Man of the people.
2 Likes
That’s awful imo. Clubs should be able to spend as much as they want to on the medical team, and not worry about any cap.Last thing you want is a situation where the medical team gets cut down to save money to get another coach
2 Likes
I think the outsourcing to other specialists isn’t counted.
But if it’s a club doctor on site (who would be part time, not a 5 day per week job), then it is part of Football Department spend.
I’ll search for the rules.
1 Like
The League announced the soft cap will increase by $500,000 in 2023 and $250,000 a year later, meaning it will kick in at $7.2 million in 2024.
Football department spending refers to staff such as coaches, list management, fitness and medical teams.
I think there are ‘special circumstance’ exemptions.
Edit…
The AFL has introduced minimum spend levels on medical and mental health resources that can’t be shifted to other departments, but if clubs spend above those levels in areas such as club psychologists and Indigenous welfare officers, there are deductions available to reduce soft-cap impact.
It’s very murky.
$50k of the Port concussion fine of $100k was to come from the soft cap, the other $50k would also be included if the Doc stuffs up the protocol again.
1 Like
The clause is extended to all of the club medicos until the end of next year.
They’ve made the pies game fully ticketed. $3.50 upgrade from 12:00 for GA members but the sucky ticketek website at best gives me row V on the wing after 20 minutes of farting around. I hate the wing.
1 Like
haven’t watched the report, but i’m gonna wave the “aker was right” flag again
who the fk would want their one and only legacy being the first footballer to come out. just imagine bt and darcy bluescreening every time they get the ball trying to think of another descriptor than “fruity”. imagine fans of whatever club you hate giving it to them over the fence. imagine jonno brown on the couch repeatedly backing over his words because he says “hard at the contest” and feels the need to follow up with “well, not hard like that”
i reckon the players themselves would be fine with it, but it’s everyone else loosely connected to the game that would lose the plot
8 Likes
Agree.
They don’t need to ‘come out in public’.
They’d be more comfortable letting their coaches and teammates know because there is acceptance there.
It’s the outer ring of the team sports (media and fans) that creates and festers the toxicity.
I think there are a few VFLW and AFLW players in same sex relationships and it’s accepted even with fans. Ditto other female sports.
I think it’s just a stupid male mentality at play.
7 Likes
More than a few. Our captain was first in line.
JULY 27, 2017
by Jesse Jones
Image: Penny Cula-Reid And Mia-Rae Clifford. Image: Alexander Legaree.
Queer women are kicking goals in sports around Australia. Jess Jones spoke to four of the best about being openly gay in their fields, the gender pay gap, and inspiring today’s youth.
The AFL’s first openly gay couple, Penny Cula-Reid and Mia-Rae Clifford, say they’ve experienced more challenges in sport as women than as lesbians.
“We don’t get the same pay rates, we don’t get the same opportunities, and we don’t get the same marketing,” explains Clifford.
“Professional footballers and netballers still work part-time because they have to, while they’re playing in the highest competition possible.
“All of us women’s AFL girls work either full-time or part-time jobs because we don’t get enough money to fund a living.”
Even as a kid, when Clifford wanted to play football she often faced obstacles and bullying.
“Back then there were no women’s or girls’ teams,” she says. “I grew up playing football with my brother on the boys’ team, and when I turned 14 they stopped me from playing because I was a girl.
“I could kick a footy further than the boys – I don’t even know what other girls did in primary school.”
Cula-Reid, who faced similar barriers, ultimately took Football Victoria to court to get the rules changed and enabled the girls competition to be introduced.
However, despite women in AFL getting a raw deal in many ways, Cula-Reid says she plays the game for the passion, not the pay.
Penny and Mia. Image: Alexander Legaree.
“I want to build a future for the next generation – Mia and I play because we love it,” she says.
The couple met at the St Kilda Sharks club five years ago, and are now engaged. They’re hoping to be married next year.
“Penny was my assistant coach when we met,” says Clifford.
Cula-Reid had been playing women’s football for 13 years, while Clifford had no idea it even existed.
“I was just in town to touch base with family, and then I found out women’s footy existed, so I was straight on it,” says Clifford.
Cula-Reid adds that while they’re in a relationship, it’s important to maintain a distinction when the pair are on and off the field.
“Being together and playing the same sport, I said to Mia, when we’re at football I’m your teammate, not your girlfriend. To keep it as professional as possible. Off the field we’re a couple,” she says.
“To me that was really important because I think it’s important to have a balance between your work life and your love life. I wanted to make sure no one thought she got on the team because she’s sleeping with the coach.”
Initially playing on the same team, they were later drafted to opposing teams and now play against each other on the field.
“That made it even more exciting,” laughs Clifford.
The couple say they’ve never experienced homophobia in sport.
“There was always acceptance, no matter who you are, what you are, or who you were dating,” says Clifford. “No one cared, it didn’t matter in the football world. Women seem to be more accepting.”
Clifford’s advice for young LGBTI people in sports is to be themselves and to be proud.
“Always be you. Just be true to who you are. Sometimes it’ll be difficult, but everything falls into place as it should be. Never be ashamed of who you are.”
4 Likes
It’s very much a male thing. Just look at the Matildas … the relationships there were barely newsworthy.
Think you’ll find there’s more than “a few” across the AFL/VFL W. It’s quite prevalent (and also quite open) there.
2 Likes
“It has come a long way since the first year of AFLW. I came out as openly gay in the inaugural year of AFLW and I didn’t realise the impact that had until I was warming up for my first game of AFLW,” Clifford said.
“A young gentleman, who I didn’t know, called me over to the boundary and he said ‘thank you’ and I wasn’t sure what he meant and he goes ‘thank you for being you because it made me comfortable to be me’ and I’ve never forgotten that, ever.”
4 Likes
Dare I say it, there’s obviously less of a propensity for gay males to play contact sport. Doesn’t mean there hasn’t been, but even if they were “out” IMO there would’ve been/would be very few. The media and certain lunatics just don’t like to even consider this, perhaps because they are desperate to put someone on a pedestal. At the end of the day, it’s a private matter. Lesbians obviously also have a “propensity” to participate in certain sports. Seriously, who cares?
3 Likes
I mean there have been enough rumours about enough players and you see the ■■■■ on the cesspools of the internet written about them. Why on earth would anyone want to be open and expose themselves to that filth?
This doesn’t sound like a “leave it as is” argument to me…
You’re probably right, but it would take a courageous person to be the first
I don’t know if this is necessarily true, and a study would be pretty creepy.
there’s HEAPS of straight guys that don’t play contact sport.
Edit: I’m only saying this will dilute your numbers.
We all saw what happened to Josh Cavallo.
The Victory crowd got stuck into him something shocking
Was Cavallo a Victory player, or an “other team” player?