I think the salary cap is a joke. Even AFLTas have allowed one club to break it, then still recruit after that!
The only answer is to let the clubs pay what they want, but implement a player points cap.
A PPC means players get a points value. Clubs can only field players to an agreed total. So for instance a first year local player would be one point. If he went to another club he may be graded to 2 points. After 20 games he becomes 2 points. After 50 he goes to 3, After 150 he goes back to 1 as a reward for longevity in 1 club. A 50+ game local player may be rated at 3 points, but if he goes to another club, he may be graded to say 8 points. A player recruited from the VFL may immediately be a 10 point player. Each year he stays may reduce that by a point, down to a minimum of 5. A playing coach may be 5 points.
With all these I'm guessing a bit. Please make up a points system yourself if you like. But the theory is that you cant hide a players point value. So pay what you like. You cant stock up on recruits because you will run out of points.
So the idea is that a club can only have a certain points total, lets say a club gets 100 for its 60 list,A senior team with an ex AFL playing coach 5, two mainland senior recruits, one first year worth 10, one 3rd year worth 8, 1 50 game+ local recruit in his first year 8, 8 local 50 game + players at 3, 2 150 game life member players at 1, 5x 20 game+players at 2, 3 guys under 20 games at 1 point each. That would total 70points.
That leaves 30 points for a development team. It may have 12guys with under 20 games, 8 guys over 20 games, 2players over 150 games. That is 30. You could allow an unlimited number of 1 point players which wont put you over the 100 point total.
Its just an exercise. Im sure its been looked at, I believe the AFL have looked to start such a system in some Victorian football leagues.