ALL Golden Square A grade netballers who take to the court each week in the BFNL this season will be paid.
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Golden Square announced on Thursday - two days out from the start of the 2022 season - that its A grade netball players would enter into the same contracts as the senior footballers, which outline both playing and non-playing obligations, such as involvement in supporting junior development programs, fundraising and social activities.
Most notably though, it means all A grade netballers will now be paid parity pay with the senior footballers, starting with a base match payment of $100 per game.
The club will also introduce additional incentives to reflect the loyalty shown when players progress to the A grade team having come through the junior program.
"The Golden Square Football-Netball Club is a vital part of our community and as community expectations change, we see it as our responsibility to adapt to those changes," Golden Square vice-president Chris Richards said at Wade Street.
"If we looked at what's happened with our footy and netball players, particularly at the elite level (senior football and A grade netball) there has been a gap between how we value those players from a contract and remuneration point of view.
The Golden Square Football-Netball Club is a vital part of our community and as community expectations change, we see it as our responsibility to adapt to those changes
- Chris Richards
"Being a club that really values equity, diversity and inclusion we are going to change that and we're fortunate that we've had a committee which has been able to put the club in a good position so we can now move forward and have the footballers and netballers on the same remuneration packages and similar contracts.
"What it will essentially mean is our netballers will have the same playing contacts and the same amount (of pay) as our senior footballers to play at that elite level.
"The contribution all our players have at that level is equal, whether it be the commitment to training or how they get involved in our social activities, fundraising and junior development programs, everybody is doing the same and, subsequently, we want that equity across both football and netball.
"We're also going to include additional incentives for those players who show loyalty to the club coming through our junior program... we want our young players to see that if they can get to that elite level with us then they will be treated and valued the same as our footballers are."
Golden Square A grade netballer Maddy Keighran said the announcement sent a strong message to the playing group about its importance to the club.
"It sends a really clear message that us netballers are valued just as much as the footballers and is a good reward for the players who have been here for many years, while it's also an incentive to help attract new players to the club and assist with our rebuild," Keighran said.
"It's exciting to be part of."
Golden Square senior football captain Jack Geary described the move to remunerate the club's netballers as a "sign of the times".
"It demonstrates by the club that it appreciates the amount of effort and time the girls put in, which for many years has been for nothing," Geary said.
"For them to now get this reward is more than due.
"The club has obviously got things in place to be financially stable and able to do this... footballers have been getting paid for years and it seems only fair that the netballers have got there."
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