Kane Cornes has called for the AFL to reveal wages for each individual player.
Cornes’ demand comes after the AFL released their summary of player earnings for 2022 where it was revealed that 12 players earned more than $1 million last season.
On top of releasing the number of high earners, the AFL broke down how many players earn in each bracket broken up by $100,000 – with the biggest number of 126 falling between $200,001 to $300,000.
Cornes believes the AFL should release individual wages as he feels all these statements do is cause the media and fans alike to speculate.
“The annual numbers are out for player wages,” Cornes said on SEN Sportsday.
“Excuse me if I’m flogging a dead horse here, every category is broken down.
“Three players have earned more than $1.2 (million), three players have earned between $1.1 and 1.2 (million) … 24 between $800k and 900k, all of it.
“So then what happens is, no one has any idea, but everyone speculates.”
Cornes pointed to several articles responding to the release where a number of players were named as big earners despite their official salaries not being made public.
“I read the Herald Sun, the $1 million plus must be Dustin Martin, it must be Buddy Franklin, Nat Fyfe, it must be Jeremy McGovern … these are all names in the Herald Sun,” Cornes said.
“Then I pick up The Age and I see that Lance Franklin is the highest-paid player in the game at $1.3 million, no one knows.
“It’s either all-in or it’s none-in, why does the AFL release the full numbers with every player in a category? We don’t know the players beside it, so then we speculate.
“Halfway through the year the Herald Sun will do their 100 highest-paid players, how is that good for the players when everyone speculates on what they earn?”
Cornes says the AFL should either not release any information or provide all of it, adding that there are many benefits for players, fans and the media if the information is disclosed.
“Either have it that the AFL doesn’t release any information or put it all on the table,” Cornes said.
“There are so many benefits to releasing the names with the players, none more so than we will not speculate anymore.
“I see the Herald Sun are saying Coniglio, Green and Kelly are all earning $1 million plus, if that’s the case, the Giants have butchered their salary cap.
“I see Carlton are in trouble with their salary cap, well I want to know who they’re paying … they haven’t won a final yet.
“If they’ve butchered their cap to the point where they’ve got no money left and they’ve got no success, then their fans should keep the club accountable for the way they’re spending the salary cap.”
The AFL Players’ Association has long opposed making salaries public knowledge.