The Australian Football League "has given its strongest indication yet that it will cut the contentious cost-of-living allowance" for the Sydney Swans, "yet retain a form of allowance for the struggling new club across town," according to Michael Gleeson of THE AGE.
AFL Chair Mike Fitzpatrick "chose to reframe a direct question on whether Sydney and Greater Western Sydney would be treated differently in assessing the potential end to the allowance." Hinting the AFL "was inclined to look favourably on the Giants' request to be treated differently in any review of the salary-cap allowances available to the clubs," Fitzpatrick said,
''I think if your question is, are Greater Western Sydney at a different stage of development to Sydney? I think the answer's yes." Fitzpatrick said that the issue of the cost-of-living allowance "was not a 'key part' of the AFL Commission meeting in Sydney" on Monday. He said, "We are looking at competitive balance. I don't want to discuss the agenda in detail, but it is one of the issues being looked at, yes" (THE AGE, 2/17).
