Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan has raised concerns about the escalating contract lengths and values in the Australian Football League (AFL), drawing a parallel to the “max contract” system employed in the NBA. Fagan, a coach who typically shies away from public commentary on significant financial matters within the sport, expressed his unease following recent contract decisions made by St Kilda concerning players like Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and Tom De Koning.
“I don’t often choose to speak out about big-ticket issues, but I’ve watched the trend over the last few years, and this is not just St Kilda; this is all clubs. Contracts seem to be getting longer and longer and longer,” Fagan stated. He specifically highlighted St Kilda’s approach to player remuneration, questioning whether such market dynamics are beneficial for the long-term health of the AFL. “Then along comes St Kilda and decides they want to pay those players the amount of money they did. I’m thinking to myself, for the good of the game, is that what we want here? Do we want this sort of marketplace where offers to players become ridiculous?”
Fagan’s proposition for the AFL to consider a “max contract” system, similar to that in the NBA, is aimed at fostering a more balanced and sustainable player market. In the NBA, this system limits the highest salaries to a select few top-tier players, with specific criteria tied to their achievements and performance. Fagan believes this structure could be beneficial for the AFL, ensuring that only the most accomplished players receive the highest remuneration.
The NBA Max Contract Model: A Potential Blueprint for the AFL?
Fagan elaborated on his vision, suggesting a tiered system where a limited number of players, perhaps three per team, could be eligible for “max contracts.” To qualify for such a bracket, players would need to have met specific, quantifiable benchmarks.
“I look at the NBA, and they have a max salary clause, and there’s criteria around what that player needs to have done to be in that bracket. I’m wondering, for the sake of the game, we should have… let’s say we’ve got three players who are on max contracts. But to be on that bracket, you need to have ticked off certain boxes,” he explained.
He provided examples of players who, in his view, would unequivocally meet such criteria:
- Marcus Bontempelli: Fagan pointed to the Western Bulldogs captain as a prime example. Bontempelli’s decorated career, featuring multiple best-and-fairest awards, All-Australian selections, and a premiership, solidifies his status as a player who has “earned his stripes” and would warrant a top-tier contract under such a system.
- Nick Daicos: Despite his relatively shorter career, the Collingwood star Nick Daicos has also demonstrated elite performance. Fagan cited Daicos’s achievements, including three All-Australian selections and a best-and-fairest award, as evidence that he too has met the necessary benchmarks to be considered for a max contract.
Fagan stressed that his intention was not to single out St Kilda, but rather to initiate a broader industry discussion. “For me, this is an alarming trend. Should we be talking about this as an industry to make sure it doesn’t cause problems further down the line? That’s the reason I raised it. I understand why St Kilda would’ve been offended by that, because they were the club to do it, but I can promise you that any club that would’ve done that, would have raised that response in me. But I’m just putting a red flag on that one, and let’s watch that.”
Brisbane’s Salary Cap Prowess and Future Challenges
The Brisbane Lions have built a reputation for their astute management of their salary cap, a strategy that has underpinned their sustained success. This approach has allowed them to retain key talent while consistently competing for premierships, evidenced by their seven consecutive finals appearances and three consecutive Grand Final berths.
However, the club faces its own contract dilemmas. Free agent Zac Bailey is currently weighing his options, with a lucrative offer from Adelaide potentially tempting him away from the Lions. While Fagan acknowledged that Bailey is a highly valued player who will command a significant salary regardless of his decision, he remained non-committal on whether Brisbane would match any external offer.
“I think so, if we decide to,” Fagan said when asked about matching an offer. “That’s something we have to decide as a football club if we want to go down that pathway or if we want to keep some control over what we pay our players. That debate will go on internally.” This internal discussion highlights the delicate balance between rewarding star players and maintaining financial flexibility, a challenge that resonates across the entire AFL competition.
