Players’ Association boss Paul Marsh has slammed suggestions AFL players could be asked to give up future earnings in order to facilitate a pay increase for their women counterparts.
The AFLPA is canvassing opinions on a possible joint collective bargaining agreement for the game’s elite male and female players.
The move has come despite the association flagging some reservations about the concept last year.
A report in The Age on Wednesday indicated male players’ salaries could be impacted to allow AFLW participants to be paid more than they do now.
The report also said the likelihood of that happening would increase if the AFL cannot secure a significant increase in television rights money beyond the existing deal, which ends in 2022.
“To talk about the men subsidising the women has not even been part of the conversation,” Marsh told SEN on Thursday.
“Clearly we’ve got a situation coming up in a couple of years where the men’s and women’s collective bargaining both finish at the same time.
“We are having conversations to potentially bring them together but that doesn’t mean that’s how it’ll finish up.
“We have two groups of members here who expect us to continue to take their (thoughts) on board every time we negotiate a new deal.
“This is not about the men taking a hit for the women. This is about finding a way forward with a model that delivers growth for both the men and women.”
The next CBA is due to start from 2023.
Collingwood AFLW star Bri Davey on Thursday gave tentative support to the concept of a combined CBA with AFL players.
“It’s a bit out of my sphere, but I think with us being a growing comp, obviously all the support we can get would be great,” Davey said.
“But at the same time, we’re taking small steps.
“It’s obviously the fourth season in, so we understand we’re in the infancy of it.
“Hopefully those things will just continue to grow and we’ll get more investment from fans and everyone alike in the league and that will naturally sort of take care of itself.”