So much talent is spread among over 800 Australian Football League (AFL) players.
This puts the league in a better position than any other sporting league and helps them siphon off large sums of money. Each game earns a player a certain number of points, and those points usually determine their final score.
For instance, a better score every game would imply a greater reward. Who stands to gain the most is the $10,000,000 question.
You can watch the interviews with players, coaches, and league officials to see that the league has come a long way since its inception.
The Herald Sun has released its yearly salary and contract analysis of professional sports players. You will discover that many athletes get positive health outcomes from sports.
The pay reductions during the COVID outbreak reflected this year’s lower profitability.
Twelve players in 2022 had a seven-figure salary given by the AFL while remaining inside the league’s salary cap of $13,540,000.
In 2022, footballers had a whopping $257.6 million pay, an all-time high. The average player’s salary jumped above $400,000 for the first time.
If you are among those interested in learning which AFL players earned the most money in 2023, you should read the Herald Sun.
1. Dustin Martin
Dustin Martin has earnings in the range of $1.2 and $1.3 million in 2023. He is one of the best players in the league right now and has been crucial in Richmond’s recent success.
Martin has won three Norm Smith Awards, and this year, the Tigers led by Martin and other stars like Tom Lynch and Jack Riewoldt.
2. Fremantle Dockers’ Nat Fyfe.
Earnings in the range of $1,015,000 in 2023
Nat Fyfe is the all-Australian squad three times and has won two Brownlow medals. Even though his six-year contract with the Dockers sets to expire after the 2023 season, the Western Australian club gets their money’s worth out of him thanks to his play for the past few years.
3. The West Coast Eagles’ Jeremy McGovern
Salary in the range of $1 million in 2023
In recent years, West Coast standout defender Jeremy McGovern has earned a seven-figure wage, making him one of the league’s biggest earners.
The rebuild is well underway since the contract sets to expire at the end of the season, and McGovern has already taken a pay cut of roughly $200,000 to help the squad.
4. ‘Buddy’ Franklin, Lance (Sydney Swans)
Salary range in 2023: $950,000 to $1,05,000,000
Franklin’s $10.2 million contract was reported in the final year — a contract that brought him to Sydney. He is one of the league’s all-time greatest and is yet to decide when he will retire.
5. Melbourne Demons’ Brodie Grundy
2023 pay: $925,000 to $1,025,000
Brodie Grundy is a top-tier player at ruck. He recently relocated from Collingwood to Melbourne, bringing his enormous income. In 2023, he and Gawn will play crucial roles for Melbourne as they try to reach the league’s highest levels.
6. Richmond Tigers’ Tom Lynch
2023 pay: $925,000 to $1,025,000
Lynch is an essential member of the Tigers. He signed a lucrative free-agent contract that will pay him over $1 million annually until 2025.
7. Geelong Cats’ Jeremy Cameron
Compensation in 2023: $900,000 to $1,000,000
Cameron’s salary decreased when he switched to the felines, but more was needed to knock him out of the top 10. Cameron, who was likely a part of the elderly Cats team that beat Sydney in the 2022 Grand Final, also played a crucial role in that victory.
8. Western Bulldogs’ Marcus Bontempelli
Compensation in 2023: $900,000 to $1,000,000
Western Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli remains a bright spot despite the club’s disappointing finals exit. He will continue to be one of the highest-paid players in the league even as he works toward those honours with the club.
9. Greater Western Sydney Giants’ Stephen Coniglio
Compensation in 2023: $900,000 to $1,000,000
After signing a seven-year contract with the Giants in 2019, Stephen Coniglio is now in the middle of his contract’s second half. Despite his form and injury problems, he is crucial when healthy and on the field.
10. Carlton’s Patrick Cripps
Salary range in 2023: $875k – $975k
Cripps is the Blues’ saviour and has had several excellent years. Cripps and his team have faced high expectations, yet he has been able to keep his head above water and lead them to new heights.
11. Petracca, Christian (Melbourne Demons)
Salary range in 2023: $900,000 in 2023
Christian Petracca, winner of the Norm Smith medal, is one of the most dynamic players in the league. The factors that have contributed to his success are both numerous and diverse. Petracca’s 2022 heroics were crucial to the Demons’ comeback form and helped seal the title.
