Should AFL have a salary cap?

Question

I see where that rugby guy has gone to France to play, is being impeded from so doing, and is going to challenge the implementation of a salary cap as a restraint of trade, that is, not being to sell his services to the highest bidder. Free trade if you will. Rugby administration's answer is that such action will see the end of struggling clubs, and the rich will get richer. I am an opponent of "the level playing field". It might be good for the code to even up the competition, but as the AFL is about to demonstrate, adding more and more clubs will ultimately dilute the quality on display. For one thing, incentive is weakened by imposing an upper limit on clubs.

The unfortunate thing about "the level playing field" is that it is at the whim of the AFL to tinker with the parameters of draft picks for new clubs to gain unfair advantage, and giving AFL funds to clubs unable to manage their affairs. The salary cap only seems to create balance - AFL penalises hard-working administrations

Answer 1

dont care for afl, thats my opinion

Answer 2

considering no other country plays afl it doesn't matter

the current afl system is ok how it is

sonny bill will soon learn like all nrl players who chase the big bucks how boring union is

Answer 3

yes, so it fair for everyone. Not like Soccer.

eg Mancherster and Leed United.

Who do u think will win?

If i ask u the same question in 3 years time you probably gave me the same answer?

Because once the club gets rich, the club become strong and Mighty.

Answer 4

The AFL will always have a salary cap, it keeps the Carltons of this world honest, however the AFL have acknowledged that any player who took them to court over a restaint of trade issue would have a better than even money chance of winning, the rules are only viable until somebody decides to test them, the NRL have no hope of restricting Sonny Bill Williams from taking up employment in France, thetre is always a loop hole waiting for some clever legal eagle to expose, it happened to the VFL in the 80's with Foshini and Morwood and it could happen again.

Answer 5

The AFL needs a salary cap, because if it doesn't those clubs who are more financially viable will just have an unfair advantage over the competition. It will then become a vicious cycle for those clubs struggling with their funds. They won't be able to aquire better players, the team will perform badly, and the supporters will not buy memberships.

I can see wher you're coming from, with the new teams entering the competition, but I still think the AFL needs a "level playing field". As you said, if they take salary restrictions away, the rich will get richer, and the poor will get poorer.

I have to agree with Gary, it keeps the Carltons in the comp honest!

Answer 6

If the AFl did away with the salary cap it would revert back to as it was a few years back - with only the top couple richest clubs winning premierships.

Carlton & Hawthorn were propped up by many interstate players as they were the only two clubs who could afford so many imports. It would end up like UK premier league soccer is at the moment - a handful of clubs win all the titles, cups etc..................because they are the richest & not hindered by any salary cap.