As rival codes "ready their arsenal for battle on the women’s sporting landscape," football players are hatching an "ambitious plan to dramatically increase W-League salaries and conditions," according to Davutovic & Windley of the HERALD SUN. Dubbed "60 at 60," the football players' union is determined to see 60 Australian players on minimum A$60,000 ($45,300) contracts by the start of the '17-18 season. Under the proposal, the 60 players would have centralized contracts, incorporating W-League, Matildas, int'l club contracts plus community and corporate partnerships. The two-pronged plan "is aimed at improving conditions for local players" while creating a talent pool conducive to the Matildas challenging for World Cup and Olympic Gold Medals. The average salary for national league netballers will increase to A$67,500 ($51,000) next season, with a minimum salary of A$27,375 ($20,700) after a "bumper new pay deal" was unveiled last week. Australia’s top female cricketers will earn A$100,000 ($75,600)-plus under that sport’s "recently amended pay deal, while minimum retainers for national team players" increased to A$40,000 ($30,200) and A$7,000 ($5,300) for those playing in the month-long Big Bash League. There is a movement for change within football circles, "with FFA holding a women’s forum last Wednesday morning in its latest push to improve conditions" (HERALD SUN, 9/22).
