TOPIC:

Like it or not BC but equalisation has begun. The comp will be the better for it.
The alternative would have been to load your points cap for these players to, say, 30 points each player instead of 12 points. Even then that may not be sufficient.
You have had it far to good for too long.

I don't disagree smokey and reckon something should have been done after the threepeat in 2008 but it should have applied to the entire comp and not just one club 11 years later.

BC that is true up until that year, we had not won three in a row unlike most other clubs. It is this decade and the number of wins we have had each season that has made history. Have no fear, i will always defend the recruitting they did in the wake of the return of the 'alignment'.

I don’t think a restraint of trade argument would hold up in court and to say Subi are the only team to get targeted in the whole world is laughable.

At the end of the day every club agrees to participate in the WAFL under the competition rules and by-laws as set out by the AFL and WAFC - it’s not a free trade market.

The majority of sporting competitions employ measures to create a more even playing field so the haves don’t dominate the have nots. All of these measures are designed to restrict clubs advantages. Look at the AFL which has used a salary cap, a soft cap on off-field spend, COLA, the draft and priority picks, additional funding to new franchises and under performing Melbourne based clubs.

Locally the Ammos and a number of country competitions utilise both a salary cap and player points systems. South Bunbury’s dominance in the SWFL was a big factor in the points system being introduced.

The WAFL points system existed before, all that’s changed is that it’s been tightened and that Subi are now being impacted because they are already at the new points cap limit where the rest of the clubs still have space to continue to recruit.

TT your 3rd para sums it up, the AFL providing extra funding to new or under achieving clubs, where has the WAFC done anything like this? Why not provide recent underachievers like SD P & EF extra funding, bigger salary caps and more points to bring them up in on field performance. Heaven forbid the WAFC loosen the purse strings to improve or promote the WAFL, too busy spending money swanning around, sucking up to WC, Freo and the AFL.

there is a couple of caveats I would put on football stalinism in the AFL:

they piss money up against the wall to defend the clubs in NSW and QLD
what have they done for St Kilda? How many flags have the Saints won in 150 years?
How many flags have

Collingwood
Melbourne
Footscray
Carlton
South Melbourne

remembering, of course, that the game is played mostly by Victorians. They have been very fortunate to have RFC win a couple of flags, which has saved them with the Victorian public.

you Subi supporters are missing the point - its not about giving clubs additional money as how do they work out how much Subi are paying under the table ?
and the ATO would love someone to call a restraint of trade as players would then have to declare in court how much they are getting paid, which Subi players would put their hand up for that ?
people are not really thinking this through.

MO...Every club already submits a declaration to the WAFC on player payments so they wouldn't have to do anything beyond that. Players wanting to join Subi would just have to submit a signed contract and argue they are being restrained in plying their trade at the club of their choice due to the WAFC rules. It's a bit like a union or industry association telling potential employees who they can and can't work for. I'm not a lawyer so I'm not sure if it would have legs but I thought I'd throw it out there.

you seriously reckon that players are not getting paid outside the system dont you ?
you should have a chat to Subi about this and their players to see whether they would like the ATO to know everything they get, let me know how you go.

TT which other clubs from other codes have been restricted who they can recruit or not recruit to reign in their success?..yeah agree other clubs world wide have received help to improve their performance....can't think of any sporting clubs that have had restrictions put in place to negate their performance...which clubs do you know of in other comps, others here don't?