ONLY six AFL players earned more than $1 million in 2018.
Richmond's Dustin Martin, Fremantle's Nathan Fyfe, Sydney's Lance Franklin, Tom Lynch (Gold Coast in 2018), GWS' Jeremy Cameron and Western Bulldogs' Tom Boyd are believed to be the six.
West Coast's Nic Naitanui is likely to have earned more than $900,000, and Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury, while not earning as much as previous seasons, would also have been around this range.
Three of the six millionaires earned between $1.2-$1.3 million on 2018 accounts, according to official figures to be released by the AFL in its 2018 Annual Report.
The 2018 seven-figure club dropped in number from nine in 2017, and is the same size as in 2016. There were four millionaire wage earners in 2015.
The average player wage last season was $362,471, an increase of $10,000 on the previous year.
West Coast's Jeremy McGovern will join the millionaires in 2019, having last year signed the competition's second-biggest deal behind Martin.
Jeremy McGovern is now among the AFL's best-paid players. Picture: AFL Photos
Former Fremantle player Lachie Neale's new deal with Brisbane, depending on how it is structured, could also have him on significant money in 2019.
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On the 2018 financial records, 31 players earned more than $800,000, up from 29 in 2017.
The 18 clubs paid a total of $240.4 million, before deductions which incorporated injury allowances, finals incentives and veterans' list payments.
Dayne Beams (Brisbane-listed last year), Carlton's Patrick Cripps and Marc Murphy, Geelong pair Patrick Dangerfield and Joel Selwood, Sydney's Josh Kennedy and West Coast's Josh Kennedy, and Jack Steven (St Kilda), would have been among the highest paid players last year.
Steven May (on Gold Coast's books in 2018), Bryce Gibbs and Rory Sloane (Adelaide), Adam Treloar (Collingwood), Robbie Gray (Port Adelaide), Trent Cotchin, Alex Rance and Jack Riewoldt (Richmond), Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs), Luke Parker (Sydney), Hawthorn's Jarryd Roughead, Ben Brown (North Melbourne) and Melbourne's Jake Lever and Jesse Hogan (now at Fremantle) also had sizeable deals in 2018.
After eight seasons with Gold Coast, Lynch transferred to Richmond last October. He will not be one of the millionaires in 2019.
1990-2018 Summary of AFL Player Earnings
| $ | 1990* | 2000* | 2010* | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| $0-$60,000 | 442 | 87 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| $60,001-$100,000 | 88 | 132 | 67 | 90 | 65 | 70 | 38 | 24 |
| $100,001-$200,000 | 8 | 237 | 153 | 198 | 188 | 185 | 152 | 159 |
| $200,001-$300,000 | - | 80 | 158 | 147 | 153 | 131 | 140 | 136 |
| $300,001-$400,000 | - | 22 | 91 | 128 | 131 | 148 | 148 | 145 |
| $400,001-$500,000 | - | 8 | 45 | 76 | 85 | 89 | 89 | 88 |
| $500,001-$600,000 | - | - | 9 | 32 | 44 | 40 | 53 | 49 |
| $600,001-$700,000 | - | 2 | 8 | 26 | 21 | 23 | 34 | 46 |
| $700,001-$800,000 | - | - | 2 | 10 | 21 | 18 | 23 | 24 |
| $800,001-$900,000 | - | - | 2 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 15 |
| $900,001-$1,000,000 | - | - | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 10 |
| $1,000,001-$1,100,000 | - | - | - | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| $1,100,001-$1,200,000 | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| $1,200,001+ | - | - | - | - | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| TOTAL | 538 | 568 | 548 | 719 | 718 | 718 | 707 | 703 |
1998-2018 AFL Total Player Earnings
| 1998 | 2008 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | % change '17-'18 | |
| GROSS PLAYER PAYMENTS ($) | 62,186,000 | 128,847,606 | 204,305,032 | 231,354,739 | 240,417,657 | 3.92% |
| Deductions | ||||||
| Finals/Relocation & Living & other Allowances | 1,093,000 | 2,137,838 | 2,285,343 | 3,016,111 | 3,189,413 | 5.75% |
| Cost of Living and Expansion Allowances | 991,000 | 728,263 | 1,691,090 | 0 | 0 | |
| Veterans' allowance | N/A | 4,843,849 | 6,611,661 | 348,027 | 0 | -100.00% |
| Other deductions | - | 2,379,364 | 4,334,399 | 1,883,819 | 3,492,466 | 85.39% |
| Underspend from previous years | - | - | 764,531 | 919,286 | 1,540,436 | 67.57% |
| Total deductions | 2,084,000 | 10,089,314 | 15,687,024 | 6,167,244 | 8,222,315 | 33.32% |
| PLAYER PAYMENTS LESS DEDUCTIONS | 60,102,000 | 118,758,292 | 188,618,008 | 225,187,495 | 232,195,342 | 3.11% |
| Injury Allowance | 8,176,000 | 5,684,600 | 3,452,129 | 3,002,107 | 5,902,635 | 96.62% |
| GROSS PLAYER PAYMENTS LESS INJURY ALLOWANCE | 51,926,000 | 113,073,692 | 185,165,879 | 222,185,388 | 226,292,708 | 1.85% |
| TPP LIMIT | 52,400,000 | 118,900,000 | 186,641,640 | 224,010,504 | 226,698,624 | 1.20% |
| Gross Player Payments Less Injury Allowance | 51,926,000 | 113,073,692 | 185,165,879 | 222,185,388 | 226,292,708 | 1.85% |
| Margin/(Excess) | 474,000 | 5,826,308 | 1,475,761 | 1,825,116 | 405,916 | -77.76% |
| Additional Services Agreements (ASA's) | N/A | 7,440,463 | 19,257,040 | 19,864,805 | ||
| Average Gross Player Earnings (including ASA's)** | $101,957 | Listed $213,953 | Listed $309208 | Listed $352,470 | Listed $362,471 | |
| Played $233,281 | Played $329,210 | Played $379,697 | Played $390,202 |
** Average Gross Player Earnings ("AGPE") The AGPE is a result of the payments (GPP plus ASA's) made to Primary Listed and Pre-Season Nominated Rookies only (grouped as "Primary Listed").
