The AFL has revealed the summary of Total Player Payment (TPP) earnings across the 2020 season, showing AFL clubs paid a total of $170.3 million in player payments.

The total payment figure is down 29.8% from the 2019 season, where clubs paid a total of $242.3 million in player payments.

The drop in player payments was attributed to the 29.17% reduction in payments agreed with the AFL Players Association (AFLPA) due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The average player salary in 2020 was $259,651, a decrease from $363,430 from 2019, while the highest paid player for the 2020 season sat alone in the $1.1-$1.2 million pay range, compared to two players earning over $1.2 million in 2019.

The average player salary of $259,651 in 2020 was the lowest average salary since the 2012 AFL season, where the average player pay was $251,559.

The players understood to be the only four players earning more than $900,000 in 2020 were Geelong’s Jeremy Cameron, Richmond’s Dustin Martin, Sydney’s Lance Franklin, and Carlton’s Jack Martin, who also all faced the biggest pay cuts due to COVID-19 ranking as the league’s highest earners.

In comparison, in 2019 season saw 16 players earn more than $900,000.