at any stage while the model also makes allowances for marquee players to come and play one-off games in the state.