12. St. Kilda’s Bradley Hill
Salary range in 2023: $900,000 in 2023
St. Kilda relies heavily on Hill as their midfield anchor this season. Hill, a seasoned pro at his position, will look to his teammates on the perimeter for plenty of passing opportunities to showcase his abilities.
13. Sydney Swans’ Isaac Heeney
Salary range in 2023: $900,000 in 2023
Heeney and his kicking partner Buddy Franklin were instrumental in the Sydney Swans’ 2022 championship run. If Franklin calls it quits soon, Heeney will be worth every penny to the up-and-coming Swans, and his salary is already relatively high.
14. Melbourne Demons’ Clayton Oliver
Pay in 2023: between $800,000 and $900,000.
The fiery Oliver has signed a big contract to stay with the Demons until 2030, along with his close buddy and teammate Christian Petracca. In the upcoming years, that number should approach seven figures.
15. West Coast’s Adam Treloar
Pay in 2023: between $800,000 and $900,000.
Treloar has been a mainstay in the Bulldogs’ lineup since they acquired him from Collingwood, and he played an essential role in their 2021 Premiership run. Interestingly, Collingwood continues to pay a wage as part of the deal.
16. Brisbane Lions’ Lachie Neale
Pay in 2023: between $800,000 and $900,000.
Despite speculation that he would join Western Australia, Neale re-upped with the Lions. Neale has committed to the Lions until the 2026 season and is eager to earn more Brownlow votes throughout his time there. The 2023 season will be crucial for the Lions, and Neale must compete well to justify his contract extension.
17. Melbourne Demons’ Max Gawn
Pay in 2023: between $800,000 and $900,000.
One of the best ruckmen in the league is the inimitable Max Gawn. Gawn was an integral component of the 2021 Melbourne Demons premiership team and hoped for a repeat performance this season after the side narrowly missed the finals.
18. Eagles of West Coast forward Andrew Gaff
Pay in 2023: between $800,000 and $900,000.
In 2018, North Melbourne made Gaff a very generous offer to sign with them, but in 2020, he chose to sign with West Coast for two seasons with the option of an extension. Gaff will earn roughly $850,000 this year, with one year remaining on the agreement.
19. For the Greater Western Sydney Giants, there is Josh Kelly
Pay in 2023: between $800,000 and $900,000.
Josh Kelly’s massive deal directly results from the Giants’ fame. The Giants’ first-ever appearance in the AFL Championship Game largely attributes to Kelly’s abilities. Now that he has committed to the Giants for the long haul, the franchise is crossing its fingers that he can live up to its high expectations.
20. As a Greater Western Sydney Giants member, Toby Greene is a household name
Pay in 2023: between $800,000 and $900,000.
Toby Greene, another Giant with much cash to his name, is one of the league’s most recognisable players, but why exactly is it a matter of opinion? Greene is a vital cog in the Giants’ machine and will be central to a successful 2023 season.
FAQs
Who Gets Paid the Most in the AFL?
In 2022, Dustin Martin earned a high salary as an AFL player. At Melbourne, Christian Petracca earns a salary among the highest in the league. Twenty-seven players made over $900,000 that year. Fifty-one players earned wages of $800,000 or more.
What Is the Average Salary for an AFL Player?
In 2022, player compensation reached a record high of $257.6 million, up from $233.9 million the previous year. The average wage also surpassed $400,000 for the first time.
How Often Do AFL Players Get Paid?
One-twelfth of a player’s annual wage is distributed to him monthly as payment for his services. In addition to their regular salary, certain athletes receive match bonuses as part of their base contracts.
How Long Has an AFL Career Lasted?
Michael Tuck (Hawthorn, 426 games between 1972 and 1991) Tuck holds the record for the most career games played with 426 contests. Tuck played until he was 38, which is an incredible feat, but he also had a very successful career.
What Is the Average Salary of an AFL Umpire?
Australian Football League umpires earn anything from $122,080 to $130,212 annually. One pay report(s) covering the role of AFL Umpire in the Australian Football League created this estimate.
Is the AFL Self-Sustaining?
