That's a wrap for another momentous day in footy. Here's an update from Jon Ralph and Glenn McFarlane filed earlier today – scroll down for all today's headlines and join us again tomorrow for another edition of AFL Daily.
AFL postpone Round 1 decision as AFLPA believe 22-game season is possible, footy news from Tuesday, March 17, 2020
AFL players have declared they are ready to play Round 1 starting Thursday, but uncertainty surrounds the 2020 season as the AFL delays an almost impossible decision amid shifting advice.
An uncertain AFL has pushed back a decision on starting Round 1 until today as it faces a confrontation with the player union over its proposed 17-round season.
AFL player’s association boss Paul Marsh yesterday said the league’s playing group was still keen on playing 22 rounds this year in a move that preserve $260 million of wages.
Marsh said the players believed it was still possible to play 22 home-and-away rounds across the next 40 weeks, despite the AFL’s medical advice that the coronavirus would peak in June or July.
“Gill (McLachlan) and the AFL’s view is that 17 is the only realistic number that we can go for,” Marsh said.
“All we’re saying is we’ve got a 40-week window.”
The AFL has postponed an official position on starting the season until Wednesday, knowing that it could still bin the season only hours before the Carlton-Richmond first bounce.
The league is concerned that governments could ban mass gatherings of more than 100 people — a number that would be exceeded by 44 players, dozens of staffers and up to 200 MCC officials on Thursday night.
Clubs are bracing for massive financial pain, with Brisbane CEO Greg Swann saying the Lions were bracing for a $5 million shortfall from playing in empty stadiums this season.
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Club’s could save more than $50 million in player wages if the AFL secures a 20 per cent pay cut across the board.
But Marsh was adamant any new pay deal would take months of detailed negotiations.
Senior players such as big-earners Dustin Martin and Jeremy Cameron would give up as much as $250,000 under a blanket 20 per cent pay cut for players.
Tellingly for Cameron, he had his wage heavily back-ended to help Greater Western Sydney with its salary crunch.
“It’s a very long and complicated piece of work we will have to do,” Marsh said.
“Players have an understanding that everyone is hurting and clearly we are part of that.
“We will get to that when the time is right. We haven’t got down to those discussions with the AFL.
“We don’t know what the size of the financial hole is yet.”
Pioneering player agent Ricky Nixon told the Herald Sun yesterday he would tell his clients to accept a 20 per cent pay cut.
“I would always be honest with them and say ‘yes’. The game is more important than the individual,” he said.
“I would actually tell them to. I would say, ‘Listen you might not want to and you have a mortgage but I will restructure your deal’.
“I would say, ‘You have lost 200 grand but we will extend your contract for a year’.”
Each club’s salary cap is $13.273 million this year with an additional services agreement budget that takes in marketing payments of $1.194 million.
It means the total wage bill for the 18 clubs from pay and the separate ASA marketing component would be just over $260 million in 2020.
The player union conducted a telephone hook-up with 53 player agents yesterday to discuss the pay cuts, with some last night angered their players had been painted as greedy.
They said the players had volunteered to give to their leave to ensure the league could play a full season, with most answering that they still wanted to play 22 games when asked in a Monday night questionnaire.
They discussed the potential pay cuts with AFLPA head of legal James Gallagher and discussed whether the cuts would be issued to the average wage of an entire contract to stop player with back or front-ended deals being unfairly penalised.
Some player agents also brought up players on small base contracts and $5000 match fees, arguing they were already being penalised by losing the capacity to lose $25,000 in payments.
Scroll down to recap all today's headlines
Updates
Paul Amy and Ben Higgins
Local footy leagues will not start their seasons for months.
AFL Victoria has announced all state association managed or operated leagues, along with all NAB AFL Auskick programs, will be postponed until May 31.
The Riddell District Football and Netball League and Bendigo Football and Netball Leagues have also announced they will postpone the start of their seasons and restrict club activities.
The RDFNL, which is part of AFL Goldfields, will delay all training, practice matches and regular season matches until after May 31st.
