Why do we need to equalise the league. It makes no sense pegging the standard of our league to our worst teams. Can we not accept that there are big teams and that there are smaller teams just like in every other football league around the world. Thats not even what annoys me, its the fact that every single team, even the Mariners is owned by either a multimillionaire or billionaire. So those teams who we would label as "small" actually have the potential to be big clubs if we allow them to be and if we participated in the football economy. The reason why we label them "small" teams is simply for the fact they are in small market but as I mentioned before EVERY CLUB has the potential to be massive because they all have rich owners with deep pockets who could line their squads with absolute top players if the salary cap wasn't  there. With proper investment in players and a league where we can sign at least the best players in Asia and the 2nd tier player in Europe would result in exponential growth in our league. They just wont do it though. 

We need to make sure Victory don't have a chance against Kashima so that Central Coast can finish 44 points below Sydney because we're all equal and this isn't all rigged, no way mate..

The people against removing a salary cap and saying it will only lead to a two horse race, repeat after me:

There is no incentive to completely outspend other clubs for a prolonged period of time.

This is just the PFA pushing there own agenda.

I have nothing against getting rid of the cap in principle - but that is a secondary concern. In a closed league it will lead to rich clubs dominating the league - not by outrageously outspending the smaller clubs - just by doing enough Again,in principle I don't have a problem with that. 

The real problem is the slow pace of expansion and connection to other parts of the football pyramid. This has been the problem for years. You fix that and salary caps, transfers and P & R make sense. In the current closed league they will just kill a club they have nowhere to go. Equally with the current disconnect there is no club ready to take their place in a hurry.

Attack the real problem and the rest will come easily.

What a great post. It simply amazes me that we have people in charge of football who claim they understand football and yet fail to follow the simple model that has been laid out by FIFA and genuinely followed by the leagues in France, Italy, Germany, Spain and England. 

In order to have a strong football league you need to have all the moving parts connected and moving as one big machine.

1. No salary caps
2. Pro/Relegation
3 A proper pyramid with multiple tiers connected.
4. Transfer fees and participation in the football economy.
5. Player development and academy systems
6. Developed of coaches and referees
7. A club system where fans are closely connected to their club including voting rights and a real influence in the clubs behaviour.


It just drives me crazy because the reason none of this is properly introduced is the simple fact that we think we are unique and an outlier to all the other nations who play football. I am not even talking about the average man in the street, but club owners, media and Administrators alike. We have all been hoodwinked that the only way to administer the sport is to follow what they do in the NRL and AFL, rather than follow what they do bigger and better in the big leagues of Europe. Tearing my hair out right now. GRRRRR

Removing the salary cap alone may have "concerns". But keeping a salary cap also has issues

You have to remember the default position for any league is to not have a salary cap. And those leagues that want one will implement it if they can prove doing so will improve the league

The salary cap might work in the other codes where they are in a position to regulate the market for player payments. And it might be an option for leagues who are concerned clubs are spending outrageous amounts to win a title. But neither of these are true for our league


Imagine a scenario where the league is closed off and CCM have no chance of making the finals, and no chance of relegation. Do the people of Gosford not want a team? Do they not want to see some of the biggest clubs of any code in this country play at their ground? Do they not want the increased sponsorship, media attention, and the potential for investment?

For 25% of bandwagoner fans, seeing a team lose a game is as bad as it gets. But for the community and core fans not having a team to support is much worse. Even our teams who have bombed the whole season and have a string of dead rubbers at the end still get more than teams in second divisions. A club that doesn't have a realistic chance of winning will not die

The real problem clubs at the bottom pose in a closed off league is the teams at the top might end up resenting sending a large chunk of all funding to teams that give up mid season, which risks a break away league. But it is a risk, not an inevitability