2026 Adelaide Footy League - Division 5

[gadj1976]

Unpopular opinion.. but I think payments should be publicised.

Not exact amounts but “tiers” eg if you’re on $0 to $150 you’re say tier 4, $151 to $300 tier 3, $301 to $450 tier 2 and anything above that tier 1.

Don’t need to know exacts but what it does do is give clubs an insight into what clubs are paying for individuals so they can potentially target their needs better but more importantly it keeps players somewhat accountable and can’t bullshit, shop themselves around and try to play potential suitors off against each other so they can profit top dollar.

I also think that there should be incentives for not spending the cap or amounts below.. reward loyalty and positive / astute club administration.

Finally I was always in favour of a scaled salary cap, still whole heartedly agree but the downside is it means higher divs could just pilfer talent at a cheap rate:: but also quality players don’t want to go down unless they’re being paid overs - and scaled salary cap removes that ability to recruit higher grade talent.

Funnily enough, the higher the div the Lower the general base rate of players is.. there is just more of them made

Whilst the concept is sound, who's going to administer this? Clubs? That'd be a complete waste of time.

Plus, if we haven't got visibility at SANFL or AFL level, then this couldn't and shouldn't go ahead.

That's why i wouldn't mind a salary cap tiered system where div 1 clubs can pay XXXX amount which is more than div 6 which can pay XXXX.

Then what you need is both clubs and players being able to 'dob' one another in haha.......... if player A was asking one club for $200 over the allowed salary cap then the club should be allowed to 'report' the player. If one club reports because of sour grapes that they missed out on a player asking for more than the allowed salary .....who cares. Players now will report clubs for sour grape reasons so why not have it both ways. Then it will start to self-regulate. players will be too scared to ask for overs knowing that a club might report them if they dont sign and clubs will be less willing to pay overs knowing that the player maybe asking for overs at other clubs who then might report the player if they miss out on him.

Sadly, if we want salary caps in amateur sport, we need a dog-eat-dog world where both players and clubs are reporting.

Now i know some will say 'they will both find ways around it' and i don't disagree but at that point we might as well not have a salary cap if we aren't even going to try and police it.

How would player A know?

Do we really want this?

[whufc]

Well depends what system we use.

Could it not be a tiered system were in div1 a player is allowed to earn maximum of $$$$$$$

In div 5 a player is allowed to be paid a maximum of $$$$$$$$$

Not many would agree but IMO the perfect system would be scaled and it would also be extremely structured so the league would literally spell out how the salary cap has to be spent in each division eg club can have 8 players on $$$$, 4 players on $$$$$, one player on $$$$$ each year show us the sigend contracts to match. Just an opinion but with how committees etc turnover, struggle for volunteers at amatuer club level i think making a simply system would mean less clubs getting in financial shite ect. I know part of being a good club is having great people in these positions who can utilise the salary cap to the best of their advantage but im more of a 'we want all to survive, lets cater for the struggling club' kind of guy

Can understand why most wouldnt agree which is fine.

I would just rather see all clubs on a more level playing field they move up and down the pyramid and results coming down to who can develop their players best, who can get the right culture fits in, who can recruit the right types. Not who is the most creative or has the most money to spend in their division or for that year.

[wenchbarwer]

Like Bedge said, this would just mean the best players get picked out of the lower leagues, with bugger all incentives to play in lower divisions

[shoe boy]

Currently have salary cap and apps in the mix to save clubs from themselves?

I also believe Grand Final sides are audited by Community Footy?

