Since when was a one million dollar a year offer not life-changing?
- Simone Wearne
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
It’s one of the most talked about topics in the AFL this season. In fact, talk began long before the 2025 season was upon us. Will or won’t Tom De Koning sign on the dotted line with Carlton as his contract is set to expire at the end of the 2025 season.
Ever since the AFL introduced free agency back in 2012, the notion of it has created debate, angst amongst loyal club fans, and has captured the back page of the papers.
When Buddy Franklin signed a contract at the end of 2013 that the footy world hadn’t seen before, leaving Hawthorn after a nine-year stint that included two premierships, the free agency landscape changed forever.
And here we are. Round 10 of the 2025 AFL season is upon us, and the topic of free agency continues.
As it stands, De Koning is still yet to make a decision about his future, at least publicly. He’s weighing up offers from Carlton of just over $1 million per season, versus figures suggested to be around the $1.7 million mark per season at St Kilda.
What has me stumped is the notion that Carlton’s offer of $1 million per season is not life-changing. Well, that’s not exactly a direct quote, but that’s certainly what has been implied.
Media outlets have all been saying the same thing.
According to Andrew Slevison (SEN), “De Koning has a life-changing $4 - $5 million dollar decision in front of him.”
Another SEN journo, Sam Edmund stated “When you dangle an extra $4 - $5 million dollars in front of someone, that’s something that’s almost impossible to knock back.”
Whilst I don’t disagree that an extra $4 million dollars over the life of any work contract is significant, can we honestly suggest that a 7 year deal worth $1 million per season is not going to be life-changing? I just can’t fathom it.
I won’t begin to deny the big $$$’s present in professional footy, in particular in Aussie rules footy. I get it, I know there is money out there for the superstars of the game who are going to drive audiences to both attend in person, watch on TV and sell club merchandise.
I also won’t deny that the players should get their fair share of the huge money that the AFL is raking in.
What I can’t get past, however, is the suggestion that signing for $1 million bucks with Carlton wouldn’t be life-changing for a human being.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics released data from 2024 recently, noting that the average salary for someone working in Melbourne was $79,000.
Minimum wage in Melbourne currently sits just under $50,000 per year.
If we disregard tax for the basis of this discussion and comparison, over the course of the next 7 years, someone in Melbourne earning an average salary will earn a maximum of $553,000.
If De Koning accepts his 7-year deal with the Carlton Football Club, he’ll earn a minimum of $7.7 million dollars. That's at least 14 times what the average Melbournian will earn over the same period of time.
Apparently, that is not life-changing.
I’ll add, the deal Carlton have offered would be one of the richest in Carlton’s history.
Commentary around whether or not De Koning should stay or go based on the size of the club and the club’s potential to win flags is another part of the discussion. Which is probably important – to some.
But the basis of this ongoing saga and the media furore surrounding it is that staying at Carlton would mean he was leaving $4 million + on the table over 7 years and walking away from a ‘life changing pay day.”
I also haven't even mentioned the endorsement deals De Koning is likely to gather over the course of his footy career that just add more $$$'s to the base salary he will earn. And those dollars will not be insignificant.
I love sport, I love footy. But I won’t accept that the way we, as a football community, and the media are looking at this topic is real and a true reflection of society.
Playing footy for a living, no financial concerns, living the dream. How lucky. Earning $1 million per year. To put it simply, that's life-changing.
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