FORMER Heathcote District league chairman Peter Cole is advocating for AFL Central Victoria to consider changes to its player points and salary caps in an attempt to lessen the gap between top and bottom teams.
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Player points and salary caps have been a part of the community football landscape since they were introduced state-wide by AFL Victoria in 2016.
Introduced under the banner of AFL Victoria's Community Club Sustainability Program, it was brought into "assist in the equalisation of competitions, stop the inflationary nature of player payments by discouraging movement of players and promote player loyalty and junior development."
From a Bendigo, Heathcote District and Loddon Valley league perspective, the system has largely remained unchanged throughout apart from a gradual lowering of the salary cap and either a reduction or addition of a club's player points allocation at the end of a season dependent on how they are performing at the time.
However, Cole believes a tiered approach to salary caps and more differential in the player point allocations for clubs should be considered as part of what he calls his "Game Equalisation Model".
Key points of Cole's Game Equalisation Model are based around player point reductions for clubs that play in consecutive grand finals, player point additions for clubs that finish in the bottom two in consecutive years and rather than a one-size fits all salary cap for each club in a league, base the salary caps on their differing point allocations.
The premise of the tiered salary cap system is it provides struggling teams - many of which have to pay "overs" to attract recruits - additional salary cap to utilise what would also be extra points in comparison to a team that has regularly been towards the pointy end of the ladder.
Under Cole's Game Equalisation Model:
* If a club has played in two consecutive grand finals, they receive a four-point reduction after the second grand final. The maximum a club could lose is eight points (which they would after playing in a third-straight grand final);
* A club which has lost eight points based on grand final appearances begins to get two points back for each year it misses the finals until it reaches its original allocation;
* If a club is in the bottom two for consecutive years they automatically receive an additional four points. A club will begin to have those four points reduced once it reaches the finals. Essentially, if you begin stripping points back off struggling teams too early they run the risk of quickly dropping back to where they have come from.
* The tiered salary cap is aligned to a club's player points allocation. To use the Bendigo league as an example, this year's salary cap is $125,000 and the average player points for each team across the competition is 42.6 (allocations range from 40 to 46).
Cole's suggestion divides $125,000 by 42.6, which equals $2934 per point. That $2934 would then be multiplied by a club's player points allocation to determine their salary cap.
* Cole also believes that the number of under-18 games a player needs to have played with a club to be a senior one-pointer as opposed to a three-pointer should be reduced from 40 to 20 games.
"I think there needs to be a greater capacity under the player points and salary cap system for the clubs that have been struggling for a period of time to be able to close the gap to those that have been successful," said Cole, who previously served as the HDFNL chairman for six seasons.
"What I'm proposing is to create some discussion points for consideration on how we can use the player points and salary cap systems to try to create a greater sense of equality among our leagues in terms of more competitive games and capacity for lower teams to improve.
"The player points and salary cap has been in since 2016 and it's clear to see in the Bendigo and Loddon Valley leagues in particular the average margins in games has gone up significantly over the eight years, which I believe warrants some discussion for change.
"I do want to make it clear that what I have proposed is purely a discussion point to create some conversations between leagues, clubs and AFL Victoria."
I do want to make it clear that what I have proposed is purely a discussion point to create some conversations between leagues, clubs and AFL Victoria
- Peter Cole
Since the introduction of AFL Victoria's Community Club Sustainability Program in 2016, the average margin in the BFNL has grown from 60.4 points in 2016 to what is currently 81.3 points through 10 rounds of this season.
The BFNL has also had a strong sense of predictability to it, with 32 of the 36 senior finals played since 2016 having been won by either Strathfieldsaye (9), Eaglehawk (9), Golden Square (8) and Sandhurst (6).
Neither Kangaroo Flat, Castlemaine or Maryborough have played finals since the introduction of the system.
In the Loddon Valley league the average margin in games has increased from 51.4 points in 2016 to what currently this year is 80.1 points through 11 rounds, while all teams apart from Inglewood have won at least two finals.
In contrast, since the system was introduced the average margin in Heathcote District league games has considerably dropped from 69.5 points in 2016 to as low as 42.8 last year and is currently 53.1 points this season, and all teams apart from Elmore have won a final.
So what would Cole's Game Equalisation Model look like if it was applied for 2025 using this year's player points allocations and league salary caps, as well as utilising the current ladders as team's finishing positions:
BENDIGO LEAGUE:
2024 salary cap - $125,000.
2024 average player points per club - 42.6.
2024 player point allocations - Castlemaine (46), Eaglehawk (43), Gisborne (40), Golden Square (40), Kangaroo Flat (46), Maryborough (46), Sandhurst (40), South Bendigo (43), Strathfieldsaye (40).
2025 player point allocations and salary caps - Castlemaine (46 pts, $134,976), Eaglehawk (43 pts, $126,173), Gisborne (40 pts, $117,370), Golden Square (40 pts, $117,370), Kangaroo Flat (46 pts, $134,976), Maryborough (50 pts, $146,713), Sandhurst (36 pts, $105,633), South Bendigo (43 pts, $126,173), Strathfieldsaye (40 pts, $117,370).
Maryborough (currently last) receive additional four points for consecutive finishes in bottom two; Sandhurst (currently top) loses four points for consecutive grand finals.
HEATHCOTE DISTRICT:
2024 salary cap - $106,600.
2024 average player points per club - 43.7.
