WSYD Are the AFL about to tell us Western Sydney is a more expensive place to live than Eastern Sydney?

[master bate]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-02-17/cost-of-living-split

AFL Commissioner Mike Fitzpatrick says Greater Western Sydney is "slightly behind" schedule in its early development and confirmed the Giants will be treated separately when it comes to reviewing the contentious Cost of Living Allowance (COLA).

Now we've all debated the COLA and I don't think anyone outside of Sydney supporters will ever be happy with anything other than either no COLA or a relocation bonus to 1st to 3rd year players dealing with a more expensive rent market (although Perth teams will argue for that allowance as well).

But all this speculation about splitting GWS and Sydney's COLA looks set for a way for the AFL to decrease Sydney's whilst keeping GWS at that 9.8% until they becoming a stronger and more established side. That will then result in a higher COLA for GWS which is based in cheaper Western Suburbs and a lower allowance for the team who train nearby some of the most expensive areas to live in the country.

Shouldn't Sydney and GWS stayed linked to the same COLA regardless of what it is? And if Western Sydney is deemed such an unappealing place to move to shouldn't a further expansion allowance be introduced.

It will look ridiculous if GWS are getting a higher COLA than Sydney and if they do manage to win a premiership under those conditions the reality would be that it would be need a big asterisk next to it.

 

[Mofra]

In my completely impartial opinion, all Western Suburbs teams should get more salary cap space than their Eastern Suburbs counterparts

 

[cartel]

In my completely impartial opinion, all Western Suburbs teams should get more salary cap space than their Eastern Suburbs counterparts

West Coast would turn into a juggernaut.

 

[clogged]

West Coast would turn into a juggernaut.

Nah, they are based at Subiaco, which is further east than Fremantle.

 

[cartel]

Nah, they are based at Subiaco, which is further east than Fremantle.

Still west of the Perth CBD...it's only somewhat recently that Fremantle has stopped being a perennial basketcase. And isn't Fremantle considered its own city?

 

[Tas]

They should exclude property prices from the cost of living exercise. Yes, it costs more to buy a house in some areas but if you leave and sell it you are not out of pocket.

Most young players are in shared accomodation, have clubs provide many if not all of their meals, often go to live with families with strong ties to the club, they are not Joe Average out on their own with a shitty job who have to get by on their own with no support.

 

[master bate]

In my completely impartial opinion, all Western Suburbs teams should get more salary cap space than their Eastern Suburbs counterparts

Watch Geelong try and concede they were in to a Western Suburb of Melbourne if that happened. Ruining that genius plan you made!

 

[tonk]

Outrageous

 

[master bate]

They should exclude property prices from the cost of living exercise. Yes, it costs more to buy a house in some areas but if you leave and sell it you are not out of pocket.

Most young players are in shared accomodation, have clubs provide many if not all of their meals, often go to live with families with strong ties to the club, they are not Joe Average out on their own with a shitty job who have to get by on their own with no support.

A lot have host families for the first year but then do rent though so I think it could be fair to those 'forced' to move in to more expensive areas. That said they are footballers getting paid to play none of them are really struggling although rookies have a bit of pressure on them.

 

[coniglio_number1]

Most of the gws players don't live in west Sydney. They live in places like bondi which is expensive.
Not all players live in the teams namesake suburb eg does every north Melbourne player live in the suburb of north Melbourne?

 

[Tas]

A lot have host families for the first year but then do rent though so I think it could be fair to those 'forced' to move in to more expensive areas. That said they are footballers getting paid to play none of them are really struggling although rookies have a bit of pressure on them.

Mature age rookies have it the worst, especially ones with family, but that is a league wide problem.

 

[master bate]

Most of the gws players don't live in west Sydney. They live in places like bondi which is expensive.
Not all players live in the teams namesake suburb eg does every north Melbourne player live in the suburb of north Melbourne?

Well that would be somewhat relevant if North Melbourne was a large metropolitan area covering half of Melbourne not a small inner city suburb. But a lot of AFL players in Melbourne do live in geographical areas relating to where they train. More Bulldogs, North and Essendon players live North or West of the CBD where for example a lot of the saints (and Melbourne for that matter) live in the bayside areas and Hawks players in the inner east.

If the GWS players live in the same places at the Sydney players it makes it just as stupid to have a split COLA unless you justify the fact they have an extra petrol bill by training further away from where they live.

 

[Thai Hawk]

Most of the gws players don't live in west Sydney. They live in places like bondi which is expensive.
Not all players live in the teams namesake suburb eg does every north Melbourne player live in the suburb of north Melbourne?

So they choose to live in expensive suburbs and therefore should get higher salary. So if Hawthorn players move on mass to Toorak which is way more expensive than Bondi, Hawthorn could claim around 25% COLA. Sweet

 

[master bate]

So they choose to live in expensive suburbs and therefore should get higher salary. So if Hawthorn players move on mass to Toorak which is way more expensive than Bondi, Hawthorn could claim around 25% COLA. Sweet

Won't help you much when Sydney set up there new base in Monaco and get a 200% COLA

 

[Reykjavik]

Which basically makes it apparent that this isnt about cost of living at all, and that was always the furphy we knew it was.

Bad move from Sydney to ignore the optics and grind everyones noses in it two years running.

 

[dymot]

Watch Geelong try and concede they were in to a Western Suburb of Melbourne if that happened. Ruining that genius plan you made!

It is already happening . The current premier would be wise to further this and make it official considering his background.

