Who wants to be an AFL player when they grow up?
Ever have one of those mornings where you wonder if you have gotten into the wrong line of work?
The boss’ door was getting banged on heavily today after figures of an AFL player’s salary were released and a few GAA boards might just thank their lucky stars that we’re all so proud of our amateur status in Ireland.
But it seems that the plunge to Australia for a high profile Gaelic Footballer is being well cushioned by some of the financial benefits that come hand-in-hand with a move to the AFL and Tadhg Kennelly is looking after his own alright.
The Kerry man, in his role as International Talent Scout for the Australian organisation, has helped bring about a solid safety net for Irish players Down Under and, whilst it might be tough leaving home, uprooting your life, and changing codes even, it’s still mightily tempting to pick up an oval ball and the nice pay cheque that comes with it at the end of the month.
In a brilliant article in today’s Irish Examiner, it was revealed that the current base level pay that a rookie in the AFL can expect is as much as €40,000, without even playing a game for the senior side.
Players are paid for each senior match that they do play in and that varies between $3,000 and $5,000 per appearance.
But there are a few more stipulations which ensure that Irish lads aren’t just brought over willy-nilly only to be tossed aside.
Tadhg Kennelly has seen to that.
“I have standardised the contracts so that there is a minimum that you must be able to offer an Irish player,” the former Sydney Swans star was quoted in the Examiner.
“You have to be able to offer him $80,000. He has to have three return flights home a year for him and his parents and he has to have free rent and a free car for the first two years.”
If he makes it out there, if he goes on to become an established AFL player, well then he can enjoy a nice average league wage of €204,000 per annum.
Pretty alright, eh? Still, Raheem Sterling wipes his ass with that sort of pocket change.
