The recent report that would have left Leigh Matthews ‘livid’ as an AFL player

Leigh Matthews says “he’d be livid” as a player if the AFL asked him to take a pay cut to help fund AFLW.

Not because he’s got anything against the women’s competition, rather because the players are already “pretty generous” when it comes to their slice of the AFL pie.

Sportsday co-host Sam McClure reported earlier this month that players in the men’s competition were being told to brace for the possibility of being asked to take a pay cut to help subsidise AFLW players in the next collective bargaining agreement.

“If I was a player, I would be livid at that thought,” Leigh Matthews said.

“The AFL men’s competition is the cash cow for the whole sport.

“We saw some of the basic figures.

“AFL revenue is about $800 million, well $400 (million) of that is the TV rights that come from the men’s competitions, the finals, all those kind of things.

“The figure they talk about is 28 per cent of AFL revenue goes towards the salary cap for the men’s competition – I always think that’s pretty generous of the players.

“Because, to be honest, they’re earning the money.”

Asked where the money to fund AFLW should come from, Matthews said that was “the AFL’s problem”.

Click PLAY below to hear more on 3AW