Riverina and Farrer Leagues, along with the Hume League, have agreed to adopt a $100,000 salary cap for season 2019.

The introduction comes after all three competitions trialled a ‘soft’ salary cap of $100,000 this year.

Riverina and Farrer League clubs moved a motion at their recent respective delegates meetings where they agreed to adopt a $100,000 salary cap, subject to rival leagues also using the same amount.

Southern NSW AFL community football and facilities manager Paul Habel believes the salary cap will help sustain Riverina football and netball clubs long term.

“The salary cap will assist with the equalisation of competitions, promote player loyalty and junior development, improve the sustainability of community clubs and support the working of volunteers that are having to raise many hundreds of dollars that contributes to player payments,” Habel said.

The introduction of the salary cap is the second stage of AFL’s Community Club Sustainability Program, following the implementation of the Player Points System Policy in 2016.

The player points limit has been lowered each year since it’s introduction and this year was dropped to 39 points per team.

Habel said clubs must adhere to the $100,000 salary cap for the 2019 season and explained that there will be a specific aim to reduce the amount in future years.

A framework of player payments rules and principles has been developed and sent to all clubs and league executive members for review and feedback. 

The rules and principles have been modelled on AFL Victoria’s Player Payment Rules and will form part of each league’s by-laws.

The three individual leagues will be responsible for the player payment framework, with the support and consultation of AFL NSW-ACT.

Clubs will be responsible to report their total player payment budgets by April 30 next year. That also includes player declarations.

Clubs across AFL RIverina alone will spend more than $1 million on player payments this season.

AFL Canberra is yet to determine it’s salary cap amount for 2019.

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