THE blood, sweat and tears that go into getting onto a VFL list and keeping a place in the starting line-up cannot truly be measured. Neither can all the push-ups, the weights, the boxing, diets, skills sessions and stinging 'sprays' from coaches.
This is, after all, the second-biggest football competition in the country and not many footballers find the way paved with gold or, to be more precise, dollars.
The value of putting the body on the line in the Victorian Football League has given its member clubs cause for concern, considering salary caps are around the $250,000 mark.
Imagine dividing that figure up between 40 to 50 players, and taking into account the elite are paid in bigger proportions than others.
Some are barely paid loose change.
So little wonder that former AFL players - who are used to the big bucks - see a short-term fix when the dollars are thrown at them from country clubs or even the South Australian National Football League, which has a vastly bigger salary cap than the VFL.
Players who are in it for the love of the game are now at a premium.
Former Western Bulldogs player Brad Murphy played for a country league team last season, accepting a big payment.
Murphy said he and several teammates were still owed more than $13,000.
"They stopped paying us halfway through the year and I ended up tearing my hamstring twice, which was bad, and missed about seven weeks and we didn't win a game. I came seventh in the league best and fairest.
"If I had my time over again, I wouldn't be going up the country to play again. They offer good money but then again they didn't pay the money. We signed contracts and because they're a not-for-profit organisation, we can't do much about it."
The 23-year-old, who was delisted by the Bulldogs at the end of the 2006, is now earning more money at Hoppers Crossing, one of the richest teams in the Western Region Football League.
"I think the VFL is more for the 19 or 20-year-olds who didn't get drafted and really wants another crack at it. A lot of guys around my age, 23, 24 or 25, they just want to have a kick around with their mates and they don't want to take it too seriously and they just want to earn a bit of extra money on the weekends, which local footy allows," Murphy said.
How can VFL clubs snare the best available players when the bait is so much more attractive elsewhere?
Some local clubs get the big bucks in through massive sponsorship contracts, the traditional raffles and charity nights.
Some are rolling in dollars; others aren't.
In the Bellarine Football League, it is understood cellar-dweller Portarlington spent big dollars and even contributed to a property for former Geelong player Paul Lynch to coach the team for two years, albeit with little success.
The Geelong Football League is littered with examples of ex-AFL players playing there: former Cats David Mensch and Tim McGrath poached at Grovedale, former Hawk and Tiger Billy Nicholls played with North Shore, and former Swan Wade Chapman was also at North Shore and is now coaching Drysdale in the Bellarine league.
The league has also enticed the Carson brothers - Paul and Dale - while former Werribee players Ben Lavars and David Mitchell have also been enticed to local football.
Former Carlton forward Lance Whitnall turned down offers from several VFL clubs to play at Lalor this season.
Ballarat Football League club Sunbury snared former Bulldog Tony Liberatore in a full-time coaching role.
Yes, the local football scene is changing. There's now more money; it's more professional and more attractive to the wallet.
Even the average local footballer can set himself up.
Look at Werribee Centrals player Craig Hardingham, who resided in Hoppers Crossing but accepted a lucrative four-year contract at Winchelsea in the Geelong and District League.
"I had a baby on the way and it was fairly lucrative to go down there in a way. I sort of did it to get ahead and it helps build me the house. I've sort of set myself up and I've done that now," Hardingham said.
Murphy said the AFL alignments in the VFL competition were also off-putting.
He admits he would be in Werribee Tigers colours this season if they had gone stand-alone instead of opting for a last-minute partial alignment with the Kangaroos.
Some AFL alignments have a contract in place to play a certain number of AFL-listed players in the senior team every week.
"I did have a chat to Werribee; they called me a couple of times to try and get me to play down there," Murphy said.
"I'm probably not ready for the three days a week commitment and the whole alignment thing it doesn't really sit well with me.
"I didn't agree with it when I was at the Bulldogs and I still don't agree with it. If they'd have d been stand-alone, like they were going to be, I told Axe [coach Simon Atkins] I'd think about it."
Werribee captain James Podsiadly has been playing in the VFL for almost a decade.
A personal trainer off the field, he strives hard for the higher fitness levels.
"It's just more professional, just the support you get from the coaches and boxing coaches. You can develop a lot faster," Podsiadly said.
Tell us what you would do if you were a footballer. Would you try out for VFL footy or accept a higher payout from a local league club?
Email your thoughts to brent.diamond@fairfax.com.au