Leigh Matthews believes the competition’s best players should be earning at least $1.5 million per season.
In a recent ‘rich list’ published by the Herald Sun, the competition’s highest paid player is Richmond’s Dustin Martin at $1.2-$1.3 million.
Behind him is Fremantle’s Nat Fyfe ($1.05-$1.15m), West Coast’s Jeremy McGovern ($1-$1.1m), Sydney’s Lance Franklin ($950k-$1.05m) and Collingwood’s Brodie Grundy ($925k-$1.025m).
With that topic fresh on the mind, Matthews raised the average wages amongst regular players versus what the elite of the elite earn.
The VFL/AFL legend believes top AFL players should be on much more per year.
“What hit me (reading the piece), the best players are getting a million or a million and a bit,” he said on Sportsday.
“The average player over the 800 (players in the league) gets $350,000. I was thinking to myself, if the average player gets 350 then the very best should be getting more than a million.
“I still think if the average player is getting 350, then I reckon the top players should be getting 1.5 (million) at least.
“I think it is one of those issues. We heard that Wayne Carey 20 years ago at North Mebourne was getting almost a million dollars.
“The salary cap, I don’t know if it’s a policy of the Players’ Association, but bottom line is I just don’t think the very, very elite players get enough more than the average players.”
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