That's all for today's blog. Thanks for joining us. We will be back tomorrow.
Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees may have to wait until next year to receive the honour
This year's Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees have been told of their inclusion, but may have to wait until next year to receive the honour. Glenn McFarlane explains how the scenario could play out.
This year's Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees have been told of their inclusion, but may have to wait until next year to receive the honour.
The AFL had scheduled the ceremony for Tuesday, June 23.
That seems almost certain to be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic – with the AFL season postponed until at least May 31 but in all likelihood even longer – as the league looks at alternative options for one of the most important events on the AFL calendar.
It is believed the AFL will look to either stage this year's induction much later in the year or potentially even delay it until early next year.
There had already been plans for an extended ceremony – and even more inductions – in 2021 to mark 25 years since the inauguration of the Australian Football Hall of Fame in the AFL's centenary season in 1996.
Relive classic AFL matches from the 60s to today on KAYO SPORTS. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
A decision when this year’s recipients will be honoured will not be made until there is more clarity around whether the AFL 2020 season goes ahead or not.
Meanwhile, much of Port Adelaide's 150th anniversary celebrations have been put on hold, but Power chief executive Keith Thomas said the club was thankful it held its gala dinner in February to honour the club's past greats and its history, dating back to 1870.
“The reality is that our 150th anniversary will forever be associated with this global health crisis, however, we’re hoping, and we’re very determined as an industry, to complete the season one way or another later in the year," Thomas said.
"Right now our 150th is about survival and we can’t dwell on the fact that we’re p----- off and don’t get the opportunity to do what we’d planned.
“The other thing I’d say is our fantastic members who want to help wherever they can, they’re going to spend a lot of time delving into the Port Adelaide reservoir of historical footage and data that we’ve collected as part of the 150th, and we’re going to make that a celebration, whether we’re playing of not. "
Updates
Concussion forces Pie to retire
LAUREN WOOD
Collingwood women’s player Emma Grant has called time on her playing career after months of being plagued by concussion effects.
Grant, 30, sustained the concussion in a practice match before the AFL Women’s season and did not play in the Magpies’ 2020 campaign as she battled debilitating symptoms.
The former Pies vice-captain had previously detailed her struggles with headaches, confusion and dizziness.
She has only returned to driving this week – nine weeks after the incident – and continues to receive treatment, which she said must now take priority over football.
“I can’t thank the club enough for the past four years and making my football dream a reality,” Grant, who played 20 AFLW games since 2017, said.
“Growing up in the country, playing football with the boys was the only option. I never thought I would get the opportunity to play for an AFL club in a women’s national competition. To know all girls have a pathway from Auskick through to AFLW is amazing.
“In the end I made the decision to put my health first. I have cherished every moment of my football career and appreciate the fact I have played the game for as long as I have.”
JON RALPH
The AFL will use the massive cash reserves of its power clubs to help guarantee the loan which will bail out the league as it scraps its annual special distributions.
Those yearly distributions from the AFL to clubs are as large as $27 million per season and will be replaced by a cut-down liquidity package.
The AFL has done to banker NAB to secure a line of credit that will help the AFL’s cash-flow crisis as it becomes clear the league might have to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement with players.
But before that clubs have been told to tally up their cash reserves and assets to ensure the league can borrow for a total loss that could exceed $500 million.
North Melbourne chief executive Ben Amarfio told the Herald Sun the clubs were banding together to ensure they had enough collateral.
“The AFL has asked all clubs for transparency over their cash flow but also their reserves. It won’t be stealing their money, it will basically act as a surety for the massive loan the industry will have to take. Then the AFL has told us already we will all get a liquidity package.
“The old distribution is gone and replaced by a new distribution which will be a very small amount of money and we will have to make do with that small amount of money on the skeleton staff we have.
“We were at $16 million and everyone’s distribution is down to zero and replaced by a considerably smaller one.”
Richmond’s cash reserves are $24.4 million as they build capital for their Punt Road redevelopment.
West Coast’s cash reserves are around $45 million while Collingwood has a $17 million future fund and $30 million in cash.
The Pies had been confident they would declare the greatest profit in their history given strong ticket sales, membership and a booming events business at the Holden Centre.
But many of those clubs have more revenue to cut because they had forecast making so much money from reserved seats and ticket sales.
St Kilda made less than $2 million last year from all gate revenue including China so has less projected revenue to fund that clubs like West Coast which made over $10 million.
The AFL will have to walk a fine line between using that cash as equity and spending it in coming months as they try to trade in a solvent position.
How AFL will guarantee bail out loan
JON RALPH
The AFL will use the massive cash reserves of its power clubs to help guarantee the loan which will bail out the league as it scraps its annual special distributions.
Those yearly distributions from the AFL to clubs are as large as $27 million per season and will be replaced by a cut-down liquidity package.
The AFL has done to banker NAB to secure a line of credit that will help the AFL’s cash-flow crisis as it becomes clear the league might have to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement with players.
But before that clubs have been told to tally up their cash reserves and assets to ensure the league can borrow for a total loss that could exceed $500 million.
North Melbourne chief executive Ben Amarfio told the Herald Sun the clubs were banding together to ensure they had enough collateral.
“The AFL has asked all clubs for transparency over their cash flow but also their reserves. It won’t be stealing their money, it will basically act as a surety for the massive loan the industry will have to take. Then the AFL has told us already we will all get a liquidity package.
“The old distribution is gone and replaced by a new distribution which will be a very small amount of money and we will have to make do with that small amount of money on the skeleton staff we have.
“We were at $16 million and everyone’s distribution is down to zero and replaced by a considerably smaller one.”