2024 player point allocations - Elmore (46), Heathcote (44), Huntly (46), Leitchville-Gunbower (44), LBU (44), Mount Pleasant (42), North Bendigo (42), White Hills (42).
2025 player point allocations and salary caps - Elmore (50 pts, $121,500), Heathcote (44 pts, $106,920), Huntly (46 pts, $111,780), Leitchville-Gunbower (44 pts, $106,920), LBU (44 pts, $106,920), Mount Pleasant (42 pts, $102,060), North Bendigo (42 pts, $102,060), White Hills (42 pts, $102,060).
Elmore (currently last) receives additional four points for consecutive finishes in bottom two.
LODDON VALLEY LEAGUE
2024 salary cap - $106,600.
2024 average player points per club - 45.3.
2024 player point allocations - BL-Serpentine (46), Bridgewater (46), Calivil United (46), Inglewood (46), Maiden Gully YCW (46), Marong (40), Mitiamo (46), Newbridge (46), Pyramid Hill (46).
2025 player point allocations and salary caps - BL-Serpentine (46 pts, $108,100), Bridgewater (46 pts, $108,100), Calivil United (46 pts, ($108,100), Inglewood (46 pts, $108,100), Maiden Gully YCW (50 pts ($117,500), Marong (32 pts, $75,200), Mitiamo (46 pts, $108,100), Newbridge (46 pts, $108,100), Pyramid Hill (46 pts, $108,100).
Marong (currently 1st) loses eight points for three-consecutive grand finals; Maiden Gully YCW (currently second-last) receives additional four points for consecutive finishes in bottom two.
HOW COMPETITIVE HAVE THE LEAGUES BEEN SINCE 2016:
Excludes 2020 (no season played), 2021 (incompleted season) and doesn't include this year.
BENDIGO
Home and away wins - Strathfieldsaye (88), Eaglehawk (85), Golden Square (81), Sandhurst (77), Kyneton (57), Gisborne (50), South Bendigo (44), Kangaroo Flat (30), Castlemaine (14), Maryborough (8).
Finals wins - Strathfieldsaye (9), Eaglehawk (9), Golden Square (8), Sandhurst (6), Gisborne (3), South Bendigo (1).
Seasons in the finals - Strathfieldsaye (6), Sandhurst (6), Eaglehawk (5), Golden Square (5), Kyneton (3), Gisborne (3), South Bendigo (2).
Premierships - Strathfieldsaye (2), Eaglehawk (1), Golden Square (1), Sandhurst (1), Gisborne (1).
Grand finals - Strathfieldsaye (4), Eaglehawk (3), Golden Square (2), Sandhurst (2), Gisborne (1).
Bottom two finishes - Maryborough (5), Castlemaine (5), Kangaroo Flat (1), Gisborne (1).
Average margins - 60.4 points (2016); 61.5 points (2017); 65.9 points (2018); 68.2 points (2019); 67.9 points (2022); 66.4 points (2023).
HEATHCOTE DISTRICT
Home and away wins - North Bendigo (81), Leitchville-Gunbower (61); Colbinabbin (60); LBU (51); Mount Pleasant (44); White Hills (43); Huntly (38); Heathcote (29); Elmore (22).
Finals wins - Mount Pleasant (8); North Bendigo (7); Leitchville-Gunbower (7); Colbinabbin (6); Huntly (3); LBU (2); White Hills (2); Heathcote (1).
Seasons in the finals - North Bendigo (6); Colbinabbin (5); Leitchville-Gunbower (4); White Hills (4); LBU (3); Mount Pleasant (3); Huntly (3); Heathcote (1); Elmore (1).
Premierships - North Bendigo (2), Leitchville-Gunbower (2); LBU (1); Mount Pleasant (1).
Grand finals - North Bendigo (4); Leitchville-Gunbower (3); Mount Pleasant (2); Colbinabbin (1); LBU (1); Heathcote (1).
Bottom two finishes - Elmore (3); Heathcote (3); Huntly (3); Mount Pleasant (1); LBU (1); Leitchville-Gunbower (1).
Average margins - 69.5 points (2016); 75.5 points (2017); 66.1 points (2018); 46.3 points (2019); 48.6 points (2022); 42.8 points (2023).
LODDON VALLEY
Home and away wins - Pyramid Hill (67); Bridgewater (58); Mitiamo (58); Marong (54); BL-Serpentine (47); Newbridge (46); Calivil United (45); Maiden Gully YCW (37); Inglewood (19).
Finals wins - Mitiamo (9); Bridgewater (8); Pyramid Hill (5); Marong (4); Newbridge (3); Calivil United (3); BL-Serpentine (2); Maiden Gully YCW (2).
Seasons in the finals - Pyramid Hill (5); Mitiamo (5); BL-Serpentine (5); Bridgewater (4); Marong (3); Calivil United (3); Newbridge (2); Maiden Gully YCW (2); Inglewood (1).
Premierships - Marong (2); Bridgewater (1); Mitiamo (1); Mitiamo (1); Newbridge (1); Calivil United (1).
Grand finals - Bridgewater (3); Mitiamo (3); Pyramid Hill (2); Marong (2); Newbridge (1); Calivil United (1).
Bottom two finishes - Inglewood (4); Maiden Gully YCW (3); Calivil United (2); Newbridge (1); BL-Serpentine (1); Marong (1).
Average margins - 51.4 points (2016); 46.6 points (2017); 40.3 points (2018); 45.8 points (2019); 63.5 points (2022); 63.5 points (2023).
