AFL PLAYERS’ Association boss Matt Finnis says he fully supports any third-party payments made to players outside the salary cap - particularly if that extra money is paid to promote AFL football.

The AFL confirmed last week that in 2009 a total of 114 players received money outside of the League’s salary cap.

Last year it was widely known third-party payments were included in Carlton skipper Chris Judd’s million-dollar deal, along with that of Brownlow Medallist Gary Ablett’s contract at Geelong.

However the revelation that so many players received money outside the salary cap came as a shock to many.

Finnis, the AFLPA chief executive, doesn’t see anything wrong with the deals.

“We think it’s an important right that players ought to have,” Finnis told BigPond Sports Weekend.

“We’ve got to remember that when you talk about 114 agreements, that can include an agreement for Luke Hodge or Adam Goodes to have a sponsorship with Puma, to wear Puma boots, which players have done forever.

“But if those companies are also sponsors of the club, it gets classified as an independent agreement.”

Finnis believes extra money players are earning often coincides with the promotion of the game.

“You might have a player who has a separate contract to appear on The Footy Show at Channel 9 or it may be to appear on the Channel 7 news in Perth … it then gets classified as an independent agreement,” he said.

“Most of these agreements are separate agreements between a player and a third party which actually is about using that player to promote the game.

“So we think that should be preserved.”

The players’ union boss also spoke of his satisfaction at last week’s free agency announcement with the AFL.

While Finnis understands the concerns of outspoken Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett, he remains confident that the free agency model the AFLPA and the League agreed upon will be advantageous for all parties.

“It’s been a long campaign and something that we’ve believed pretty strongly in and, importantly, the players have been right behind,” he said.

“We think we’ve been able to reach a pretty responsible outcome with the AFL that balances the interests of the clubs, the players and importantly, the sustainability of an even competition.”