Former Collingwood star Dane Swan would strike over pay if he was still playing, accusing the AFL's "bloody top dogs" executives of earning too much.
Swan's comments come as the league continues to negotiate with the players association over a new collective bargaining agreement.
Those talks have stalled and at the start of the month, Magpies captain Scott Pendlebury said he would have no qualms being part of a sitdown protest during a pre-season match if requested by the players association.
Swan, who retired at the end of last season, is riled by AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan earning more than the top players.
The AFL annual report showed McLachlan's salary was $1.74 million.
"If I was still playing I would strike for sure," the 2011 Brownlow Medallist said in the latest episode of Network Ten's I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here, on which he is a contestant.
"The game is not going round without the players, the AFL can think what they like but as soon as the players say we are not coming to work, they've got nothing.
"The AFL don't want to kill our game, they all make too much money, all the bloody top dogs in the game.
"How a player isn't making the most money in the AFL is beyond me. Yet the highest paid player is probably $1.2 million, maybe."
McLachlan has poured scorn on the comparison that is often made between his salary and what the players earn.
"I believe I'm competing in a different market to the players - it's comparing apples with oranges," McLachlan said.
"It's illogical, makes no sense."
Also in Tuesday's episode, Swan revealed a 2003 arrest for his involvement in a brawl with security guards cost him about $250,000 over eight years in legal fees and other costs.
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