The AFL's Big Spenders

[Thongdam]

Check out this link http://www.smh.com.au/news/afl/revealed-how-the-swans-bought-the-flag/2006/06/08/1149359890886.html

It shows that the gap between rich and poor teams is pretty big...the Swans spent $4.75 million more on players and their football department than did the Kangaroos.

Also there are big differences in payments to coaching staff with West Coast well on top, followed by Essendon and the Pies. Richmond and Hawthorn run a long last.

Will the widening gap give richer clubs sustained success on the field?

Where is the AFL as a competition heading with this growing inequity?

 

[Sedition]

I aint really thought through this one but that aint stopped me b4.

I rekon that it is a real issue that is effecting the game.

1. Money is determining the draw - eg Collingwood being the draw card in Melb (that aint ainti Pies), weaker games in attendance terms going to Tas, GC, Canberra.

2. Money = power and influence eg Eddie.

3. Money = better training facilities = better performance.

4. Better performance = more money.

5. Poor performance = less money and influence

Seems to be a cycle to me. I hate the Blues but it is a blot on the game that such a great club is now stuffed mainly because of financial problems.

But then there is the draft I spose.

 

[MickZu]

Check out this link http://www.smh.com.au/news/afl/revealed-how-the-swans-bought-the-flag/2006/06/08/1149359890886.html

It shows that the gap between rich and poor teams is pretty big...the Swans spent $4.75 million more on players and their football department than did the Kangaroos.

Also there are big differences in payments to coaching staff with West Coast well on top, followed by Essendon and the Pies. Richmond and Hawthorn run a long last.

Will the widening gap give richer clubs sustained success on the field?

Where is the AFL as a competition heading with this growing inequity?

The only reason the poorer Vic clubs will stay poor, is because of Collingwood’s monopoly of everything in Victoria, mostly the media.

 

[the_messiah]

Obviously some clubs are poor and some are rich. Thats the way it has to be. Most sports are COMPLETELY dominated by money, and the AFL is not. The draft is a great system.
You can't have every team with exactly the same amount of money,

 

[RizzoTheRat]

Will the widening gap give richer clubs sustained success on the field?

Where is the AFL as a competition heading with this growing inequity?

Money helps but it obviously doesn't ensure success (the Dons this year as a case in point).

Clubs have a cap for how much they can play players which limits the inequity. The difference is in the coaches, support staff and facilities.

 

[local]

I wonder how much Carlton spend on coaching?
Isn't Pagan on around $700,000 a season?

 

[MarkT]

The only reason the poorer Vic clubs will stay poor, is because of Collingwood’s monopoly of everything in Victoria, mostly the media.

Yes, it is all Collingwood’s fault. In over 100 years of VFL/AFL competition the poor clubs have always been poor because Collingwood had monopolised the media. Not not just the media - everything. It's the only thing holding every poor club back.

Keep trying.

You are quite entitled to hate us and/or our president. In fact we like it that way. You don't have to make stuff up that is plainly idiotic though. It just makes you you look silly and unable to see beyond your bias.

 

[MickZu]

Yes, it is all Collingwood’s fault. In over 100 years of VFL/AFL competition the poor clubs have always been poor because Collingwood had monopolised the media. Not not just the media - everything. It's the only thing holding every poor club back.

Glad you see it my way!!

 

[Diego]

Yes, it is all Collingwood’s fault. In over 100 years of VFL/AFL competition the poor clubs have always been poor because Collingwood had monopolised the media. Not not just the media - everything. It's the only thing holding every poor club back.

Keep trying.

You are quite entitled to hate us and/or our president. In fact we like it that way. You don't have to make stuff up that is plainly idiotic though. It just makes you you look silly and unable to see beyond your bias.

Do you seriously work for the pies Mark? You put such a spin in most of your replies . Great work!

 

[crackers57]

I also noticed that the Lions have spent the most on "medical costs" (approx. 1.43 mill.). I wonder what on?

 

[KingRich]

I have no problem with the gap between Rich and Poor clubs. Ones that are really struggling need help yes. We have a great comp and the draft is a great system to allow equity amongst clubs. But I cant see a problem if a club is well run by good administrators with vision to benefit from that by being able to hire good staff and have good facilities. Clubs should be rewarded for their effort.

 

[jourgo]

I also noticed that the Lions have spent the most on "medical costs" (approx. 1.43 mill.). I wonder what on?

Costs a lot of money to keep the elderly healthy...

 

[blue_bhoy]

Yes, it is all Collingwood’s fault. In over 100 years of VFL/AFL competition the poor clubs have always been poor because Collingwood had monopolised the media. Not not just the media - everything. It's the only thing holding every poor club back.

Keep trying.

You are quite entitled to hate us and/or our president. In fact we like it that way. You don't have to make stuff up that is plainly idiotic though. It just makes you you look silly and unable to see beyond your bias.

its rare to agree with a collingwood fan, but your spot on.

