Former AFLW advisor calls for league chief to step in amid women’s football crisis
Gillon McLachlan’s AFLW legacy is on the line as the pay and conditions crisis continues to deepen, according to a former player union advisor who walked out on the AFLPA amid fears it was not listening to its players.
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Gillon McLachlan’s AFL Women’s legacy is on the line as the pay and conditions crisis engulfs the fledgling competition, a former player union advisor has declared.
As some of the game’s biggest names including superstar Crow Erin Phillips called for a resolution, Prue Gilbert — a gender equality advocate who last month walked out on the AFL Players’ Association women’s advisory committee due to concerns players were being ignored — on Monday broke her silence and accused the league of “hiding behind” the union.
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And she said the AFL supremo had to step up.
“Gill made the right decision by introducing an AFLW competition, evidenced by the rapid growth in women’s football across the community,” she said.
“But how history views his contribution to women’s empowerment hangs in the balance.”
The Herald Sun on Monday revealed an explosive email sent to AFLW players by AFLPA boss Paul Marsh, laying bare the extent of the crisis.
Marsh warned players that the rejected deal had been the league’s final offer and that there were “no guarantees … when and if” the 2020 preseason would begin or that players would be paid for 2020 and beyond.
Women’s football pioneer Sue Alberti said that she was “so sad” that the situation had remained unresolved, and that she was “prepared to do anything I can that may assist”.
Figures close to the stoush claim that the league’s refusal to establish AFLW as a “bona fide football competition” — including an expanded fixture, gate takings and broadcast revenues — is driven by fears it will open the floodgates to pay equity.
The league said that it remained dedicated to the competition’s growth and awaited the outcome of discussions between the union and players and confirmed that the 2020 season would definitely be going ahead.
“The AFL is committed to the long-term success of AFLW and ensuring the competition moves from a start-up to a sustainable league that provides ongoing opportunities for both current players and the next generations of female footballers,” a spokesman said.
Gilbert said it was now up to the AFL to break the impasse.
“The AFL is hiding behind the players’ association,” she said.
“At the end of the day, it’s the AFL’s responsibility to ensure that the players run on the field in February, not the players.
“I stepped down from the AFLPA Advisory Committee last month because after several years of advocating for player rights and a vision for AFLW that prioritises equality, the key pillars of the vision agreed by the AFLPA and the AFL and presented back to the players fails to meet their expectations, even over the long term.
“There is no commitment from the AFL to what the players are asking for, including the laying out of the pathway from part time to full time, to closing the gender pay gap, nor even to a competition structure that would see the teams play each other once.”
Thirty per cent of players rejected the proposed deal in a result Gilbert said had not surprised her.
“I wouldn’t agree to what’s been proposed either,” she said.
Phillips tweeted that she had voted in support of the offer and said she hoped “we can get a resolution SOON so we can all focus on what we love and that’s to PLAY FOOTY!!”.
I supported this current CBA and so did 70% of the players in our great league. I hope we can get a resolution SOON so we can all focus on what we love and that's to PLAY FOOTY!!! #AFLW @aflwomens @AFLPlayers
— Erin Phillips (@erinphillips131) October 6, 2019
Players against the proposed deal — including Geelong defender Meg McDonald and Carlton star Darcy Vescio — have concerns surrounding the length of the season and clarity on the deal, and are seeking greater representation in negotiations.
McDonald said on Friday that “respect, inclusion and empowerment of AFLW players is key to the sustained success of the competition”.
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“That is what we have continually sought from the AFLPA over the past weeks — knowledge of our rights, inclusion in a transparent process, clarity of information, and a commitment to improvements going forward,” she said.
They also said they had felt pressured to agree to the deal.
The union on Monday hit the phones in an effort to determine what players felt were the barriers to supporting the deal.
LAYTON’S WARNING IN AFLW STANDOFF
— JON RALPH
Cross-code pioneer Sharni Layton says AFLW players must sign a new agreement that not only grows the game gradually but locks in every game on television.
Collingwood ruck Layton said there were dangers associated with trying to rapidly expand the AFLW’s calendar into a 13-game year that lost broadcast rights to all games.
Layton said she witnessed Australian netball suffer when it lost TV rights.
The AFLPA is urging its players to sign a deal that sees the league become a 10-game season by 2022.
Layton told the Herald Sun she was speaking out because she was determined to see AFLW grow into a full-time 18-game AFL season by 2030 rather than hit a wall in coming years.
“We don’t want AFLW to grow so fast that we aren’t able to broadcast every game live,” she said.
“We can still continue that with the next cycle and for the next three years we can continue to work on ways to bring money into the game.
“At the moment AFLW isn’t making a whole lot of money.
“The majority of players are really happy with how the game is going and I didn’t speak up last week because I still thought we had enough people to get to a 75 per cent vote (backing in a collective bargaining agreement).
“Right now the 30 per cent has a louder voice than the 70 per cent.”
Layton said she had been through CBA talks with netball.
“When I started in 2004 we were paid $1000 a year and now the minimum wage is $30,000. That took us 15 years to get there,” she said.
“When we didn’t have full broadcast deals our broadcast numbers went down. It’s so important to have every game broadcast and as soon as you have a 13-game season it is setting a precedent that games don’t have to be broadcast.
“AFLW has had such a great start and some people are almost taking it for granted. Players are getting paid and we are lucky to be in the position we are in.
“Some girls want to play each other once, but I would rather be a pioneer who sets the game up for the future than reap the rewards now.”
Layton said AFLPA CEO Paul Marsh was determined to sit down with players who had voted against the proposal to explain why they should vote yes.
“I think the people who have voted yes have given a bit but those saying no have to give a bit because so many girls want to start the pre-season and we can’t do that. There aren’t many risks in saying yes to this but there are so many risks in saying no.
“The AFLPA is sitting down with the clubs that said no and chatting to them about what their concerns are and they are really keen to get that extra five per cent (voting yes) to get the competition to go ahead.”
Originally published as Former AFLW advisor calls for league chief to step in amid women’s football crisis