“It’s basically an agreement that governs,or sets out the terms and conditions for the players in the game. So,our view is it could be joined,it doesn’t have to be joint to achieve the outcome that we’re seeking,” Marsh said.
“It would basically be an agreement that captures everything for both competitions. I’m sure there’d be some crossover in various aspects,like for men’s and women’s,you might only need one clause that deals with the same issue for both,but it’s not the only way to reach an agreement on both competitions.
“We’re still going through a process,and we’re not at a point where we know whether it’s joint or separate or the right way forward,but the key point for me is just about the next CBA and achieving the best outcomes we can provide for both. There’s been a lot made of a joint CBA,but it doesn’t have to be that to achieve the best outcomes and we’re really open to whichever way it goes,whatever mechanism we use.”
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When the idea of a joint CBA was first canvassed at the start of 2020 – before the pandemic – the AFLPA expressed concern that the league would attempt to subsidise the earnings of AFLW players by reducing the salaries of male players.
Marsh said on radio in February 2020 that they were exploring the idea cautiously.
“There’s got to be a conversation around the women’s competition and running it properly and the industry needs to look after it properly,” Marsh said at the time. “It’s not about the industry pushing this problem to the male players and saying,‘You pay for the women.’ We’ve got to be better than that.”