It's to easy for everyone to jump on the eddie bashing collingwood run the game bandwagon these days.

 

[Palmer Stoat]

Do you seriously work for the pies Mark? You put such a spin in most of your replies . Great work!

They're called facts. You should try using them sometimes.

 

[Chief]

Costs a lot of money to keep the elderly healthy...

Zimmer frames don't come cheap. Then there is the rising cost of denture fixatives and chocolate-flavoured laxatives.

 

[MarkT]

Do you seriously work for the pies Mark? You put such a spin in most of your replies . Great work!

About as much you the other way. I barrack for Collingwood. That’s my excuse for admitted bias. Do you believe that “The only reason the poorer Vic clubs will stay poor, is because of Collingwood’s monopoly of everything in Victoria, mostly the media.”?
Any chance you could base something around some facts?

 

[MarkT]

It’s always fun to read the views of Brisbane and Sydney supporters about Collingwood and it’s even more fun reading how they think we are biased about Collingwood. Well, in an old fashioned Three Stoogers slapstick sort of way. It’s old but if you are in the right mood you can still get a mild giggle out of it.

 

[Thongdam]

its rare to agree with a collingwood fan, but your spot on.

It's too easy for everyone to jump on the eddie bashing collingwood run the game bandwagon these days.

Indeed. I just wonder what all these bandwagoners will be saying next year when Eddie has gone?

I have my suspicions that it will still be his fault that the Pies:
a) have too much money
b) have all the televised games
c) never travel
d) have too many fans
e) play crap teams twice a year and the good ones once or never
f) blah, blah, blah, etc.

 

[*Danni*]

I also noticed that the Lions have spent the most on "medical costs" (approx. 1.43 mill.). I wonder what on?

Doctors
Podiatrists
Phyiso's
Surgeon's
Gap payments on medical and surgical procedure's ( they had an extenisve injured list last year)
acupuncture
pilates
massage
alternative medicine
medical flights (getting players to surgeon's interstate etc)
medical accommodation (while they are interstate)

There is no need for any snide innuendo - it's quite easy to build up a large medical expense file when you have alot of injuries.

 

[crackers57]

Doctors
Podiatrists
Phyiso's
Surgeon's
Gap payments on medical and surgical procedure's ( they had an extenisve injured list last year)
acupuncture
pilates
massage
alternative medicine
medical flights (getting players to surgeon's interstate etc)
medical accommodation (while they are interstate)

There is no need for any snide innuendo - it's quite easy to build up a large medical expense file when you have alot of injuries.

Just balancing up the snide innuendo scales, Danni. (All tongue in cheek)

 

[jourgo]

It’s always fun to read the views of Brisbane and Sydney supporters about Collingwood and it’s even more fun reading how they think we are biased about Collingwood. Well, in an old fashioned Three Stoogers slapstick sort of way. It’s old but if you are in the right mood you can still get a mild giggle out of it.

What? Are you saying you're not biased about Collingwood?

For what its worth, I think whoever said it is basically correct in as much as Collingwood will continue to get richer while most other Vic-based clubs more-or-less stagnate or go backwards, but whether you choose to look at the reasons for this as negative or positive is largely up to the individual and is also largely immaterial - one man's pain is another man's pleasure.

Collingwood is undoubtedly the highest profile team in Victoria (probably the whole league), but that didn't happen by accident. Say what you like about Eddie and his methods - he gets the job done! Prior to Eddie's rise to prominence and his ascension to the role of Collingwood president, Collingwood were just another one of the pack as far as their financial clout & corporate profile went. Eddie's relentless drive to succeed, and the infectious attitude he brings to everything he does, has seen Collingwood rise & rise & rise. I mean, prior to Eddie, did anyone seriously consider something like the Lexus center coming into being?

Collingwood has got to the point now where ol' Ed doesn't have to pilot it anymore. The relentless drive to succeed now permeates the entire club. Instead of bagging Ed, folks ought to take off the blinkers for a moment and admire just what he has achieved!

 

[Thongdam]

My God!

jourgo, are you feeling OK?

 

[jourgo]

My God!

jourgo, are you feeling OK?

I'm fine.

For the record, I'm not fond of Eddie or Collingwood. But I just get sick of all this "Eddie is Evil" and "Collingwood are the cause of all misery" crap.

I can look at Collingwood, how far they've come, and Eddie's role in it all and say "Damn! That's impressive!"

 

[crazy_big_al]

I hate the rich clubs

 

[Thongdam]

Glad to hear it.

As you note, Eddie has done a lot for Collingwood...dug them out of a pretty big hole, quickly.

He's not my favourite person in the world, in fact he annoys me quite a lot but I do admire his drive and ability to get things done.

Like you I get bored with all Eddie bashing and million and one other arguments that are continually recycled thread after thread after thread (witness the endless Hird, Voss, Buckley threads that appear every 2 days) . Pies supporters are certainly offenders in this regard as much as anyone else.