MELBOURNE is well-equipped to handle the new ‘football tax’ that’s been introduced into football departments across the competition, according to manager of football operations Josh Mahoney.

Speaking to Dee TV, Mahoney said the club had ensured it was well prepared to handle its football spending now the luxury tax on football departments hasbeen introduced as part of the AFL’s competitive balance/equalisation strategy.

“All along you want to be very prudent with how you spend your money and make sure you’re spending it in the right areas. This just had to tighten up for a few clubs and we haven’t been affected by it,” he said.

“Year on year we’re spending more money in football and we haven’t been restricted in any way by that, but we think right now, with our spending that if there is enough room to expand – if we need to expand, but sitting here and having discussions with Paul Roos and asking him ‘what more would he want’.

“Right now we feel we’re giving our players the best opportunity to develop into the AFL players they should be.”

Meanwhile, Mahoney said the club wasn’t yearning for anything in the football department, but he added Melbourne always had one eye to the future in regards to future facilities.

“You can’t sit still in this game. Five or six years ago, one club has the best facilities in the AFL and then in five years time, they have the 10^th best facility, so you have to always be on the lookout for what’s the next best thing to move in to,” he said.

“We’re very happy with our facilities at AAMI Park – it provides everything that we need, but you have to see if there is anything else.

“One of the projects we’re looking at is the next facility for where we’re going to be based and at the moment we’re just looking at a few different options.

“Right now, we’re very happy with where we are, but if another option is to come up, we’ll certainly look at it.”