Looks like the COL flap isn't going away

[ShockOfHair]

No-one seems to have paid much attention to this (although I'm sure Swans have).

Background is the big clubs - Pies, Hawks, Carlton, Essendon, West Coast, Freo - are unimpressed by the league telling them it needs to change the equalisation policies, just one year into the current five-year programme.

The headline item from this story a week ago was that they think the league should buy Etihad.

But more interesting for us (and much more doable) is they've decided that if the AFL is revisiting equalisation "then all unequalising factors should be addressed" including all draft concessions "and all salary cap relief - such as the contentious cost of living allowances. - be removed."

The clubs were angered that the premiers last year, the Sydney Swans, were the club able to satisfy the demands of the most highly paid free agent in Kurt Tippett.

''The GWS have indigestion they have so many draft picks, and we think the cost of living allowance is an outdated policy, the logic of which if extended should mean Adelaide has a lower salary cap, and in Perth a higher one,'' Newbold said.

So stand by for more COL earbashing.

NB: My favourite part of the story:

Essendon chief executive Ian Robson was due to attend but had more pressing matters to attend to...

[GongSwan]

I don't think we'll have too much to worry about unless we win it again. The Vic clubs will really be up in arms then

[R-1]

Geez they'll be upset when they realise it should be increased

[mcs]

I don't think we'll have too much to worry about unless we win it again. The Vic clubs will really be up in arms then

I look forward to the headlines in October!

#B2B in 13 - CARN YOU BLOODS!

[goswannie14]

Kurt Tippett wasn't a free agent, so they got that wrong to start off with.

[aardvark]

Geez they'll be upset when they realise it should be increased

Yep. The adjustment should give us just enough to draft Buddy next year.

[Nico]

Geez they'll be upset when they realise it should be increased

Yep, a couple of weeks ago Sydney was rated the 2nd most expensive city in the world. Melbourne was 5th. Maybe we should be heading to NZ where beer is half the price.

[sharp9]

Yep, a couple of weeks ago Sydney was rated the 2nd most expensive city in the world. Melbourne was 5th. Maybe we should be heading to NZ where beer is half the price.

Pretty sure you'll find Auckland in about 14th on that list

[BSA5]

They do have a point about the logic of decreasing the Adelaide cap and increasing the Perth cap. I wouldn't be opposed to the salary cap being adjusted to keep in line with the COL of each city.

The COL allowance is very imperfect, and definitely should be re-assessed. It's just the calls for the indiscriminate dropping of it which are ridiculous.

[ShockOfHair]

Agree and agree. It's not logical (weighting the salary cap of every capital city against Melbourne would be a nightmare) and it should be re-assessed. But the AFL may have to sacrifice the COL and other measures in order to strike an equalisation deal with the rich clubs. And they're not pleased about us getting Tippett AND a flag.

[ernie koala]

Where does "equalisation " start and end?

Should every team have the right to host the GF at their home ground? ie At the start of every season pick the GF location out of a hat.

Because as it stands, Hawthorn, Collingwood, Melbourne and Richmond are guaranteed to play the GF at their home ground......nothing equal about that.

[liz]

Where does "equalisation " start and end?

Should every team have the right to host the GF at their home ground? ie At the start of every season pick the GF location out of a hat.

Because as it stands, Hawthorn, Collingwood, Melbourne and Richmond are guaranteed to play the GF at their home ground......nothing equal about that.

Yeah, the big Melbourne clubs are very good at pointing out things that they perceive advantage other club and equally as good at ignoring the in-built advantages that they have.

I would love to know the typical amount a minor star (ie a top 10 player at their club but excluding the Judds, Abletts, Buddys of this world) at a club in footy can expect to earn under an ASA arrangement, compared to an equivalent player at a NSW or Queensland club. At present, the only Swans players who really have much of a public profile away from the game itself are Goodes and Jack - Goodes because he is a superstar (and I imagine he earns a fair amount from endorsements from the likes of Cadbury, the sports drink company he appears in ads for - I can't even tell you which one it is!) and Jack due to his background. Apart from occasional appearances in ads for sponsors, can anyone recall ever seeing ROK, Jude, Ted et al promoting a product in a way that might earn them significant extra income? I think Jude and ROK have each had maybe one 'On the Couch' and one "Footy Show' appearance during their entire careers.

Does anyone remember the eyebrow raising a few years ago when Eddie commented that if Jon Brown left the Lions to come down to Collingwood, he could guarantee him substantial extra income via his C9 and other media and business contacts? Those kind of opportunities just don't exist for most players at the four northern clubs, and even for stars like Brown, are far more limited than they could expect at a Melbourne, Perth or Adelaide club.