 

[dymot]

So they choose to live in expensive suburbs and therefore should get higher salary. So if Hawthorn players move on mass to Toorak which is way more expensive than Bondi, Hawthorn could claim around 25% COLA. Sweet

Pretty sure the cost of living allowance does not refer just to rent but the daily s**t. This is worse in Syd.

 

[Silent Alarm]

The excuse was formerly a nice little facade but now it's just obvious. Why not just call it an expansion allowance? Everyone knows what it is and now the AFL won't even try to hide it.

 

[Sydney Bloods]

Well that would be somewhat relevant if North Melbourne was a large metropolitan area covering half of Melbourne not a small inner city suburb. But a lot of AFL players in Melbourne do live in geographical areas relating to where they train. More Bulldogs, North and Essendon players live North or West of the CBD where for example a lot of the saints (and Melbourne for that matter) live in the bayside areas and Hawks players in the inner east.

If the GWS players live in the same places at the Sydney players it makes it just as stupid to have a split COLA unless you justify the fact they have an extra petrol bill by training further away from where they live.

You do realise gws don't even play in Greater Western Sydney??

GWS is actually the inner west and hills district.

Most of the "greater west" suburbs (such as Penrith, Liverpool and campbelltown) are further away from the ground then say chatswoods and st leonards, So such an argument is irrelevant.

In any case it's an irrelevant argument. the COLA is nothing more then a player retention allowance which makes it easier for the other clubs to vote for.

The AFL will find a way fund GWS as long as they deem it necessary.

And as always the clubs presidents and CEO's will vote for it knowing that without a strong Sydney market the league will face a strong financial readjust when tv rights deals drop.

Brisbane demonstrated the risk of players lured away with 3rd party contracts and playing closer to home.

 

[Arwib]

If they retain an allowance for GWS they won't call it a cost of liviing allowance, because the justification will be development rather than CoL.

 

[Arwib]

Most of the gws players don't live in west Sydney. They live in places like bondi which is expensive.
Not all players live in the teams namesake suburb eg does every north Melbourne player live in the suburb of north Melbourne?

I thought most were around Concord/Breakfast Point? (Not a super cheap area still, of course)

 

[master bate]

You do realise gws don't even play in Greater Western Sydney??

GWS is actually the inner west and hills district.

Most of the "greater west" suburbs (such as Penrith, Liverpool and campbelltown) are further away from the ground then say chatswoods and st leonards, So such an argument is irrelevant.

In any case it's an irrelevant argument. the COLA is nothing more then a player retention allowance which makes it easier for the other clubs to vote for.

The AFL will find a way fund GWS as long as they deem it necessary.

And as always the clubs presidents and CEO's will vote for it knowing that without a strong Sydney market the league will face a strong financial readjust when tv rights deals drop.

Brisbane demonstrated the risk of players lured away with 3rd party contracts and playing closer to home.

But you can't have a split COLA for 2 teams in the same city. I'm happy for GWS to have a little more for a period of time but lets put it out there. I understand certain AFL hypocrisies when they are designed for the great good of the game. That's Demetriou's hallmark. But 2 teams in 1 city getting 2 different CoLA's. That's a step too far.

Brisbane demonstrated what happens when you have poor playing facilities, poor culture and poor coaching. When they won 3 flags in a row they had no problem keeping good players. Plus all clubs lose players to home sickness every now and then. When Victorian clubs lose players to homesickness they only have 2 clubs to deal with to get the best deal. When players want to head back to Victoria the Victorian clubs have to compete with 9 others. You don't think most Victorian clubs weren't pretty keen on Jack Gunston or Josh Caddy?

 

[Sydney Bloods]

But you can't have a split COLA for 2 teams in the same city. I'm happy for GWS to have a little more for a period of time but lets put it out there. I understand certain AFL hypocrisies when they are designed for the great good of the game. That's Demetriou's hallmark. But 2 teams in 1 city getting 2 different CoLA's. That's a step too far.

Brisbane demonstrated what happens when you have poor playing facilities, poor culture and poor coaching. When they won 3 flags in a row they had no problem keeping good players. Plus all clubs lose players to home sickness every now and then. When Victorian clubs lose players to homesickness they only have 2 clubs to deal with to get the best deal. When players want to head back to Victoria the Victorian clubs have to compete with 9 others. You don't think most Victorian clubs weren't pretty keen on Jack Gunston or Josh Caddy?

It won't be a little bit of time, the expansion into "almost" western sydney is what netted such a big tv rights winfall. If the AFL wants another GWS must be able to put on a show and GWS has a far greater uphill battle then the swans did in terms of long term support, Because they have made a cluster * of who the teams aimed at.

And I'm sorry but Brisbane plummeted after they lost their funding it's not a coincidence rivers facilitates it was that moving to Melbourne or going back to Melbourne was more lucrative.

yes players from all clubs get home sick that's not the issue directly, the issue is the amount of players in the system

The majority of players on Brisbane and Sydney's lists are from interstate the local pool is tiny. (hell there's more players from the gold coast then Sydney and Brisbane) The day a Victorian team starts to bleed players like Brisbane did last year you might have a point.

Losing one or two players once every 5 to 6 years doesn't compare to losing 3-4 players every 3-4 year's.

 

[Suma Magic]

Although it was obvious it had nothing to do with the cost of living, it's good that the AFL can come out and admit it.

 

[RUNVS]

Even a Carlton player agrees that Sydney is bloody expensive.