Penalties for paying players in the SAAFL

[Bombers4EVA]

Hey guys. Have any of you guys heard about the proposed new penalties for clubs in the SAAFL and other leagues when it comes to paying players under the table??

[jo172]

Yep, papering up a whole in the wall.

Anyone who couldn't get around it lacks creativity.

And even those who do lack creativity and get caught take a quick google of the DPP and Police Prosecutions current budgetary issues. They don't have the time to investigate/prosecute breaches of the Oaths Act for footy clubs.

The more effective penalties will/would apply at League/Community Football Board level in terms of suspending Coaches/Presidents etc. and penalising clubs with points/demotions. Would take a lot of investigative effort though.

Good luck to them though, very hard to disagree with what they're trying to do in principle.

*I should add I only know what the Advertiser told me, based on prior dealings with the Advertiser there's a very reasonable chance I'm completely misinformed.

[Footy Chick]

there was something in Adelaide Now - can someone post it - I CBF.

Hard to police, especially in the case of a lot of college clubs that don't pay players but allegedly find them cushy jobs and other such schemes.

[Bombers4EVA]

I quote from an article I read in the Advertiser. "Football club officials will likely have to sign statutory declarations making under-the-table payments illegal as part of a statewide cap on player wages from 2016".

"The SA Community Football Board, which oversees the state’s community and country competitions, is developing a limit on how much teams can pay a player following a raft of complaints from leagues that excessive match payments are killing clubs".

"Board chairman David Shipway said compelling club officials to sign statutory declarations and docking premiership points if players were paid more than a set amount would make teams accountable for what they spent".

“There are also tax implications if committee members are aware of and participating in paying players under the lap or the old brown paper bags".

"In May, amateur football league chief executive John Kernahan and River Murray Football League president Mick O’Hara told The Advertiser they would not be surprised if squad wages across the state’s 277 clubs totalled $20 million, as some spent up to $200,000 on players per season".

"An unprecedented number of suburban Adelaide clubs found themselves in dire trouble last season, with high-paying country clubs poaching players".

"Kilburn, Flinders University, Angle Vale, Mitchell Park, Aldinga, Brahma Lodge and Wingfield have all faced struggles to field teams this year and been on the end of huge losses".

WATCH THIS SPACE

[jo172]

there was something in Adelaide Now - can someone post it - I CBF.

Hard to police, especially in the case of a lot of college clubs that don't pay players but allegedly find them cushy jobs and other such schemes.

All of them in the higher divisions absolutely do (along with the jobs).

[Bombers4EVA]

That was just a few snippets from the article in the Advertiser.

If you want I can copy and paste the whole article. I just thought Id highlight a few key points.

[Bombers4EVA]

I did mention at one point earlier this year that player payments (especially under the table) need to be addressed. Maybe someone's ears from the SAAFL headquarters were burning.

[Mr Beefy]

I did mention at one point earlier this year that player payments (especially under the table) need to be addressed. Maybe someone's ears from the SAAFL headquarters were burning.

Why would anyone pay a player "under the table", there is no salary cap so you can them whatever they want?

[Footy Chick]

It's the excitement of the brown paper bag Plus, it may be in the constitution of some clubs like Uni, for exampe. (not sure if it is though)

I should've written "Don't pay players"

[The Informer]

It's the excitement of the brown paper bag Plus, it may be in the constitution of some clubs like Uni, for exampe. (not sure if it is though)

I should've written "Don't pay players"

I think the excitement of the brown bag is making a few blokes run back somewhere

[morell]

Like it a lot. Top work by JK and the folks at the SAAFL (and other leagues) once again.

[Robb_Stark]

there was something in Adelaide Now - can someone post it - I CBF.

Hard to police, especially in the case of a lot of college clubs that don't pay players but allegedly find them cushy jobs and other such schemes.

easy to police piss the college sides out of the comp let them play with each other just like in the school footy

and then onto all the clubs left introduce a tuff rule like this

div 1 50k
div 2 40k
div 3 30k
div 4 25k
div 5 20k
div 6 15k

all club presidents and football directors sign a form and a justice of the peace signs of on it if they care caught over the cap in payments the club is kicked out of the comp im sure some clubs will try and work around it still but the first one to be caught and kicked out will be fun to see

and to all the people who say they will just use paper bags under the table in that case id say the league work with government to introduce some sort of law how many presidents would be willing to risk the club to pay under table then

[jo172]

there was something in Adelaide Now - can someone post it - I CBF.

Hard to police, especially in the case of a lot of college clubs that don't pay players but allegedly find them cushy jobs and other such schemes.

easy to police piss the college sides out of the comp let them play with each other just like in the school footy

and then onto all the clubs left introduce a tuff rule like this

div 1 50k
div 2 40k
div 3 30k
div 4 25k
div 5 20k
div 6 15k

all club presidents and football directors sign a form and a justice of the peace signs of on it if they care caught over the cap in payments the club is kicked out of the comp im sure some clubs will try and work around it still but the first one to be caught and kicked out will be fun to see

and to all the people who say they will just use paper bags under the table in that case id say the league work with government to introduce some sort of law how many presidents would be willing to risk the club to pay under table then

How can I as President stop a wealthy supporter giving $200 a week to their favourite player?

Especially if I know nothing about it?

[jo172]

Being somewhat facetious above, but my point is that there's no watertight strategy short of subjecting every player at a club suspected of being over a cap to an ATO style audit.

This would be phenomenally expensive and a gross invasion of privacy.

[Mr Beefy]

I thought the suggestion was to limit the amount that can be paid to a player, not re-introduce a salary cap?

[mickey]

Salary cap by alias

[morell]

Being somewhat facetious above, but my point is that there's no watertight strategy short of subjecting every player at a club suspected of being over a cap to an ATO style audit.

This would be phenomenally expensive and a gross invasion of privacy.

Whilst true, this doesn't mean the SAAFL shouldn't at least put regulations in place to try and curb the monetisation of the game at the grassroots level.

If we didn't put rules or laws in place merely because they weren't watertight and wouldn't stop every transgression, we would have no laws or rules in place.

[jo172]

Being somewhat facetious above, but my point is that there's no watertight strategy short of subjecting every player at a club suspected of being over a cap to an ATO style audit.

This would be phenomenally expensive and a gross invasion of privacy.

Whilst true, this doesn't mean the SAAFL shouldn't at least put regulations in place to try and curb the monetisation of the game at the grassroots level.

If we didn't put rules or laws in place merely because they weren't watertight and wouldn't stop every transgression, we would have no laws or rules in place.

I don't disagree at all.

Just very tired of the media grandstanding that's surrounded and caused this whole issue.

I refer particularly to Kilburn and Salisbury West.

[Cohiba]

there was something in Adelaide Now - can someone post it - I CBF.

Hard to police, especially in the case of a lot of college clubs that don't pay players but allegedly find them cushy jobs and other such schemes.

easy to police piss the college sides out of the comp let them play with each other just like in the school footy

and then onto all the clubs left introduce a tuff rule like this

div 1 50k
div 2 40k
div 3 30k
div 4 25k
div 5 20k
div 6 15k

all club presidents and football directors sign a form and a justice of the peace signs of on it if they care caught over the cap in payments the club is kicked out of the comp im sure some clubs will try and work around it still but the first one to be caught and kicked out will be fun to see

and to all the people who say they will just use paper bags under the table in that case id say the league work with government to introduce some sort of law how many presidents would be willing to risk the club to pay under table then

wankwankwankwankwankwankwankwank............

[Old Dog New Tricks]

Gotta try something. It's clearly out of control. Good on them I reckon