The $160,000 question on Ovens and Murray Football League clubs' minds

That’s the view of the competition’s Wodonga-based presidents, who say the need to ease pressure on club volunteers is as big a factor in the introduction of a salary cap as reining in spiraling player payments.

Wodonga Raiders president Nic Conway and Bulldogs counterpart Steve Murphy both support a salary cap of less than $160,000.

“I would love it to be $150,000 or $160,000, if they are serious about it having an impact,” Conway said.

“It’s not all about dollars, it’s about the volunteer stress related to the need to raise dollars.

“We’ve just had a home game with a luncheon to accommodate 200 people, we had our black tie ball that night and then we rock up again this weekend for another home game.

“You can imagine the volunteer resources we used up and how exhausted they are. It’s unbelievably stressful and that’s all brought about by the need to raise a significant amount of money.

“We’re travelling well on the field, we’re coached well, and off the field we’re profitable but it’s enormously stressful and I believe a figure of $150,000 or $160,000 would alleviate a lot of that stress that the volunteers are feeling.”

Murphy said a strain on volunteers meant the Bulldogs already spent less than $160,000 a season.

“I’d prefer it to be less than $160,000,” he said.

“It’s hard enough for our club to sustain what we’re at at the moment.

“Even if the cap was to be $160,000, we won’t go up to spend that much anyway because we spend less than that now.

“It’s too hard for the volunteers now as it is.”

Wangaratta president Col McClounan said Ovens and Murray clubs were operating in a “challenging environment” and that highly paid players needed a “shift in the thinking”.

Yarrawonga president Andrew Mott and Corowa-Rutherglen counterpart Graham Hosier said it was a “player’s market” and the introduction of a salary cap would give power back to the clubs.

“We’d love it to be lower so we could spend money on other things but it’s a player’s market.

“We just need to bring it back to give the clubs a bit more control.

“There’s obviously clubs out there running a lot higher than $180,000 so if it brings them back a bit that makes a difference.

“The lower the number the better because, the reality is, there will be clubs drop off the list otherwise.

“We can either get fair dinkum or there will be clubs that won’t operate in the Ovens and Murray.

“I would love it to be $150,000 or $160,000, if they are serious about it having an impact.

“It’s not all about dollars, it’s about the volunteer stress related to the need to raise dollars.

“We’re travelling well on the field, we’re coached well, and off the field we’re profitable but it’s enormously stressful and I believe a figure of $150,000 or $160,000 would alleviate a lot of that stress that the volunteers are feeling.

“It is what it is.

“We’ve just got to work to whatever the rules are.

“It’s the same as the player points system, we will work to whatever is put in front of us.

“The lower the better. Anything more than $160,000 would mean we aren’t sustainable.

“It’s a matter of the clubs being viable.

“We’ve got a good junior program in place so it’s a matter of that carrying us through.

“North Albury would say that absolutely $160,000 is plenty and we’d be happy for that to include the coaches and seconds.

“The salary cap is there to give the power back to the clubs and take it away from the players - $160,000 is plenty for us.

“The market is probably over-inflated at the moment so we have to try something.

“I’m in the $150,000 to $160,000 camp.

“There needs to be a shift in the thinking of some of those higher paid blokes and that’s going to be the challenge.

“I think the points system, over time, will mean clubs are focusing largely on their local base.

“We’re pretty comfortable with $160,000 but $180,000 wouldn’t surprise me.

“If you can raise $200,000, well the cap can still be $160,000 and then you can put the money into other avenues of your club.

“It gives everyone a target to work to and it starts to get the playing field a bit more level.

“It’s hard enough for our club to sustain what we’re at at the moment.

“Even if the cap is $160,000, we won’t go up to spend that much anyway because we spend less than that now.