Stellar year: Richmond star Dustin Martin has been outstanding this season. Credit:Getty Images Marsh said the minimum salary will be about $100,000 for a senior-listed player, with rookie wages at $71,500. McLachlan and AFL chairman Richard Goyder were joined by AFLPA chief Paul Marsh and president Matthew Pavlich in Adelaide on Tuesday in announcing the six-year contract, ending months of haggling between the parties. McLachlan said star players deserved maximum rewards. "Paul and I have different views on this. I think everyone is in the same position. There is a list size and an amount of money and there are all these different views on how it should be apportioned. I might stop there. I think the star players deserve everything they get," he said.

AFL players have agreed to a $1.84 billion pay deal Credit:AFL Media/Getty Images However, as reported by Fairfax Media, for players to immediately share in the spoils, they will need a clause in their current contracts enabling them to get the rise. Marsh said only 50 per cent of players had this clause. Contract negotiations with players this year had been held up by the lack of clarity over the new collective bargaining agreement but these can now also proceed. Marsh said it was up to clubs how they would spend the windfall. "At the bottom end, what we have done to try and make sure it is equally shared is we have increased the minimum salaries by an amount than greater than what the Total Player Payments is," he said.

"We have set the benchmark of the bottom a bit higher. Ultimately, it is up to clubs how they choose to spend their salary caps. That is not our job." There has also been a change to free agency, with players no longer needing to have been a restricted free agent before becoming unrestricted. There will be another tweak made by October. It's understood between 27 and 28 per cent of league revenue will flow to the players, including an extra 28 per cent of un-budgeted AFL revenue and 11.2 per cent of club revenue. While there is an immediate salary jump, the increase will dip to 1.2 per cent in 2018, 1.3 per cent in 2019 and two per cent in 2020, 2021 and 2022, taking the salary cap to $13.54 in the final year of the deal.

Players, including AFLPA board members Patrick Dangerfield, Scott Pendlebury and Leigh Montagna, had been steadfast in their determination to gain a share of un-budgeted revenues. Dangerfield had last year even raised the prospect of strike action through the pre-season competition when negotiations stalled but that did not eventuate. "I reckon we have been consistent from the start that we believe in the theory of (the CBA) being tied in a binary way to the success of the industry," McLachlan said. "We have had three to four issues. One is that half of our industry revenue came from the clubs, which we had no control over. We needed a model that actually gave us some flexibility. If it is something with a 100 per cent margin, like wagering, they (players) will get a straight 28 per cent. Something with less margin ... they will get a different percentage. "The players have had a win and got what they want, which is a percentage model that is fair and ties them in in a partnership sense with the success of our game and we have got what we want, which is industry protection and flexibility and ensures our game goes ahead for the next 100 years and doesn't put it at risk." Pavlich said the players had 10 points of concern heading into talks. Promotional and marketing allowance money will also jump, while the players had a win in their bid for better travel and accommodation measures. There are also improved welfare and injury provisions, particularly for past players, and an added focus on concussion.

McLachlan and Goyder stressed the four pillars of the sport - players, clubs, community and supporters - would benefit from the $2.508 billion broadcast rights deal signed in 2015. Goyder insisted clubs were happy with the new deal. McLachlan also confirmed the AFL Commission had agreed Port Adelaide would again stage a clash in China next year. MONEY MATTERS: HOW THE NEW CBA SHAPES UP Player payments: * Total player payments will increase by 20 per cent in 2017, to $12.45 million per club ($224m in total), with increases of 1.2%, 1.3%, 2%, 2%, 2% in years 2018-2022.

* Players receive 28 per cent of forecast defined football revenue; * Players benefit from a review mechanism that captures a share of additional AFL and club revenue; * Players are entitled to receive 28% of AFL revenues and 11.2% of club revenues above forecasts; * Exclusions to the model includes bequests, donations, government grants, non-football revenues and AFLW revenue; * The minimum rookie payment will increase to $71,500 in 2017, while the base payment for a first-round draft pick will rise to $88,200 in 2017.

Education, Development, Wellbeing and Retirement: * An extra $6 million of funding into player retirement accounts; * Increased funding to $13 million for player development; * Revamped injury payments model, guaranteed funding of $250,000 annually for concussion research; * Improved travel and accommodation conditions;

* Past players to benefit from the establishment of a Lifetime Health Care program; * Category-A rookie-listed players will be eligible to play senior football from 2018. Free Agency: * Players no longer need to be restricted free agents before becoming unrestricted; * Free agency qualification periods remain as is - 8 years restricted (if in top 25% of paid players at club); 10 years unrestricted.

Also, at least one additional free agency provision to be adopted by October 2017, from: * Free agency for life; * Free agency portability; * Restricted free agency at 4 years for any players under median salary; * Such other change proposed by AFL and agreed by AFLPA.

Other: * Improved travel, accommodation and leave conditions; * Eight grand final tickets for participating players; * Emergency player payments