"The RDFNL is a great asset to the community. We are facing a serious challenge at the moment, but if we stand strong, and work together rationally and sensibly, we will come out the other end united," the league said in a statement.
AFL Central Victoria – which governs the BFNL, Heathcote District, Loddon Valley, North Central and Bendigo Juniors – said all competitions had been delayed until at least the first weekend in May.
"The decision was collectively agreed upon to delay the scheduled start date for all competitions until the first weekend in May," the league said in a statement.
"Fixtures will be amended to complete the season resulting in later grand finals. Leagues will continue to explore fixturing alternatives however acknowledge the situation is fluid and any decision may change.
"In the interim, the commission and league chairs are advising clubs to cease all activities in relation to football and netball, including training and practice matches until April 1, 2020."
Local footy called off
Paul Amy and Ben Higgins
Local footy leagues will not start their seasons for months.
AFL Victoria has announced all state association managed or operated leagues, along with all NAB AFL Auskick programs, will be postponed until May 31.
The Riddell District Football and Netball League and Bendigo Football and Netball Leagues have also announced they will postpone the start of their seasons and restrict club activities.
The RDFNL, which is part of AFL Goldfields, will delay all training, practice matches and regular season matches until after May 31st.
"The RDFNL is a great asset to the community. We are facing a serious challenge at the moment, but if we stand strong, and work together rationally and sensibly, we will come out the other end united," the league said in a statement.
AFL Central Victoria – which governs the BFNL, Heathcote District, Loddon Valley, North Central and Bendigo Juniors – said all competitions had been delayed until at least the first weekend in May.
"The decision was collectively agreed upon to delay the scheduled start date for all competitions until the first weekend in May," the league said in a statement.
"Fixtures will be amended to complete the season resulting in later grand finals. Leagues will continue to explore fixturing alternatives however acknowledge the situation is fluid and any decision may change.
"In the interim, the commission and league chairs are advising clubs to cease all activities in relation to football and netball, including training and practice matches until April 1, 2020."
– Lauren Wood
The AFL Players' Association is recommending that the league begin the AFL Women's finals series this weekend.
But with a few tweaks.
In an email sent to players, the union has indicated that its preferred position – reached after surveying all players on Monday night – is for the season structure to be altered to progress with a three-week finals series involving the top four teams from each conference.
"AFLW and AFL players want to play, they know how much people love and need football, and players feel a deep sense of responsibility to deliver the game for the wider industry and fans," the email said.
"Players also feel a strong moral obligation to play their part in limiting the spread of this virus in the broader community."
The original series would have seen another two rounds of home-and-away games before finals played over three weeks but between the top three teams of each conference.
If agreed to by the AFL, which has delayed its calls on the AFL and AFLW seasons until at least tomorrow, Collingwood and Gold Coast – who both sit fourth – could be in with finals hope having been set to miss out if the official system is adopted.
If they were played this weekend, the finals would look as follows:
CONFERENCE A
North Melbourne v Gold Coast Suns
GWS Giants v Brisbane Lions
CONFERENCE B
Fremantle v Collingwood
Carlton v Melbourne
Players: Bring on AFLW finals
– Lauren Wood
The AFL Players' Association is recommending that the league begin the AFL Women's finals series this weekend.
But with a few tweaks.
In an email sent to players, the union has indicated that its preferred position – reached after surveying all players on Monday night – is for the season structure to be altered to progress with a three-week finals series involving the top four teams from each conference.
"AFLW and AFL players want to play, they know how much people love and need football, and players feel a deep sense of responsibility to deliver the game for the wider industry and fans," the email said.
"Players also feel a strong moral obligation to play their part in limiting the spread of this virus in the broader community."
The original series would have seen another two rounds of home-and-away games before finals played over three weeks but between the top three teams of each conference.
If agreed to by the AFL, which has delayed its calls on the AFL and AFLW seasons until at least tomorrow, Collingwood and Gold Coast – who both sit fourth – could be in with finals hope having been set to miss out if the official system is adopted.
