The Australian Football League Players Association and AFL "appear on a collision course in the next round of wage discussions," according to Jon Pierik of THE AGE. Frustrated that "just one AFL player -- Gary Ablett -- had appeared on Business Review Weekly's Top 50 sports earners' list," AFLPA CEO Paul Marsh has called for "urgent action in terms of player remuneration." Ablett was the highest paid player in the league last season, pocketing A$1.5M ($1.2M) (including endorsements), "but ranked only 47th on the rich list" dominated by basketball, cricket, football and golf. In the lead-up to discussions opening later this year with the AFL over a new collective bargaining agreement, Marsh "reinforced the union's stance." He said, "In my view the AFL leads the way in Australian sport in its professionalism, the support services it offers its people and the remuneration it offers its executives. But the remuneration we are offering our players is lagging behind some of our major competitors. The sport has to look at this seriously." Clubs, some of which are "struggling for sponsorship and funds, have already privately expressed concerns the players will push for too great a rise," with this to be bankrolled by a new broadcast rights agreement (THE AGE, 2/18).