After accounting for all the income, expenses and distributions, the AFL had an underlying operating profit of $20.7 million in 2022, compared to an operating loss of $46.1 million in 2021.
When an AFL Player Gets Hurt, Do They Still Get Paid?
For the first four weeks upon enlistment, players who cannot work full-time due to a football injury (as determined by the exit physical) receive pay at the average weekly wage.
How Long Is a Contract for an AFL Rookie?
Players selected in the national NAB AFL Draft enter the league on regular compulsory two-year contracts plus match payments per the current AFL rules.
What Does an AFL Contract Cost, Exactly?
The new two-year deal for the AFL is worth $643 million per season, up from the current two-year deal’s $473 million, which will expire after the 2024 season.
The Average AFL Player Appears in How Many Games Per Season?
It is rare to make a living playing professional sports like AFL football. The job only offers a little room for growth and advancement. According to various sources (Wood, 2003; Kelly & Hickey, 2005), the typical AFL player only played 30 games throughout his career.
How Do AFL Teams Get Revenue?
Sponsorship, fundraising, and sales are all examples of traditional revenue strategies that play an essential role in any football club.
Where Do AFL Athletes Call Home?
There are many players in the area. Many talented athletes reside in hip inner-city neighbourhoods like Collingwood and Windsor and perennial favourites like Hawthorn, South Melbourne, and South Yarra.
Just How Many Males Tune In to Watch the AFL Each Week?
The AFL 2022 Annual Report states that the season’s average viewership of 125.5 million people (including finals) was up 1% from 2021 and 13% from 2018.
When Do AFL Players Often Hang It Up?
We are pleased with our relationship with the AFL Players Association, which has allowed us to help maximise the careers of retired and delisted players, who are, on average, 25 and a half years old.
Who Is the Afl’s All-Time Leading Goal Scorer?
During his career in the VFL/AFL, which began in 1983 with the St. Kilda Football Club and concluded in 2002 with the Sydney Swans, Tony Lockett scored 1,360 goals.
Who Gets the Most Money as an Umpire?
Joe West earned $450,000 annually as Major League Baseball’s highest-paid umpire. Before his retirement in 2022, West was the baseball’s longest-serving official and was widely considered one of the game’s most controversial umpires.
Can One Make a Living as an AFL Umpire?
Financial compensation for a demanding part-time job appreciates, and I have heard that AFL umpires receive a paid base salary of $70,000 plus match rewards of roughly $2,000.
How Often Do Umpires Get Paid?
Depending on the age group, Gameday will pay between $55 and $75 for each game during the summer. Umpires in the minor leagues can make $2,000 to $3,000 per month, while those in the major companies can earn $300,000 or more annually.
Can You Name the Greatest AFL Comeback?
After falling by 69 points at the 12-minute mark of the second quarter, Essendon staged the most remarkable comeback in AFL history to win by 12. Hawthorn held the record for most responses with 63 points in Round 12, 1999.
Is There a Perfect AFL Team?
Collingwood won the 1929 VFL premiership despite losing its semi-final by defeating Richmond 29 points in the Grand Final. It made Collingwood the first and only club in league history to record an unbeaten home-and-away season.
Is the AFL Part of the NFL?
There is no single entity that owns the NFL. Think of the 32 teams as the “owners” of the league. Therefore, the club owners are responsible for the NFL’s reputation. There are some single-owner teams and some with joint owners.
To Whom Does AFL Owe Its Lawsuit?
Suing the AFL, Geelong, and Hawthorn for alleged concussion injuries, Gary Ablett Sr., a former football player, is suing the AFL and two teams, claiming that they were negligent and caused him brain damage from repeated concussions.
AFL Contracts: How Do They Operate?
No of how many years have passed, a new club can offer a contract without first hearing the player out. A player “delists” himself from a club when he retires, declines an offer from his current team, or seeks to take off the team’s roster. The terms of their contract no longer bind a player who has earned free agency status after their current deal expires.
When It Comes to the AFL, How Long Does a Career Last?
One hundred people enter and exit the workforce yearly, with the vast majority never returning. You require years of hard work to make it to the AFL, yet the average career lasts only over six years.
