interesting read on support staff....

[stinger]

Price war for support staff
19 October 2007 Herald Sun
Mark Stevens

IT is a very good time to be 200cm-plus in AFL football.

Former Western Bulldogs fitness coach Justin Cordy has been poached by Carlton.

That was highlighted when Sydney gave Darren Jolly, hardly the next Dean Cox, a four-year deal.

Only Chris Judd will land a longer contract than the man who will share the ruck duties with Peter Everitt at the Swans next year.

But it is also a fine time to be a talented support staffer -- assistant coach, fitness guru, development man, boxing coach . . . whatever you like.

The playing resources of cashed-up clubs are limited by the salary cap, but they are spending like never before in the back rooms.

It's poaching season. Those with spare dollars are creating positions, not only to keep up with the Joneses, but to stay ahead of the pack.

Melbourne chief executive Steve Harris touched on it in a detailed report released in May, warning of a spiralling "arms race" off the ground. He was on to something.

Carlton, once the pauper, is leading the way on the inflationary spiral. If the Blues, with the clout of billionaire Dick Pratt, want their man, they get him.

Justin Cordy, ex-Bulldogs and Cricket Australia fitness man, was appointed last week. He is highly regarded and the Blues were not alone in chasing him.

The hired gun didn't come cheaply. The buzz in the industry is the Blues were prepared to pay as much as $300,000 a year for him.

St Kilda, with the backing of the new board, has beefed up its footy department.

David Misson, regarded as the master-mind behind the Swans' amazing injury-free run, was lured to Moorabbin.

He too, has a background in cricket. Again, he wouldn't have come cheaply -- even if he is not in Cordy's ball-park.

Matthew Drain is headed for Moorabbin, too, as head of football after being lured from the Bulldogs.

Once, all the cash went into extra assistants. Now, its being poured into "development".

The Hawks were able to lure away rock-solid Melbourne football manager Chris Fagan for a role dubbed "head of coaching and development".

It's an appealing job, and you can understand Fagan wanting to go after the demise of close friend Neale Daniher, but it is understood Fagan's move also involved more coin.

Richmond is also putting more resources into off-field support, with Tigers director of football Greg Miller spruiking that the club is significantly increasing its welfare and development program.

Now, they're chasing the Bulldogs' recruiting manager Scott Clayton as well.

The salary cap on playing talent has created a reasonably even competition.

But off-field, the gap between the haves and have-nots is widening.

"The non-capped areas of football department spending remain an arms race and the bigger spending clubs account for most Grand Final appearances and premierships," Harris said in a detailed report this year.

Harris said he feared the AFL could turn into a version of the English Premier League, where the rich dominate.

"The AFL risks a league within a league," he said.

You can't blame Kangaroos coach Dean Laidley for pushing strongly for a ramped-up footy department. He can see what's going on around him.

Sources say annual lists of football department spending can be misleading.

The Dogs, Kangas and Demons -- all receiving AFL support -- have to account for every penny. Their figures are spot on, but there are suspicions the powerful clubs tell fibs when it comes to total spending on footy.

The idea of a salary cap on coaching and support staff isn't new. And if powerful clubs are seen to be spending too much, it may be introduced.

Those cashed up will argue clubs deserve some reward for making profits. Fair enough. What else is Collingwood going to do with all its spare cash?

However some clubs, particularly those receiving special distribution help from the AFL, will struggle to keep up.

The AFL, which has in the past kept a close eye on football department expenditure and told clubs to curb costs, will be watching.

No one wants to see the arms race end up in Harris' league within a league.

[Oh When the Saints]

Terrific article which makes some valid points.

Needs to be addressed by the AFL.

[saintbrat]

there was an article acouple of months ago about the possibility of putting a 'salary cap' or I guess 'personnel cap' on cludb as there was a distinct differance betwen the likes of the pies and Eagles and other clubs.

[stinger]

Terrific article which makes some valid points.

Needs to be addressed by the AFL.

i thought pple might find it interesting..

[carn_sainter]

Terry wallace brought this up ages ago on white line fever

He said to equalise the comp you needed a footy dept. cap.

The only problem is that extra footy dept spending is often to help the players’ safety…no club should be prevented from employing more doctors and fitness staff, even if it gives them an unfair edge…

It’s a tough one in that sense

And if a club has more money to spend, it should be able to spend it

Not much that can be done within digging a bit into Marxism 101