Mop
Not anymore
Here in the far West, the Soft Cap has long been a sore spot that both the Fremantle and West Coast halves of the Swan River will eagerly agree on - it's s**t.
A brief background, the Soft Cap initially appeared in 2014 as a way to equalise the football department of all clubs. Off the top of my head, it was something like $20 million.
It was further reduced, due to some clubs struggling to spend even the floor of the cap.
Then comes old mate COVID. As a way to ensure the survival of the competition, the cap was slashed from $12 million to $6 million. Support staff lost their jobs.
Fair enough... for COVID times.
Now? The Soft Cap is in the spotlight due to the mental health of senior coaches being in the spotlight due to the high profile stepping away of first year North Melbourne coach Alistair Clarkson, and this week's shock resignation of Damien Hardwick.
Here in the West, Justin Longmuir came out slamming the cap, listing the workloads of his assistants (one day off in three weeks). It has long been a discussion amongst us Eagles fans in relation to our injury list crisises of the past two seasons. 7west's primary football reporter in WA Ryan Daniels ut out his weekly column damning it today.
The AFL is - for now - remaining silent, but I doubt they'll be able to stay so. I would expect a drastic realignment, possibly under the remit of new CEO Travis Auld. It's something of a free hit for him, he can blame it all on Gil and frame himself as the "saviour" (despite being one of the new cap's architects)
Our view here in WA isn't nuanced. Lift the cap to pre- COVID levels, and further raise it each year to allow for inflation.
Where do supporters from the smaller clubs stand on this? Keen for some outside views.
A brief background, the Soft Cap initially appeared in 2014 as a way to equalise the football department of all clubs. Off the top of my head, it was something like $20 million.
It was further reduced, due to some clubs struggling to spend even the floor of the cap.
Then comes old mate COVID. As a way to ensure the survival of the competition, the cap was slashed from $12 million to $6 million. Support staff lost their jobs.
Fair enough... for COVID times.
Now? The Soft Cap is in the spotlight due to the mental health of senior coaches being in the spotlight due to the high profile stepping away of first year North Melbourne coach Alistair Clarkson, and this week's shock resignation of Damien Hardwick.
Here in the West, Justin Longmuir came out slamming the cap, listing the workloads of his assistants (one day off in three weeks). It has long been a discussion amongst us Eagles fans in relation to our injury list crisises of the past two seasons. 7west's primary football reporter in WA Ryan Daniels ut out his weekly column damning it today.
The AFL is - for now - remaining silent, but I doubt they'll be able to stay so. I would expect a drastic realignment, possibly under the remit of new CEO Travis Auld. It's something of a free hit for him, he can blame it all on Gil and frame himself as the "saviour" (despite being one of the new cap's architects)
Our view here in WA isn't nuanced. Lift the cap to pre- COVID levels, and further raise it each year to allow for inflation.
Where do supporters from the smaller clubs stand on this? Keen for some outside views.