What Is the Minimum Draft Age for the AFL?
Players must be 18 by December 31 of the draft year to be eligible for the NAB Australian Football League (AFL) Draft.
How Big Is an AFL Team?
At any given moment, each team may have at most 18 players (or, in AFL Women’s, 16 players) on the field. Up to four interchanges (reserve), players can replace the active players at any time during the game.
How Does One Go About Becoming a Free Agent in the AFL?
An unrestricted free agent is a player who has spent at least eight years with a single team, is no longer under contract, and earns less than the top 25% of his team’s salary.
To Sponsor an AFL Team, How Much Would You Have to Spend?
Since it costs about $1100 per year for each player to hit the field in Sydney for things like ground hire, medical care, equipment, umpire fees, and AFL fees, sponsorship is one of the most crucial parts of running a successful AFL team in Sydney.
Is There a Younger AFL Team?
It is no secret that Hawthorn has the league’s youngest roster, with an average age of 23.1. With only three players on the roster who have played 150 games or more, the Hawks will inevitably struggle due to their lack of experience.
If You Win the AFL, How Much Do You Get?
In addition to being a Premier League champion, the victorious club won the Premier League Cup, the Premier League Flag, and the European Champions League—the L. Wilson Shield, together with a cool A$1.2 million in cash.
What Is the Average Salary for a Male AFL Player?
In 2022, player compensation reached a record high of $257.6 million, up from $233.9 million the previous year. The average wage also surpassed $400,000 for the first time.
How Much Do AFL Games Benefit Australia’s Economy?
Total operating revenue increased by 13.8%, or A$131.8m (US$91.16m). The AFL distributed AUS$ 337.5 million (US 233.7 million) to its 18 teams in 2021, an increase of $36.5 million (US 25.25 million).
Where Does AFL Have the Most Fans?
Australia’s most popular style of football is “Australian Rules Football.” It should play professionally by both men and women in Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, and the Northern Territory. In addition, it enjoys massive acclaim in Nauru.
Who Has Taken the Most Time Off for Benching?
Justin Ernest set the record of 51 bench press reps in 1999 and has lasted since then. Undrafted and never playing in the NFL, the Eastern Kentucky defensive tackle holds the record for most representatives at the combine with 51.
Do Men Predominate in AFL?
The Australian Football League (AFL) is a popular sport in Australia, particularly among men. However, attitudes are shifting, and an increasing number of young women are taking up AFL, proving that everyone, regardless of gender, can enjoy Australia’s national pastime.
AFL or NRL: Which One Has More Fans Down Under?
Over a million AFL memberships sold in 2021, making up 1 in every 23 Australians. In contrast, the NRL sold over 300,000 season tickets and memberships. The AFL has been around longer and has more devoted followers than the NRL.
Who Holds the Record for the Longest AFL Career?
Dustin Fletcher (born May 7, 1975) is a retired Australian rules footballer who spent his whole 23-year professional career with the Essendon Football Club in the AFL. He is the best defender in league annals.
The Average AFL Player Appears in How Many Games Per Season?
It is rare to make a living playing professional sports like AFL football. The job offers little room for growth and advancement. According to various sources (Wood, 2003; Kelly & Hickey, 2005), the typical AFL player only played 30 games throughout his career.
Who in the AFL Is the Nearest to 1000 Goals?
(1982–1996), Jason Dunstall (1985–1998) and Tony Lockett (1983–2002) scored at least 1,300 goals throughout their careers. Without diminishing the contributions of the other members, Franklin’s accomplishment stands out as particularly noteworthy.
What is the Average Game Pay for an AFL Umpire?
When it comes to the Australian Football League, how much does an umpire make? Pay for Australian Football League umpires typically pays between $120,464 and $131,535. One pay report(s) covering the role of AFL Umpire in the Australian Football League was used to create this estimate.
Who Gets the Most Money as an Umpire?
Joe West earned $450,000 annually as Major League Baseball’s highest-paid umpire. Before his retirement in 2022, West was the baseball’s longest-serving official and was widely considered one of the game’s most controversial umpires.
Which Four AFL Teams Are the Biggest?
The fixture is rarely balanced out over time since teams choose to play certain games twice.