AFL PLAYERS' Association chief Paul Marsh has slammed the AFL for having just one player among the top 50 earners in Australian sport.
For the fourth year running, Gold Coast captain Gary Ablett has made the Business Review Weekly Top 50 Sports Earners list.
Ablett was named at No. 47 after raking in an estimated $1.5 million with the Suns.
He was the only AFL player on the list for the second successive year.
AFLPA CEO Marsh took to Twitter to express his disappointment on Tuesday nightt, declaring: "An indictment on AFL that only 1 player makes top 50 highest earners in Australian sport despite being biggest sport."
In a list dominated by peers in cricket, golf, baseball, soccer and surfing, Ablett was also trumped by former Greater Western Sydney code-hopper Israel Folau, who reached No. 43 after enjoying success in rugby union.
NBA basketballer Andrew Bogut headed the list with earnings of $16.2 million, followed by golfers Adam Scott ($15.5 million) and Jason Day ($10.65 million).
Ablett sneaked into the top 50 ahead of jockey Zac Purton, cricketer Mike Hussey and golfer Karrie Webb.
On Wednesday, Marsh reinforced his opinion that he was worried about the lack of AFL representation on the rich list.
“I am concerned that the best players in the biggest sport in the country are so far down the list of earners,” he told AFLplayers.com.au.
“We, as an industry, need to ensure that playing in the AFL is the No.1 career choice for young sportsmen in this country.
“Offering salaries reflective of the size, profitability and popularity of the game is a must. It just has to be an integral part of the AFL package.
“In my view the AFL leads the way in Australian sport in its professionalism, the support services it offers its people and the remuneration it offers its executives. But the remuneration we are offering our players is lagging behind some of our major competitors. The sport has to look at this seriously.”
Ablett, 30, first made the BRW list in 2011 when the former Cat reached a personal high of No. 24 after earning $2 million in the first year of his massive contract with the fledgling club.
He has steadily fallen down the rankings since, dropping to No. 25 ($2 million) in 2012, and No. 33 in 2013 ($1.5 million).
Football fans have been having their say on Twitter.
@AFL hard to substantiate that claim given its a domestic sport. Think we sit about right. Highly rewarding for elite without being silly.
— Travis Fitzgibbon (@travfitz) February 17, 2015
@AFL Simple answer, majority of the other sportsman on the list play international sports -numerous contracts, more exposure etc
— Bernard Rigby (@Nard_Rigby) February 17, 2015
@AFL AFLPA would love player wages to go same way as EPL and NFL. Then we'd all be paying $100+ for 1 game general admission.
— PowerFromPort (@PowerFromPort) February 17, 2015
