AFL Players’ Association CEO Paul Marsh says he wants a four-year deal with the AFL for the next CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement).
The AFLPA and the AFL remain in negotiations regarding the workplace terms and conditions which are crucial to players and clubs as it locks down financial terms, salary caps and player movement rules, among other elements.
Marsh says the AFLPA wants the next deal to cover both the men’s and women’s games together after the AFLW players were given a strategic one-year deal last time around.
“Hopefully what we’ll do this time is a deal for the men and the women in one, that’s what we’re trying to do,” Marsh said on SEN Breakfast.
“It’s all-encompassing so it’s critical, it sets up the industry for however long it will be. It’s a big part of what we do.
“The last men’s deal was for six years, the last women’s was only a one-year deal because we’re trying to bring them together.
“We’d like to do a four-year deal this time, the AFL would like to do a longer one.”
Marsh was asked where negotiations sit right now and if there is a timeline on the new deal.
“The AFL didn’t do their broadcast deals until September last year so we were waiting until that happened,” he added.
“Part of our process is, ‘Well, show us what the financial future looks like, so give us your forecast’. We didn’t get that for three and a half months until just before Christmas.
“What’s happened since then is we’ve developed a proposal. We’ve just received a response from the AFL so it’s really early which is not ideal because the men’s CBA actually finished in October last year and the women’s in December.
“They roll on unless either party terminates, but right now we’re still operating off the last deals.
“The industry is starting to get a bit antsy about it, I think we’ve got a duty to push this forward as quick as we can.
“There’s no bigger priority for us at the moment to try and get this done.”
Marsh also expects the inclusion of a Tasmanian side, which the AFL is confident of, to have a major impact on the next CBA.
“I think so (a Tassie team will happen),” he added.
“The Federal budget announcement on the 9th of May is going to be critical to the stadium.
“I think the industry is confident without being certain. I think they’re confident, I don’t think I can say any more than that.
“It’s probably a question for the AFL, but certainly everything we’re hearing that there is optimism there.”
Listen to the full chat below: