Give us all a share of the money: Chris Judd
* Greg Denham
* From: The Australian
* June 04, 2010 11:45AM
CARLTON captain Chris Judd has called for pay rises for all AFL players, as concerns in the game over the cost of luring NRL stars Karmichael Hunt and Israel Folau deepened yesterday.
Judd said the huge sums used to lure Hunt to the Gold Coast and Folau to Greater Western Sydney should prompt an increase in total player payments from the end of next year when a new collective bargaining agreement is reached between the league and the players' union.
The AFL's club base salary caps in 2011, excluding the Gold Coast, will be $8.21 million plus a further player-marketing component (additional services agreement) of $573,000.
Player payments will be reviewed this year by the AFL Players Association and the league, and increased accordingly under a new CBA starting in 2012.
Judd said that in light of the salary figures reportedly being offered to Hunt and Folau, current players were entitled to more money.
"I guess it shows there is a lot of money in AFL football," Judd said.
"And that is a good thing for the (current) players but I'm sure the AFL will realise in the next collective bargaining agreement that the current players should get a good share of any increased (game) revenue."
Both Hunt and Folau will earn annual packages of about $800,000, not including incentives.
Their actual football payments will be between $250,000 and $300,000 annually, with the remainder from marketing and promotional work.
A senior GWS official said yesterday the club had become "hot property" among national corporate sponsors since the marriage this week of Folau and coach Kevin Sheedy.
Judd, who will earn an annual packaged salary of almost twice as much as either Hunt or Folau, is concerned about an inflationary effect on the AFL due to the recruitment of high-profile players from other codes.
"There is a capped amount of money that players can be paid," Judd said.
"The AFLPA can (demand more money). I'm sure the AFL is smart enough to realise that come the next (CBA) agreement, current players will have to get a good share of any increased revenue the AFL's making."
But because Hunt, this year, and Folau next, will be initially listed as rookies, they will not be subjected to the salary cap of the Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney until they are placed on a primary list.
Certainly Hunt, and probably Folau will be on heavily front-ended and irregular contracts initially outside the bounds of the expansion clubs' already expanded salary cap limits. The 17th and 18th licences will start in the AFL with salary caps of about $1m more than the other clubs.
The Gold Coast and GWS can add Hunt and Folau to their lists under a player rule that was designed six years ago to allow clubs to attract players from other sports.
As an AFL rookie-listed player, the only financial stipulation is that a minimum wage of $35,000 must be paid, but there is no maximum, and that amount is not included in a club's salary cap.
The recruitment of both Hunt and Folau will have a minimum impact on the two clubs' ability to lure high-profile out-of-contract players from rival clubs with lucrative remuneration packages, as in the case of the Gold Coast's $1.5m bid for Geelong star Gary Ablett.
At Brisbane Broncos training yesterday, a red Sherrin mysteriously appeared as Folau's NRL teammates did their best to embarrass him.
Howls of laughter swept across the training field at Red Hill when Sam Thaiday climbed up on Folau's back to take a mock mark.
And as Folau practised his handballing, Test star Justin Hodges shouted: "Hey Izzy, Izzy - I need a loan, Izzy!"
Brisbane skipper Darren Lockyer had dug the Sherrin out of a cupboard and pumped it up himself.
