Richmond chief Brendon Gale wary of middle-tier clubs squeezed out of free agency market Jay Clark
Herald-Sun
July 06, 2014RICHMOND chief executive and former Players’ Association boss Brendon Gale has poured cold water on the players’ bid to cut free agency qualification to six years.
There are increasing concerns lower-placed clubs are the big losers in the free agency war as eligible players use the clause to either boost their contract price or make a switch to a top team.
Reducing the eligibility from eight seasons to six seasons could increase players’ power to leave their club for a genuine premiership contender, potentially widening the gap between the top and bottom teams.
Carlton coach Michael Malthouse warned this week that the proposed change in the free agency model would “only aid the top sides” and accelerate a trend towards a “two-tiered system”.
Gale, who helped setup free agency rules, said the Players’ plan to cut eligibility to six years (restricted) and eight years (unrestricted) was “an ambit claim”.
“I think it’s probably fanciful to be honest,” Gale said on ABC radio yesterday.
Gale said free agency rules were brought in to give long-serving players of one club increased control over their careers.
But he said the system was open to being manipulated against the lower-placed and middle-tier clubs.
“I’m concerned about the squeeze,” Gale said.
“I’m concerned about the players with the market power at the top-end being able to leverage their position and get strong outcomes and squeezing those (clubs) in the middle.
“I think we’ve seen longer-term contracts.
“Clubs want to contract players out of those rights, so we would need to watch that pretty closely as well.”
Fremantle midfielder David Mundy last week re-signed at the club but said he would have only left the Dockers to join a genuine flag contender, discounting those at the bottom of the AFL ladder.
Melbourne key position player James Frawley is in a similar position as he weighs up a decision to leave the rebuilding Demons to enjoy more immediate success elsewhere.
Western Bulldogs’ free agent Shaun Higgins has also put off contract talks until the end of the season.
Malthouse hit out at the Players’ free agency proposal, saying it would be damaging for the lower clubs and potentially result in a lopsided competition that resembled the English Premier League.
“The Players’ Association have got to be kidding themselves if they think it’s got to be six years,” Malthouse said.
“It takes a couple of years before you see any development at all (in players) and then four years later, after you’ve got that player going, they’re going to say (you’re) a free agent?”
“Make no mistake about it, free agency will only aid the top sides.
“We’ve got a two-tiered system. This is a simple case of the players’ association not understanding the mechanics of how hard it is for football clubs to retain good footballers and have a chance to build up and get up the ladder.”
http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/richmond-chief-brendon-gale-wary-of-middletier-clubs-squeezed-out-of-free-agency-market/story-fndv8t7m-1226978979848
