AFL Victoria’s Community Club Sustainability Program proposed framework was released on Thursday, creating a much stricter new landscape for recruiting.

The cornerstones of the program will be a complex state-wide player points system, plus the reintroduction of the salary cap that has been previously tried unsuccessfully at local level.

The measures aim to assist in the equalisation of competitions; stop inflammatory player payments by discouraging player movement; and promote player loyalty and junior development.

The salary cap figure will be determined by regional commissions in consultation with clubs and leagues to ensure the cap meets local conditions.

One of the aims of the salary cap is to provide a tool for clubs to “not be allowed” to meet player demands.

Among the key implementations of the salary cap will be player payments to be detailed in a standard state-wide player contract.

“This contract would be accompanied by a statutory declaration signed by the player, which outlines that all payments to play for the club are confined to the detail within the standard player contract,” AFL Victoria stated in its working paper.

“Payments made by either the club or a third party to a player based upon their participation that is not contained within the player’s contract is illegal.”

All player contracts would be lodged electronically to a portal where they may be audited by an independent integrity officer accredited by AFL Victoria.

Player incentives, such as match awards, will need to be included in the salary cap, with budgeting tools to be provided to club administrators.

The standard player contracts will include conditions such as no sign-on fees, no match payments in finals or while injured, while the coaching element for a playing coach won’t be included in the salary cap.

AFL Victoria says clubs will be audited to ensure they are compliant to the salary cap.

“Not all will every year, but just like the tax office, when your time comes you will need to demonstrate full compliance,” AFL Victoria said.

The following penalties could apply for clubs found to have breached the salary cap:

• Club fines;

• Loss of points - current season and in the future;

• Suspended from finals;

• Player suspensions for those knowingly taking money outside of the standard playing contract.

The accompanying player points system will be implemented state-wide.

However, like the salary cap, the allocation of points for each club will be determined by regional commissions using feedback following the two-month trial period during June and July.

The proposed player points system defines players into six categories:

• 6 points - AFL Player.

• 5 points - State League Tier 1 (VFL, WAFL, SANFL).

• 4 points - TAC Cup; State League Tier 2 (NEAFL, TASFL); Premium Community Player.

• 3 points - Senior Community Player; Transferred Junior.

• 2 points - Development Community Player.

• 1 point - Home Player.

Where a player qualifies in more than one category based on their playing history in the previous three seasons, the highest points will apply.

Premium Community status has been granted to six metropolitan and 11 country competitions, including the Bendigo Football League.

Additional player penalties, such as transferring clubs in the same competition, or leaving a premier competition for a non-premier competition (BFL to Heathcote District, Loddon Valley or North Central) will also apply.

Player point deductions will also be included for each season of service to a club.

Regional commissions and leagues will determine the points allowances for each club and may base it on three criteria:

• Small population base - additional points to the team allocation where the club is located in a region with a low population base;

• Ladder position - additional points if team did not qualify for finals in previous season; reduction in points to team allocation for multiple premierships in defined number of seasons;

• Junior pathway - additional points to team where a club has no under-age sides aligned to it, is not capable of developing a junior program due to reasons outside its control; or if a club is aligned with a university and the team is based around players coming and going over a three-to-four year period.

A junior aligned club is defined as: “where seniors and juniors exist under the same constitution, or where there is a memorandum of understanding in place between stand-alone senior and junior clubs that is approved by a league or region commission.”

While the salary caps and allocation of points will be determined by each region, they will be required to be signed off on by AFL Victoria.

The clearance window will now open earlier, with player transfers permitted to take place from November 1 to December 15, and the traditional February 1 to June 30.

Following Thursday’s unveiling of the proposed framework, the next stage is the trial period during June and July in which feedback will be sought from leagues and region commissions.

The AFL Victoria working party that has developed the proposals will then spend August finalising the framework ready for implementation across the state in 2016.

The CCSP working paper released by AFL Victoria on Thursday features a number of quotes from club representatives highlighting the need for action on escalating player payments.

“The rising cost of running a football club... each season is becoming more and more difficult, and if the trend continues my club will cease to exist.” - Northern FL club representative.

“Increasing player payments is currently placing a great amount of pressure on the club and volunteers to constantly fundraise, even through the off-season.” - Alberton FL club representative.

“We anticipate that we need to increase our player budget by 20 per cent each year for the next three years to remain competitive and we are unsure how we do that." - Bellarine FL club representative.

THE PROPOSED POINTS SYSTEM:

6 points – AFL Player: minimum of 1 AFL game in the previous three seasons.

5 points – State League Tier 1 (VFL, WAFL, SANFL): minimum of 5 senior games in the current or previous 3 seasons.

4 points – TAC Cup: minimum 5 games in current or previous 3 seasons.

State League Tier 2 (NEAFL, TASFL): minimum 5 senior games in current or previous 3 seasons.

Premium Community Player (major metropolitan and country leagues): Club senior best and fairest top five or competition best and fairest top 10. Club leading goalkicker (minimum 40 goals in a season) in previous 3 seasons.

3 points – Senior Community Player: played the same or more senior than reserves games in any of the previous 3 seasons.

Transferred Junior: player recruited from an under-19s or younger competition and does not meet the home club definition.

2 points – Development Community Player: played more reserves than senior games in the previous season.

1 point – Home Player: played 40 or more games at the aligned junior club and up to and including under-17 competition or younger.

Player who has only played at that club.

ADDITIONAL PENALTY PLAYER POINTS

Additional 1 point - If transferring from another community club in the same competition or division or is transferring from a club located in a premier competition to a club in a non premier competition * (maximum one point even if you meet both descriptions).

Additional 1 point - If transferred to more than two clubs in past 36 months.

DEDUCTIONS FOR PLAYER POINTS

Deduct 1 point - For each season of service to the club (minimum 5 senior or reserves games per season), even if not in consecutive years, until the player reaches 1 point.  Note: if the player is eligible for underage football at that club, it must be 5 senior games to meet the criteria for a year of service. 

Revert to 1 point – Where player is returning to their home club.

Revert to 1 point – Where player has not played in the previous 36 months.

PREMIUM COMPETITIONS:

The 17 metropolitan and country leagues that are deemed to be premium competitions, in which Premium Community Players are determined:

METROPOLITAN: 

Eastern F.L. Div. 1

Essendon District F.L. Premier

Northern F.L. Div. 1

Southern F.L. Div. 1

VAFA Premier Division

Western Region F.L. Div. 1

COUNTRY: 

Ballarat FL

Bendigo FL

Geelong FL

Gippsland FL

Goulburn Valley FL

Hampden FL

Murray FL

Ovens and Murray FL

Peninsula FL

South East FL

Yarra Valley Mountain District FL