[beef]

Like Bedge said, this would just mean the best players get picked out of the lower leagues, with bugger all incentives to play in lower divisions

Already happens. Heard Salisbury have just lost their 3rd A grade B&F in a row to higher clubs (2 x div 1, 1 x BLG). Lower clubs are just feeders to the higher div's or have to pay way overs to keep / attract. Ideal world - no one gets paid, that shipped sailed many many years ago

[wenchbarwer]

Like Bedge said, this would just mean the best players get picked out of the lower leagues, with bugger all incentives to play in lower divisions

Already happens. Heard Salisbury have just lost their 3rd A grade B&F in a row to higher clubs (2 x div 1, 1 x BLG). Lower clubs are just feeders to the higher div's or have to pay way overs to keep / attract. Ideal world - no one gets paid, that shipped sailed many many years ago

True, but do you think Josh Glenn is going to Elizabeth as a love job? Equal "salary caps" across the league gives clubs at least a ballpark of what they can spend and the hope of attracting a gun recruit

[Lightning McQueen]

Like Bedge said, this would just mean the best players get picked out of the lower leagues, with bugger all incentives to play in lower divisions

Already happens. Heard Salisbury have just lost their 3rd A grade B&F in a row to higher clubs (2 x div 1, 1 x BLG). Lower clubs are just feeders to the higher div's or have to pay way overs to keep / attract. Ideal world - no one gets paid, that shipped sailed many many years ago

True, but do you think Josh Glenn is going to Elizabeth as a love job? Equal "salary caps" across the league gives clubs at least a ballpark of what they can spend and the hope of attracting a gun recruit

Elizabeth have traditionally been 'low payers", they rely on the family aspect, it has dated back to the Plattens and has always been there, I played against them for years and seen the same surnames continually coming through.

Josh was a junior at Elizabeth, his old man and uncles played all their footy and cricket out there, they wouldn't be killing the salary cap to have him out there, he's a very gifted cricketer too who is playing LO3 hard wicket at one of his junior clubs, he wouldn't be getting diddly squat doing that either.

[The Bedge]

Currently have salary cap and apps in the mix to save clubs from themselves?

I also believe Grand Final sides are audited by Community Footy?

Yeah correct, so you'd only be publishing the 'tiers' of contracted players based off what clubs are already providing in the TPPS reporting spreadsheet - if anything it'll help expose the lies.

Couldn't see it being an additional administrative burden to any club.

[#bleedredandblue]

Eastern Park don’t pay any players so it’s interesting to hear other clubs in these divisions do

[The Bedge]

Elizabeth have traditionally been 'low payers", they rely on the family aspect, it has dated back to the Plattens and has always been there, I played against them for years and seen the same surnames continually coming through.

That mentality went out the window when they got themselves all cashed up for losing by 80 goals two years ago.

Josh is on bulk bundas... and good for him, he's an exceptional footballer, is going to make D6 better and has already created plenty of buzz.. it's good for the comp, it's good for lizbeff, it's good for all.

None the less though that's the reality that clubs in D5 to D7 have to potentially pay serious overs to attract a high calibre player to the div - that's where and why a scaled / tiered salary cap would not work.

[whufc]

Elizabeth have traditionally been 'low payers", they rely on the family aspect, it has dated back to the Plattens and has always been there, I played against them for years and seen the same surnames continually coming through.

That mentality went out the window when they got themselves all cashed up for losing by 80 goals two years ago.

Josh is on bulk bundas... and good for him, he's an exceptional footballer, is going to make D6 better and has already created plenty of buzz.. it's good for the comp, it's good for lizbeff, it's good for all.

None the less though that's the reality that clubs in D5 to D7 have to potentially pay serious overs to attract a high calibre player to the div - that's where and why a scaled / tiered salary cap would not work.

IF every club was abiding by the same scale within that division then that wouldnt be an issue as in theory you would be able to attract the same a calibre player, you would then just have to get the right ones. IF an Elizabeth can pick up an ex junior like Josh Glenn within the scaled cap when then good luck to them for great junior development and thats then what should be deciding leagues not the depth of the pockets.

[carey]

The above points are all mute points.

The league can implement any rules or systems they want, there has always been and always will be 'Brown Paper Bag Deals' and clubs rorting the system, if any of you think this doesn't happen you really need to get your heads out of the sand.

And I know full well some of you on here are complete hypocrites!

[Lightning McQueen]

The above points are all mute points.

