G7 clubs demand better WAFL deal
Russell Reid,
The West Australian
December 15, 2012, 9:51 am
The seven non-aligned WAFL clubs have demanded 50 per cent more money in the ongoing battle with the West Australian Football Commission over compensation when the new club-alignment model kicks in for the 2014 season.
The clubs, who have dubbed themselves the G7, told WAFC officials yesterday they were seeking $155,000 each, $55,000 more than the $100,000 extra they had been granted by the WAFC as a sweetener for when the club-alignment model starts in 2014.
The WAFC revealed its proposed model in October, with Peel to be aligned to Fremantle and East Perth with West Coast.
The G7 also want strict list conditions imposed on Peel and East Perth, to weaken their playing strength.
WAFL council of presidents chairman Haydn Raitt said a meeting of the G7 clubs yesterday had come up with the revised figure which he hoped would be accepted by as early as next Wednesday.
“We arrived at the finance side of it,” Raitt said of the G7’s request to WAFC chief executive Gary Walton and WAFC chairman Frank Cooper.
"That’s a non-negotiable and unless we can get the commission to agree to the amount of money, it was pointless going down to the rest of the issues.
"We don’t know if we’ve got the money yet.
"We then put it to the commission, (Subiaco chief executive) Peter Capes rang Gary and I rang Frank this morning, who was on the other side of Australia.
"We’ve told them the requirement on money. Adam Kelly (East Fremantle chief executive) has done a magnificent break-up of the finances and where this money would come from and how it was always self-funding.
“It lines up to $155,000 to each club, $130,000 that would be paid to each club and $25,000 to go on the balance sheet each year.”
Raitt told 6PR although he understood the desire of West Coast and Fremantle to have an alignment arrangement in place, the seven remaining WAFL clubs needed to be compensated.
“I suppose in a perfect world we would have nine clubs with no alignment,” he said.
"But knowing the Eagles’ and the Dockers’ needs we can understand why they have gone this way.
“We don’t often get a chance to try and get better funding for the WAFL. We are underfunded and we are trying to get that better funding so there is no better time than when this has all been addressed to try and get the right money for the WAFL.”
The WAFC has told the seven unaligned clubs it is likely East Perth and Peel will have access to up to six out-of-zone recruits.
The final number is to be set after further research on how out-of-zone recruits and AFL-listed players influenced WAFL results this year.
The G7 clubs want the number cut.