OVENS and Murray Football League clubs are shelling out more than $2 million in player payments per season.
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The revelations are proof the O and M is one of the biggest spending competitions in the state.
But, the combined figure of $2 million-plus has not come as a huge shock to the O and M pro-equalisation group.
“The results of the recent survey will hopefully identify just how much player payments have risen since 2009 when the last survey was undertaken,” group member Peter Tossol said.
“We look forward to this data being available as I believe it will support our view that a player points system needs to be introduced.”
A secret survey conducted by the Victorian Country Football League in 2009 revealed some players had been paid up to $1500 per game and some major league coaches were being paid more than $30,000 in a playing role and on average $18,000 in a non-playing capacity.
The report: For Love or Money was released in 2010 and a State of the Region document was completed last year.
North East-Border regional manager John O’Donohue, who is on the player payments working party, said there had been an acknowledgment payments had risen to the point further action was needed.
“The 2010 report was done on country Victoria and this one is being done on metro as well,” he said.
“Hopefully the survey is going to tell us how much it has escalated.”
But, O’Donohue warned the problem couldn’t be solved overnight.
“Next year there could be several models that can measure against what exists now,” he said.
“It could be player points, it could be assessment of contracts.
“If we put all our eggs in one basket and that trial has some flaws you have to go back to the start.”
O’Donohue said some form of salary cap was under consideration, as was a compulsory contracts system.