How there is salary cap relief in concussion cases like Angus Brayshaw, but more risk for longer contracts; Melbourne; Collingwood

“Is there a mechanism whereby potentially a proportion of the payments that are made to a player who is forced to retire as a result of going before the AFL [medical] panel … does it make sense for a proportion of them to be outside the cap?” Dillon said.

He said the AFL were working on setting “aside a policy so that it is known to all clubs what the provisions are.”

One club boss, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak freely, suggested the ruling could mean a high percentage of the payments due in the first year or two after a player’s retirement sits outside the cap, then 50 per cent is included in years three and four, and then a greater percentage after the fourth season.

This would mean clubs signing players to long contracts would need to consider the risk of concussion in their dealings with player managers, just as they may if there was a history of other injuries.

The likely ruling could have a significant impact on contract negotiations with long-term contracts all the rage now as clubs spend the extra money now allocated in the cap as a result of the collective bargaining agreement.

Brayshaw signed his six-year deal with Melbourne midway through 2022, while Murphy signed a one-year extension with the Magpies earlier this season as he weighed up his football future.

Players are also eligible for career-ending injury payments under the collective bargaining agreements. Some players also have extra insurance coverage relating to concussion.

Three senior club officials, who spoke to this masthead on the condition of anonymity because their clubs did not have formal positions on the issue, said they believed some proportion of the retired player’s wage needed to remain in the salary cap to create a moral hazard for clubs when signing players.

Clubs have also had players who have been unavailable due to concussion remain on their list with their wages inside the salary cap, such as Adelaide’s Paul Seedsman.

Two senior club officials also admitted there were extra risks for clubs without financial clout if they had to make payments outside the cap – which the AFL fully funds – to players who are medically retired. Clubs such as Collingwood and West Coast, who earn huge revenues, would be in a better position to cover players outside the cap.

SEN’s David King suggested on Saturday that the AFL’s average wage should be included in the cap for the length remaining on a retired player’s contract, while AFL legend and Brisbane Lions board member Leigh Matthews told Nine he thought an independent panel should assess each case on its merits.

However, the league, which has also been warning clubs about signing players to long-term deals more generally, prefers the scaling up option.

The number of players retiring early due to concussion is increasing at a time when more players are seeking long-term deals, with clubs aware they need to offer them to attract or retain players.