They've tightened it up a lot more recently, since the James Frawley debacle, but they also haven't announced the formula, ostensibly to prevent rorting. They have stated in the media that band 1 would have to be around the top 10 players in the comp - that sort of thing.
I'd suggest that, knowing the AFL, it's highly likely that the "formula" (if it exists) would likely specify bands, but would also likely include a significant margin of "judgment call". I could easily see them stating that over a mil is band 1, and under $800k is band 2, but between the two is at the discretion of the AFL. It also saves them having to worry about things like priority picks quite as often.
This is, unfortunately, a double-edged sword. The AFL would want to compensate us well, because we suck, and have done for a while. The AFL would also not want to compensate us because we're in QLD/NSW, and the AFL don't care what happens up here, unless you are:
a. GWS Giants, or
b. doing well, in which case they're happy to punish you for succeeding (Franklin, L. 2013)
So who knows which way it will go.
For the record, I think that we'll get band 2. Though I wouldn't be surprised if we put in a Priority Pick application again, and they may up us to band 1 instead. Frankly though, I think it's a long shot, and I think we're far more likely to get band 2.
I'd suggest that, knowing the AFL, it's highly likely that the "formula" (if it exists) would likely specify bands, but would also likely include a significant margin of "judgment call". I could easily see them stating that over a mil is band 1, and under $800k is band 2, but between the two is at the discretion of the AFL. It also saves them having to worry about things like priority picks quite as often.
This is, unfortunately, a double-edged sword. The AFL would want to compensate us well, because we suck, and have done for a while. The AFL would also not want to compensate us because we're in QLD/NSW, and the AFL don't care what happens up here, unless you are:
a. GWS Giants, or
b. doing well, in which case they're happy to punish you for succeeding (Franklin, L. 2013)
So who knows which way it will go.
For the record, I think that we'll get band 2. Though I wouldn't be surprised if we put in a Priority Pick application again, and they may up us to band 1 instead. Frankly though, I think it's a long shot, and I think we're far more likely to get band 2.