Carlton coach Mick Malthouse has accused the AFL of creating a “Frankenstein” with salary cap concessions that he believes Sydney have exploited to nab superstar Lance Franklin.
The Swans are on the verge of signing the dual-premiership free agent on a nine-year contract, reportedly worth $10 million.
But the deal has sparked outrage within AFL circles, many claiming the 9.8 per cent cost of living allowance granted to the Swans and Greater Western Sydney above the league-wide salary cap has given the 2012 premiers an unfair advantage.
Malthouse on Wednesday added his voice to a chorus of critics led by Collingwood president Eddie McGuire, who has labelled the rule a rort.
“It’s so insular in the AFL that when they need something to happen, the rules change,” Malthouse told 3AW on Tuesday.
“Now they’ve created a monster.
“Frankenstein is up and running, and now it’s hard to stop because these rules are being exploited to the absolute nth degree by a very clever Sydney – a very, very clever Sydney – and I take my hat off to how good they are.
“I take my hat off to the organisers at Sydney, (CEO) Andrew Ireland, who have masterminded this behind everyone’s back – and rightfully, that’s the way you do your business.
“I’ve got to applaud them … it is a great coup.”
But while Malthouse understood the need to ensure the Swans were a highly-competitive club, he said the AFL have done so at the expense of foundation clubs like Melbourne and St Kilda.
“It is almost inconceivable that we will see those sides in our lifetime win a premiership under the current system, which I think is totally and utterly wrong,” he added.
“Right through history, the VFL/AFL, there has been a kneejerk reaction to so many things that have taken place.”
Malthouse suggested the league should either reduce the length of Franklin’s deal or remove Sydney’s allowance altogether if they are to ratify the contract.
“As far as Buddy goes, the AFL I think have got their hands tied in this,” he said.
“They’ve created the rules and it’s very hard to go back.”
Western Bulldogs president Peter Gordon said the pending deal was not good for competitive balance within the AFL.
“(Sydney’s) record has them either in the grand final or in the last two weeks pretty much every year for the last seven or eight years,” he told ABC Radio in Melbourne on Wednesday.
“We certainly, from a competitive balance point of view, would’ve liked to see the Giants win the day over this particular recruiting coup.”
Gordon added the deal would also leave the Giants in a “fair bit of strife” after they withdrew their offer for Franklin on advice he was going to sign with the Swans.
“I think a lot of the unrest that you saw in the last 24 hours over this issue reflects a concern that I’m sure a lot in the AFL Commission already have about the cost of living allowance and the way in which it coincides with a club that’s picked up Kurt Tippett 12 months ago and then Buddy Franklin this year,” the Bulldogs president said, adding that he was confident the AFL would review the allowance.