AFL CBA: Clubs required to be more transparent with injuries in league crackdown

The time of Geelong having a player on its injury list with no return date, or a club making a late change with no explanation, is over. Here’s why.

AFL clubs have been told they must provide more transparent information about injured players as the league also rapidly expands media access as part of its new CBA deal.

Clubs including Geelong had a host of players with ailments on their official injury list but no specific return date this year, which gave the fans little guidance about their likely return to AFL football.

The league had told clubs it would crack down and, as part of the new collective bargaining agreement, there are a host of new guidelines and rules for clubs.

The AFL rule states: “Clubs must ensure that all medical information issued to the media is credible, responsible, and specific in terms that are meaningful to teams, media, and fans. This includes the information in the weekly injury reports and information on injuries announced to the media during matches.”

AFL clubs will be required to be more transparent with injuries. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

Clubs are also told that within 15 minutes of a player leaving the ground with an injury mid-game the match broadcaster must be updated on the status of that injury.

The information should include the specific nature of the injury – hamstring or quad, left leg or right – and the likelihood of them returning during that match.

Clubs will also have to make their football bosses available to the broadcaster and media after teams are lodged to explain late changes or injury hiccups.

While many teams are excellent in providing information to match-day broadcasters and media to be relayed to fans, other clubs are more secretive or unwilling to help.

Michael Voss speaks to the media ahead of the preliminary final. Picture: Richard Walker

The league’s new media policy, as written under the CBA, demands every AFL coach is available to the match-day broadcaster at half time and pre-match, with all players available to the broadcaster from 90 minutes before the bounce.

The AFLPA and AFL have also agreed upon a new policy which means every player who took part in the previous week’s game must be available for interviews the next week.

The new AFL rule states a club will make available “its playing group, including substitutes, from the previous round to accredited media for a minimum of 45 minutes within 2 days (extended by one day in the event of a player or football department day off) of the conclusion of the Match.

The AFL and players have agreed growing football revenue through promotion can only help both parties, with players receiving a percentage of every AFL dollar earned.