THE AFL has confirmed the salary cap will rise beyond $10 million next season.
The cap will rise by $150,000 in each of the next two years, taking the Total Player Payments limit to $10.071 million in 2015 and $10.36 million in 2016.
Both the League and the AFL Players' Association confirmed the change after the two parties wrapped up the mid-term review of the players' collective bargaining agreement.
A number of other key matters were agreed upon as part of the review:
- If clubs spend less than the salary cap in one season they will be able to spend more than the cap the following season.
- The AFL has agreed to contribute an extra $7 million towards the existing AFL players’ player retirement fund.
- The AFL will provide $1 million over the next two years to be used for the establishment of a lifetime health care fund for retired players.
- The provision of short-term income protection for players who are delisted due to a football injury.
"Negotiations were highly constructive and the review has enhanced the benefits available for both present and past AFL players," AFL general counsel Andrew Dillon said.
Acting players' association chief executive Ian Prendergast added: "We have been able to negotiate further benefits to players as we continue the push towards delivering a truly first-class sporting workplace."
