Collingwood president Eddie McGuire and AFL Players' Association chief executive Paul Marsh have been involved in a heated on-air slanging match over the issue of equalisation during which Marsh accused McGuire of using a "ridiculous argument" before McGuire noted Marsh's lack of experience in the AFL industry.
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The AFLPA is pushing for a dramatic equalisation superfund, above and beyond the recently implemented football department spending cap. McGuire has railed against the notion, believing that it will ultimately hinder rather than promote the game's development. The union will advocate for such a fund to be introduced into the next wages agreement, beginning in time for the 2017 season.
But McGuire has again slammed the proposal, resorting to an attack on Marsh's credibility.
"Why do you put restrictions on how much we can control our players? Why do you try and take the power away from clubs? That's why the smaller clubs are going broke," McGuire said to Marsh in a Friday morning interview on Triple M.
When Marsh responded by saying "that's a ridiculous argument," McGuire countered "I've been a president for 17 years Paul, you've been in there for 10 minutes."
Earlier in the exchange, Marsh - who was appointed to the AFLPA post last June after being plucked from the Australian Cricketers' Association - sought to explain what the AFLPA was seeking to do.
"I would like to just clarify, we have not put a specific proposal together, this is about two things. One is that we believe the players should get a percentage share of the revenue that the competition and the clubs generate and we think that the way that will work is the bigger clubs that generate more money will automatically be putting in more revenue.
"We don't see how letting the big clubs get bigger ... and the gap between the top and the bottom get bigger, how that actually helps this competition."
But McGuire hit back, again raising the issue of the draft concessions afforded to clubs in the northern states courtesy of their academies.
"Paul, with the greatest respect mate, that's a lot of rubbish. The last time I looked at the ladder, the Bulldogs were third, Collingwood were second on the ladder and the only issue as far as equalisation of the competition, and has been proven time and time again ... you'll find the only way to make the competition even is to make sure there's no imposition on the draft and the salary cap. Where are you guys screaming about academies, where are you screaming about COLA (cost of living allowance), and stop doing this red herring stuff about having a couple of extra massage tables."
Marsh then mentioned that McGuire had previously committed to equalisation measures.
"I don't disagree with some of the positions you're raising, but revenue is a significant part of that. You were part of the group that went over to the United States and had a look at the way then sports do it over there. The teams are privately owned, and they're sharing their revenue, because they understand a competitive competition will generate more for everybody."
But McGuire said the 2013 fact-finding trip Marsh mentioned had led him to believe that there were few similarities between the NFL and AFL, with McGuire using the example of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft to demonstrate his point.
"When he wins, he goes and buys a private jet. When we win here in Melbourne, we keep the prices down on membership."