The league can implement any rules or systems they want, there has always been and always will be 'Brown Paper Bag Deals' and clubs rorting the system, if any of you think this doesn't happen you really need to get your heads out of the sand.

And I know full well some of you on here are complete hypocrites!

And what constitutes payment vs what doesn't, where does a club mate sit who buys a player beers all night because he won on the punt and they're mates? Is that payment?

[Lightning McQueen]

Elizabeth have traditionally been 'low payers", they rely on the family aspect, it has dated back to the Plattens and has always been there, I played against them for years and seen the same surnames continually coming through.

That mentality went out the window when they got themselves all cashed up for losing by 80 goals two years ago.

Josh is on bulk bundas... and good for him, he's an exceptional footballer, is going to make D6 better and has already created plenty of buzz.. it's good for the comp, it's good for lizbeff, it's good for all.

None the less though that's the reality that clubs in D5 to D7 have to potentially pay serious overs to attract a high calibre player to the div - that's where and why a scaled / tiered salary cap would not work.

OK, I'd take your intel over mine, I did wonder how they managed to ge the young lads over from Angle Vale.

[The Bedge]

The above points are all mute points.

The league can implement any rules or systems they want, there has always been and always will be 'Brown Paper Bag Deals' and clubs rorting the system, if any of you think this doesn't happen you really need to get your heads out of the sand.

And I know full well some of you on here are complete hypocrites!

Of course haha, but old mate might think twice about bragging of a club paying him $$ if end of year he’s seen to be getting significantly less.

[gadj1976]

Well depends what system we use.

Could it not be a tiered system were in div1 a player is allowed to earn maximum of $$$$$$$

In div 5 a player is allowed to be paid a maximum of $$$$$$$$$

Not many would agree but IMO the perfect system would be scaled and it would also be extremely structured so the league would literally spell out how the salary cap has to be spent in each division eg club can have 8 players on $$$$, 4 players on $$$$$, one player on $$$$$ each year show us the sigend contracts to match. Just an opinion but with how committees etc turnover, struggle for volunteers at amatuer club level i think making a simply system would mean less clubs getting in financial shite ect. I know part of being a good club is having great people in these positions who can utilise the salary cap to the best of their advantage but im more of a 'we want all to survive, lets cater for the struggling club' kind of guy

Can understand why most wouldnt agree which is fine.

I would just rather see all clubs on a more level playing field they move up and down the pyramid and results coming down to who can develop their players best, who can get the right culture fits in, who can recruit the right types. Not who is the most creative or has the most money to spend in their division or for that year.

All the while, clubs would work around it. I understand the intent, but it's flawed unfortunately.

[jo172]

This would cost a fortune and take forever to get right but bear with me.

Community Football and/or the AFL creates proprietry software that creates a clearing house for player payments whereby there is a rule that all payments need come through the software such that any payment outside the software becomes a breach.

Let's it self-audit reasonably neatly and becomes easier to police in that the second something of value changes hands outside the software there's a breach which can be prosecuted accordingly.

[Littlelegs]

the first time i heard people got paid for footy was against Torrens valley when Gary Hughes was running the show.
I was shocked at the amount and at 18 felt good about beating a guy who was on $700 a week, didn't make me any richer but definitely gave the hecklers on the side line some ammunition.
Wouldnt players at a club know whether guys are worth the $ based on performance and expect better output from the big $$ makers, is that what causes guys to grab and go and only play one year before the next bidding war over summer.

[Beachboy]

Goes both ways. Plenty of clubs take advantage of loyal players and put all their value into recruits. That's why its essential at the lower levels that your getting a good person with your valuable money and points.

[Oldboy1]

The above points are all mute points.

The league can implement any rules or systems they want, there has always been and always will be 'Brown Paper Bag Deals' and clubs rorting the system, if any of you think this doesn't happen you really need to get your heads out of the sand.

And I know full well some of you on here are complete hypocrites!

100%.
Can have all the tiers and salary caps you want. People still get paid off the books. To many easy ways without getting caught. Will always be like that with no way to police it.