West Coast coach Adam Simpson does not agree with the reported salary numbers regarding several Eagles players.
The Herald Sun’s ‘rich list’ has seven Eagles on fairly significant money - Jeremy McGovern ($1-$1.1m), Andrew Gaff and Tim Kelly (both $800-$900k), Jack Darling ($775-$875k), Elliot Yeo and Luke Shuey (both $750-$850k) and Nic Naitanui ($600-$700k).
From that article, the back page story of The West Australian suggests: Is it time for West Coast to farewell Luke Shuey, Nic Naitanui and Andrew Gaff in wake of salary squeeze?
It indicates that that the septet mentioned above are holding almost half of the Eagles’ entire player salary, prompting Karl Langdon to ask Simpson the following.
Langdon asked on Sportsday WA: “How do you respond to the back page of our West?
“This is a snippet that they’ve taken out of the Herald Sun’s annual AFL rich list which has revealed, it says, as just seven Eagles players eating up $6 million of the club’s $13 million salary cap.”
Simpson is adamant the numbers aren’t accurate, suggesting a lot of guesswork goes into such reports.
“Well, it’s just not true,” he responded.
“It’s a guess. I suppose they’d ring managers to try and predict what other players might be on.
“I know for a fact that there’s hundreds of thousands of dollars difference in that article than what’s reality.
“So then what do you do? You write an article off another article when it’s just not facts.
“I don’t know how to respond other than tell everyone it’s not true. It’s hard to actually give it any oxygen, albeit everyone takes it as gospel.
“There’s no public record that states what everyone is on, it’s purely speculation. To assume what they have, it’s just not right.”
Simpson insists he is not offended by the numbers, but does vehemently deny the accuracy of the figures being bandied around.
He would have no issue if the annual wages of players were made public, provided the AFL Players’ Association (AFLPA) was on board.
“I haven’t got my nose out of joint with it all, it’s just not true,” he added.
“Having to comment on something that’s not quite relevant to reality, I suppose, can get frustrating.
“I’m not too fussed about the wages. If the Players’ Association were happy to do it, then do it. If they’re not, don’t.
“It’s probably up to the players if they want that revealed. That’s where I sit with that.”
Of the seven named Eagles, captain Shuey and ruckman Naitanui are without a contract for 2023, while McGovern (2023), Gaff (2024), Yeo (2024), Kelly (2025) and Darling (2025) remain locked away for the foreseeable future.
West Coast finishes its disappointing two-win 2022 season against Geelong at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday.