Total Team Points and Allowable Player Payments 2026 Update

AFL Gippsland Region Council and the AFL Victoria CCSP Advisory Panel have approved an increase to total team points and allowable player payments for the 2026 season.

The following Clubs were approved for a points increase:

• Paynesville 45 up to 50
• Hill End 46 up to 50
• Nyora 45 up to 49
• Gormandale 46 up to 50
• Cowwarr 45 up to 49

The following guiding principles are used regarding the additional allocation or reduction of Total Team Points to a Community Club:

• Additional total team points may be allocated to a Community Club which is located in a region with a low population base.
• Additional total team points may be allocated if a Community Club did not qualify for finals in previous seasons or has been promoted from previous seasons.
• Reduction of total team points may be applied when a club has achieved multiple premierships and/or sustained success over previous seasons.
• Additional total team points may be allocated if a Community Club endures significant hardship, lack of success, is coming out of recess, or is a recently merged or restructured entity.
• Additional total team points may be allocated where a Community Club has no U18 or younger underage sides and is not capable of developing a junior program due to reasons outside of its control, or if a Community Club is aligned with a university and the team is based around players coming and going over a 3-4 year period.

Total Player Payments increases were provided to the following clubs:

• Toora $70,000 up to $78,000
• Nyora $78,750 up to $83,750
• Gormandale $70,000 up to $80,000
• Cowwarr $70,000 up to $76,000

The following factors are taken into account when determining a variation of player payments:

• the location of the Club’s training venue and venue for the Club’s home Matches and, in particular, the distance of such venues from any town or city with a large population base;
• if the Club has endured significant hardship or lack of on-field success;
• if the Club has recently come into existence or merged with another Club; and
• if the Club has no or limited under age teams or is otherwise not capable, due to reasons outside of its reasonable control, to develop junior players who will play in the Club’s Senior Team.

The AFL Gippsland By-Laws provides all information relating to the application process for reassessment of total team points and allowable player payments.