Veterans rule change put all clubs on a level playing field AFL.com.au
March 8, 2016RICHMOND is one club likely to benefit from the removal of the veterans' list with the AFL planning to increase each clubs' salary cap in 2017.
The AFL intends to add an average amount to each clubs' total player payments based on the total number of veterans across the competition to assist with the transition.
It means the Tigers – who have had more than one veteran on their list only once since the current rule was introduced in 2012 – will not be as disadvantaged compared to other clubs with multiple veterans on their list.
Fremantle, North Melbourne and Hawthorn each have five veterans on their list in 2016 allowing them to sit about $635,000 outside their total player payments this season.
But clubs with just one veteran - Richmond, Port Adelaide and the Brisbane Lions - are allowed to sit $127,435 outside the cap in 2016.
St Kilda had chosen not to take advantage of the salary cap relief despite having eligible veterans on its list.
There are 49 players listed as veterans in 2016.
North Melbourne champion Brent Harvey has been listed as a veteran since 2008.
The decision to abolish the veterans' list in 2017 was announced in June 2014 as part of the AFL's competitive balance policy with the transition process giving clubs a chance to factor the change into their planning.
During the transition from the previous rule that ended in 2012 clubs could remain under the old rule – which saw 50 per cent of the payment of up to two eligible veterans sit outside the cap – for the length of a contract that was signed before the rule change was announced.
However the AFL is keen to move as quickly as possible to a salary cap that is free of anomalies and AFL.com.au understands there would only be about 11 eligible veterans who signed long-term contracts before the rule change was announced midway through 2014.
The veterans' allowance was originally introduced to provide clubs with an incentive to keep ageing players in the game.
The AFL Players' Association has been concerned that there should be a mechanism to help clubs keep veterans because of the positive effects they have on club culture.
It's understood some players expressed the view to the AFLPA during recent club visits that having a mechanism to retain veterans was a good thing.
The AFL and AFLPA will conduct collective bargaining negotiations in 2016 for a new CBA to start in 2017.
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-03-08/new-veterans-rule-put-all-clubs-on-a-level-playing-field
