Australian Football League side Hawthorn has "sensationally declared it will walk away" from the AFL's chief equalization measure if the northern-based clubs are allowed to "exclusively access future draft picks this season -- a measure that is being considered," according to Jon Pierik of THE AGE. An AFL working party is "debating whether all clubs should be allowed to use future picks in trading," given the northern clubs will be able to go into deficit under the new points-based system if they choose to match high bids for multiple players. Hawks President Andrew Newbold was "so incensed that only four clubs, including the Gold Coast Suns and Brisbane Lions, would be able to use future picks to secure players that he contacted Fairfax Media to express his displeasure." Newbold: "If that is being mooted, I will be very strong on the fact they can tear up the equalization proposal. It's breaking one of the conditions that we sat down in good faith and negotiated over." Newbold said that the Hawks were expected to tip in about A$650,000 ($502,300) into the equalization pool this year, A$150,000 ($115,900) of which the club said is "self-funded as part of a salary-cap increase." The revenue tax will be reviewed by the AFL after the '16 season. As part of an agreement by their clubs to support the introduction of the revenue tax, the Hawks and Collingwood President Eddie McGuire "have been strong on the need for a pure draft and salary cap." This, in part, has led to the Swans "having their cost-of-living allowance phased out." Newbold: "We just won't cop it. We will just tell them: 'Tear up the competitive balance fund because one of the conditions was a pure draft and you, at the first opportunity, have flown in the face of that'" (THE AGE, 6/22).
