Injured ex-players to benefit from AFLPA injury and hardship fund

THE AFLPA will announce a new $24.7 million hardship fund that will include an improved payout system for players who suffer career-ending injuries and help past players still affected in their daily life.

Carlton triple premiership player Jimmy Buckley has recently received several grants from the AFLPA’s injury and hardship fund.

WHEN Jimmy Buckley reminisces with his Carlton teammates about premiership glory, the sacrifice involved is impossible to ignore.

Jimmy often shares stories about war wounds with Greg Wells and Percy Jones regarding the ankle issues that have them all hobbling.

Bruce Doull was forced to throw away his golf clubs until a hip replacement had him walking like a new man.

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Yet instead of bemoaning the era he played in, Buckley has recently been spreading the gospel to the likes of teammate David Rhys-Jones.

Triple premiership player Buckley has recently been the beneficiary of several grants from the AFLPA’s injury and hardship fund.

It helped him for treatment with his ankles and dental work, part of a new $24.7 million fund that will be officially announced on Tuesday.

Through that fund, AFL alumni can be handed as much as $8000 for dental work and joint injuries stemming from their football careers.

AFLPA research shows 76 per cent of players suffered a serious injury in their AFL careers, with 64 per cent of them still affected in their daily life.

The new program also includes a vastly improved payout system for players who suffer career-ending injuries.

Dane Swan received a payout for a career-ending foot injury under the previous career-ending injury scheme. Picture: Phil Hillyard

The previous system made it almost impossible for players whose careers were ended by concussion to prove a single incident which curtailed their careers.

Under the new system, 18 and 19-year-old players receive 250 per cent of their base wage for a career-ending injury, 25 year-olds 100 per cent and players 28 and over 25 per cent.

Buckley says no matter an ex-player’s financial position, out-of-pocket expenses for MRI scans and dental work can quickly add up.

“This just takes the pressure off a lot of people and enables them to get stuff done they wouldn’t be able to afford,’’ he said.

“They want you to use this fund, some people might shy away from it but to walk away from it is ridiculous.

“I had a crook ankle that came out of footy and so I got some orthotics done for my feet and also some dental work.

“The fund is there to help you and you can access funds to make your quality of life better. The AFL is putting a lot more focus on what happens after footy now.

In the recent CBA negotiations $4 million of industry revenue was directed into this fund to better safeguard the health of former players.

“We are extremely proud to carve out money for this fund, which will better support those who helped pave the way for the players of today,” AFLPA president Patrick Dangerfield.

The new fund also provides support for hardship and income relief for delisted players unable to work because of injury.

Under the previous career-ending injury scheme Dane Swan received a huge payout for a foot injury and yet Matt Maguire and Sam Blease spent years haggling over concussion payouts.

AFLPA chief executive Paul Marsh said given the average AFL was career only six years a modernised injury payment model was crucial.

“It is the most significant benefits for past players in the history of the AFL Players’ Association and positions AFL football as a code that prioritises the health of its athletes,” he said.