Money not funny

A COUPLE of weeks ago I was accused of being the ‘ultimate muck-raker’ by a senior, well-known, local football club member and official for having the cheek to mention in ‘Footy Shorts’ that his club was paying decent money to recruits in the quest to be the best side it could be in 2010.
(I’ve kept the text-just to remind myself of the blinkered emotion so prevalent in local football.)
The spray went on and was among the best I have copped in the last 12 years.
It was made even more topical by the player-payment woes surrounding the Melbourne Storm.
Of course it was driven by blind passion for a club that has had to recruit talent outside its local area in order to be competitive.
And to that end, quite simply, it has to pay as much or more than its rivals to secure the signatures it desired.
As much as that grates on many supporters, members and volunteers around country football, it is a fact of life and, whether they like it or not, it is very public and a huge talking point within the football community.
Money – big money – is paid to certain players by clubs that can afford to do so, and it is the main reason those players sign on the dotted line.
Sure, there are other selling points offered to get a player over the line.
The lure of potential quick success, being part of a ‘good family club’ (as opposed to what?), playing with mates and possibly the promise of being noticed in a bid to progress to a higher level, are all considerations.
However, if a player is offered an extra $100 or $200 or even $300 per week, there is a good chance that the highest bidder will tick all the boxes.
It has now got to the stage where local clubs are willing to fly players in from interstate each weekend.
Berwick started that trend under then coach Ronnie Burns in 2006 and 2007, and it has continued this year, with Cora Lynn following suit.
That is a significant investment in the quest for success and, in the end, it is the revenue generated by the club’s members, sponsors and supporters that pays the bills.
Given that all football leagues in the region no longer have salary cap constraints and operate under a Player Points System, clubs that make those investments are well within their rights to do so.
Their members are the ones to hold them to account and if they are happy, and the club is still solvent then good luck to them.
But that will never stop people talking about how much a club is allegedly paying its stars and it also won’t stop me telling it like it is.