If they were played this weekend, the finals would look as follows:
CONFERENCE A
North Melbourne v Gold Coast Suns
GWS Giants v Brisbane Lions
CONFERENCE B
Fremantle v Collingwood
Carlton v Melbourne
AFLPA CEO Paul Marsh has spoken to the media.
Here is a snapshot of what he had to say.
– AFL and AFLW players want to play
– Overwhelming majority want the season to be started
– Players urged the AFL to be open to the possibility of a 22 round season
– AFLPA focus right now is to help the safety of our players
– AFLPA wants fans to understand that there’s not an answer that they can give today
“The 20 per cent pay cut hasn’t been discussed at this point. Our focus is on the health and safety of our players. That is a very long and complicated piece of work we will have to do. Everyone is hurting and clearly we are a part of that.
"We are basing our decision making on the relevant experts. We are relying on the right people to tell us.
"The players want to play. They will do everything they can. We've got a 40 week window here. We've got a playing group here that is flexible.
"We are dealing with a real unknown. We don't know what is coming. We are hearing that a lot of people are going to get sick from this.
"Gill and the AFL's view is 17 (rounds) is the only realistic number we can go for. All we are saying is we have got a 40 week window. From our perspective, we think we should be keeping the window open for a 22 week season."
AFL players still want 22 week season
AFLPA CEO Paul Marsh has spoken to the media.
Here is a snapshot of what he had to say.
– AFL and AFLW players want to play
– Overwhelming majority want the season to be started
– Players urged the AFL to be open to the possibility of a 22 round season
– AFLPA focus right now is to help the safety of our players
– AFLPA wants fans to understand that there’s not an answer that they can give today
“The 20 per cent pay cut hasn’t been discussed at this point. Our focus is on the health and safety of our players. That is a very long and complicated piece of work we will have to do. Everyone is hurting and clearly we are a part of that.
"We are basing our decision making on the relevant experts. We are relying on the right people to tell us.
"The players want to play. They will do everything they can. We've got a 40 week window here. We've got a playing group here that is flexible.
"We are dealing with a real unknown. We don't know what is coming. We are hearing that a lot of people are going to get sick from this.
"Gill and the AFL's view is 17 (rounds) is the only realistic number we can go for. All we are saying is we have got a 40 week window. From our perspective, we think we should be keeping the window open for a 22 week season."
Paul Marsh from the AFLPA will be speaking shortly. Stay tuned.
Hawks halt 130 million Dingley base
Jay Clark
HAWTHORN has put on hold plans to build its $130 million Dingley training facility due to the coronavirus crisis.
Club chief executive Justin Reeves confirmed the Hawks had put the project on the back burner for the time being while they navigate the extraordinary economic impacts of the pandemic.
The announcement was made this afternoon in an email to members.
It is still unclear whether the Hawks will kick-start their 2020 season against Brisbane Lions on Sunday at the MCG.
“During this time, there is also a need for us to make decisions to ensure the long-term viability and future of the Hawthorn Football Club,” Reeves said.
“As custodians of the club, it is our role to ensure there is a Hawthorn, today, tomorrow and always. With that in mind, the decision has been made to place the Kennedy Community Centre (KCC) project on-hold until further notice.
“This will ensure all resources and energies can be spent navigating through these unprecedented times.
“Any donations or pledges that have been made specifically to the KCC project via the Hawthorn Football Club Foundation, will be ring-fenced and protected until the project is back up and running.”
WA decision could throw AFLW in chaos
LAUREN WOOD
The AFL Women's season could be thrown into disarray if Western Australia decides to close its borders.
As the league grapples with what the immediate future of the competition could look like, WA premier Mark McGowan is set to discuss closing the state to visitors with the national cabinet.
It has been reported that under the move, visitors to WA would have to self-isolate due to coronavirus fears.
Melbourne is set to travel west to take on Fremantle, while the Eagles are due to play Carlton at Ikon Park on Saturday.
It remains to be seen what any such decision would have on the games.
The AFL Players' Association boss Paul Marsh is set to address the media at 4.45pm.