$750 For what players get now... bargain... Accredited Coaches... Winter Training facilities... special training nights... Ref fees per week... player equipment: polos, tracksuits, warm up gear, winter training gear, summer training gear, match day kit... club functions... Nothing is for free these days, if you want a value for money pastime go to the beach and swim in and out of rips... Sydney regos for U13-U17 NPL ranges from $2000-$2700... Talking at a Jaffas NPL youth fixture to a Magic manager they did a budget check before the implementation of the NPL and found that players from U19's to First grade alone cost the club just over $1300 per player in "football related" expenses, excluding senior match payments... That is only considering the expenses listed above... Clubs reply on sponsors and match takings to cover the shortfall and senior player payments... most clubs dont have a licensed club to give them a fat check from pokie revenue each year to top up the kitty like most eggball clubs do, its very hard for most...

Clubs desperate for that extra income stream will inevitably call on contributions from its members... some clubs may include youth players as those members of the club as well... in the end... most in newcastle football determine a clubs credibility as it revolves around the success of their first grade team anyways... what about all the effort to put NPL programs in place for Lakes to have first grade fail and the whole club suffer, programs down the drain, all that gear, strips etc purchased for 7 grades? what happens to it? but i agree either directly or indirectly rego payments must be budgeted within clubs to provide football services for players not pay exorbitant first grade fees.