Like many clubs, the Pumas have paid a few players before in the league, but this is a whole new ball game for Moyston-Willaura, as it includes every one that gets selected in the seniors. 

Newly appointed coach Cam Brown said it was a fantastic initiative shown by the club to keep the local players on board and to reward them. 

“I thought well a lot of young kids have committed like the 17 year olds, 18 year olds and even 19 year olds, have all committed to stay at the club,” he said.

“So I thought it would be pretty remissive of me not to reward that loyalty and let them know that with a little bit of room in the salary cap that we can afford to pay every player that plays senior footy, whether we win lose or draw.”

The Pumas have a lot more room in the salary cap now that some of the players have decided to leave that were on a substantial wages, giving some wiggle room for this movement. 

Brown said one of the reasons for this particular movement was to reward the young players who have stood by the club especially after a tough period. 

“I thought it would be hard for us not to reward the young kids that have signed on to say they are going to stay out at Moyston after a pretty tough sort of start to the year about where we are at and where we are going. 

“We have always had the money there and we obviously paid players to play last year,” he said. 

“It’s just solid reward for the kids to make a commitment to the club.”

“It’s just the fact that if they play for Moyston they are going to get paid.”

Brown said that it could potentially attract more junior players to the club and make it a destination club for that age group. 

“I know it’s a pretty exciting thing out of Moyston at the moment, to think that if you are a 14 or 15 year old and if you work hard enough and play  seniors and know if you make the senior side you are going to get paid whether you win, lose or draw,” he said. 

“I think that has put a bit of spirit into the juniors I suppose, because it’s probably a big thing and doesn’t matter if they are 15,16,17 or 18 they are going to be getting paid no matter what, as long as they put on a senior football jumper next year they will get paid.”

Brown said because of the time he got the leading role it made it hard to land a big marquee player. 

“We have sort of started so late (in terms of recruiting) to go targeting massive recruits.. and I got the position in December, and anyone that I was sort of thinking of recruiting had already signed on for this years commitment” he said.

“So the big thing was we are not going to be paying money on big marque players, so we are just going to be paying the kids that are going to reward us this year.”

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