Swans (Richard Colless)

[Culprit]

The endless debate between the 10 Victorian clubs and the Swans and Lions over salary cap concessions continues, with the The Age reporting that Sydney chairman Richard Colless has offered to open his books to the Victorian clubs “to once again expose this fallacy that our top players are earning these ridiculous sums.”

From AFL.com.au


I would open my books to if I had their current list of hacks, get Brisbane to show us their books Richard it would be a better read.


Besides Richard Colless and his board are appointed by the AFL ( I believe) and not voted in by their members.


"It's been ever thus. There's this hysteria that Sydney gets this smooth passage. I've given up arguing it, but I ask, for heaven's sake, show me where it is."

Nor would Colless be humoured by that newspaper’s prediction that the club will finish 15th this year. Robert Walls does give the team a better grade than some of his colleagues, writing: “believe Sydney are in better shape than most folk think…I tip Sydney to make the final eight.”


Robert is a pretty good tipster, I remember Collingwood did not have a snow flakes chance in hell last year against Port.

Wrong again Walls, Sydney will struggle to win 10 games this year with their current crop of players. Rebuilding time I feel and so does Roos I hate to tell you.



Here's the Finger to you Richard.

[donuts]

Culprit, I couldnt agree more. Walls basically just hate the pies and cant stand to see us do so well.
As for Colless, he is a real tosser.
With the list that the swans have, they really shouldnt be near the 8 this year. Its funny to comprehend how a team with one million $ more in the cap can stuff up and not have success. LOL!!!

[Joel]

Here is the full article:

FROM THE AGE @ www.realfooty.com

http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/articles/2003/03/11/1047144971732.html

Victorians push hard on northern concessions
By Caroline Wilson
March 12 2003

A showdown is looming at next week's meeting of the 16 AFL clubs, with the powerful Victorian bloc poised to claim first blood in its bid to strip Brisbane and Sydney of their salary-cap concessions.

A small group of Victorian presidents have demanded the controversial concessions be debated at the presidents' meeting in eight days following the AFL's decision to review them despite opposition from both Sydney and Brisbane.

Dual premiers the Lions seem certain to lose their additional $600,000 player payments, while the Swans are likely to be asked to restructure the extra 15 per cent placed on top of their salary cap.

Frustrated Sydney president Richard Colless said last night he would not even be attending the meeting, which precedes the AFL annual meeting and season launch. "We're not snubbing the AFL pre-season function, but we have a clash of dates with our own function in Sydney," Colless said. "If it's removed, then I think you've reached an untenable position. I mean, you can preach the national competition and you reap the benefits and then you act in a totally opposite manner.

"I can't speak for Brisbane but in our case I can't think of anything that's more legitimate and I'm happy to show Eddie McGuire and Graeme McMahon all of our contracts to once again expose this fallacy that our top players are earning these ridiculous sums.


"It's been ever thus. There's this hysteria that Sydney gets this smooth passage. I've given up arguing it, but I ask, for heaven's sake, show me where it is."

Despite heavy lobbying from both sides of the dispute in the past 12 months, Brisbane at least seems resigned to losing its salary-cap concession in its current form.

Brisbane president Graeme Downie wrote to all the club presidents in January, arguing for the Lions' 10 per cent player "retention allowance", but appears only to have further inflamed the Victorian presidents led by McMahon and McGuire.

The AFL has emphasised that Brisbane's extra salary-cap money was granted to develop and promote the game in Queensland, while Sydney receives an extra 15 per cent that Colless described as "clearly a cost-of-living issue".

Colless said the biggest issue was in Adelaide and Perth, "where you have these money-making machines existing in low-cost environments. Why pick on us?"

He also pointed out that Essendon next season could legitimately be operating at 115 per cent of the AFL's $5.9 million total player payments, with James Hird and Mark Mercuri moving into the veteran category and allowed to earn extra marketing money.

Lions coach Leigh Matthews said the AFL had come under pressure from "plenty of powerful voices" and said the league must look at an alternative if it, as expected, remove the concessions. "A lot of people are in opposition to it and we are depending on the independence of the competition," Matthews said.

"You've got to look at Sydney and Brisbane a little bit differently if you're like us and you love the game and you want to take it around the whole country. And the only way they're going to get more money for the TV rights next time is to make sure Sydney and Brisbane are successful."

Confirming the concessions were on next week's agenda, AFL chief executive Wayne Jackson said any potential change could not take place in full this season because of player contracts in place.

"We're looking for some views as to how we can better promote and encourage the game in NSW and Queensland," said Jackson, who said club chief executives would discuss the issue next Thursday.