The AFL is reportedly considering allowing players to be traded without their consent as part of a new pay deal with the AFL Players' Association, per reports from the Herald Sun.
The two parties are working towards a new collective bargaining agreement, with a mid-season trade period also on the table in the new deal. The AFL reportedly tabled their first proposal to the AFLPA in recent weeks, with the two still yet to see eye to eye.
Speaking to The Herald Sun, AFLPA boss Paul Marsh rubbished the idea of players being traded against their will, stating that players "don't get paid enough" for it to be possible.
“They want to reduce player freedom contracts and take away choice of movement and they want us to fund past player liabilities,” Marsh said.
“They put some conditions around that (trading players) – players would have to be earning a certain amount to be able to be traded without consent.
“But our players just don't get paid enough to be put in that position.
“I'm taking the p*** here a bit, but I said we'll consider that if we're able to trade CEOs without your consent.”
Marsh admitted that the AFLPA had a number of issues with the AFL's proposal, which he called "structurally worse" than the one currently in place.
“The gap between our proposals is really significant,” he said.
“The AFL proposal's structurally worse for AFL players than the current deal, and it doesn't meaningfully progress the AFLW vision.
“They want to cut back on men's leave, they want to be able to trade players without their consent … the AFL proposal falls way short of our vision, but also it's own vision and entrenches inequality.
“They want to grow the women's pay at the same percentage rate as the men's pay and if you follow that through they'll never bridge the gap.
“There's no intent to bridge the gap.
“There's a number of workplace condition issues, there's some footy issues, there's some commercial issues as well.
“The financial model they put to us is actually a diminished revenue share model in its structure and doesn't include the AFLW players in it.
“So they're talking about a joint CBA that isn't really because they're saying the men can have this revenue share deal and we'll just pay the women this.”
Despite Marsh's criticism, he did admit that the AFLPA would be open to a mid-season trade period, conceding it could benefit players struggling for a game at their current clubs.
“There's some benefits to a mid-season trade. Players who are not getting a game may get a game somewhere else,” Marsh added.
“There are some negatives, too. Competitive balance means it might actually be a poor thing for a club.
“It may be terrible for the second half of every season as clubs who are no longer contending start to push out talent.”