Richmond’s cash reserves are $24.4 million as they build capital for their Punt Road redevelopment.
West Coast’s cash reserves are around $45 million while Collingwood has a $17 million future fund and $30 million in cash.
The Pies had been confident they would declare the greatest profit in their history given strong ticket sales, membership and a booming events business at the Holden Centre.
But many of those clubs have more revenue to cut because they had forecast making so much money from reserved seats and ticket sales.
St Kilda made less than $2 million last year from all gate revenue including China so has less projected revenue to fund that clubs like West Coast which made over $10 million.
The AFL will have to walk a fine line between using that cash as equity and spending it in coming months as they try to trade in a solvent position.
Warnie’s bold solution to AFL pay issue
MICHAEL RANDALL
Aussie cricket legend Shane Warne says the AFL and its players should explore a loan system to ensure the survival of the league.
As the competition and its players debate how much the pay cut for players will be, the St Kilda superfan has floated the players handing back as much money as possible in the short term, on the proviso the AFL pays it all back once it has recovered.
“In a couple of years we know the AFL will be raking it in again,” Warne said on Fox Footy Live.
“Yes, there is short term uncertainty of how long this virus is going to affect all of us, we don’t know.
“Can the players say we’ll take a base amount, whatever that figure is, $75,000, $100,000, $125,000, because for some of these young kids 75,000 is all they’ve got and that’s a lot of money, but for some of the other guys who are on huge contracts it isn’t as much money.
“So how do you find that balance? What about a loan system where all of the players say ‘we’ll take our base number … and then above that you can have it all’.
“All the players all the coaches everyone, ‘you can have it all, the AFL, but we want it paid back in three years’ time in instalments’.”
Warne urged the players and the AFL to come together for the good of the game.
“It’s not about looking after their own, it’s about all coming together and saying ‘OK, what’s the goal’, and then you work back from there.
“The goal is to keep the AFL strong and healthy for a long period of time. A loan system to me is something worth exploring.”
MICHAEL RANDALL
Gun Port Adelaide midfielder Tom Rockliff has urged footy fans to cut the abuse and reserve their judgment on the players as they thrash out a deal with the AFL.
As the AFLPA and AFL wrangle over the extremity of players’ pay cuts in the wake of the coronavirus shutdown, Rockliff said he understands why fans are frustrated, but wants them to take a step back and wait until the situation has played out.
“I don’t think anyone wants to be in this situation, but I just ask them (fans) if they can reserve their judgment and abuse until we get through this and it’s completed in its entirety,” Rockliff said on Fox Footy Live.
“I would say that most players are really good people and are coming from the right place, but it’s just going to take a little time to get through.
“We aren’t being selfish we’re not just thinking about ourselves, there’s a lot more to play out here and let’s just old our commentary until it’s completed and then you can have your comments on it.
“If you believe it to be selfish in 10-12 weeks, then give us that feedback then.”
The AFL has told the players their offer of a 50 per cent pay cut for the next two months would not be enough and the AFLPA wants the competition to open up its books before it agrees to any deal.
Cut the abuse: Rocky's message to fans
MICHAEL RANDALL
Gun Port Adelaide midfielder Tom Rockliff has urged footy fans to cut the abuse and reserve their judgment on the players as they thrash out a deal with the AFL.
As the AFLPA and AFL wrangle over the extremity of players’ pay cuts in the wake of the coronavirus shutdown, Rockliff said he understands why fans are frustrated, but wants them to take a step back and wait until the situation has played out.
“I don’t think anyone wants to be in this situation, but I just ask them (fans) if they can reserve their judgment and abuse until we get through this and it’s completed in its entirety,” Rockliff said on Fox Footy Live.
“I would say that most players are really good people and are coming from the right place, but it’s just going to take a little time to get through.
“We aren’t being selfish we’re not just thinking about ourselves, there’s a lot more to play out here and let’s just old our commentary until it’s completed and then you can have your comments on it.
“If you believe it to be selfish in 10-12 weeks, then give us that feedback then.”
The AFL has told the players their offer of a 50 per cent pay cut for the next two months would not be enough and the AFLPA wants the competition to open up its books before it agrees to any deal.
Port Adelaide midfielder Tom Rockliff insists AFL players aren’t being selfish as they continue their negotiations with the league surrounding pay cuts.
Earlier today, AFL Players Association president Patrick Dangerfield confirmed the league had told players their offer of a 50 per cent pay cut during footy's shutdown was not enough.
The two parties are now continuing to work towards a resolution.
“We understand that there’s a lot of people that have lost their livelihoods and lost their jobs throughout this and we feel very sorry for them and wish we could do more, but we’ve also got to protect ourselves as best we can,” Rockliff said on SEN.
“When I say protect ourselves as best we can, I spoke about those different situations everyone’s in and they’ve still got the payments to make on different things and you’ve still got to be able to live.
“Particularly for rookies. If they end up losing their salary like all of a sudden they go to $500 – $1000 to live off a month, which can be quite challenging when you’ve got rent to pay, food to out on your table
“I think there’s a lot to play out in that space and the players association and the AFL are having those discussions. Hopefully we can get to a resolution as quickly as we can.
“I think everyone needs to be a bit patient with it and just hold judgment until it all plays out.
“We obviously know it’s a very tricky situation for everyone in the community, I don’t think we’re being selfish at all.”
A message from Tigers skipper Trent Cotchin!
I’d love to be out on the field this week. But my fam and team mean everything to me and that's why I’m in #LockDownForLove. We need to stop the spread. And stay home. No going out.I need you all to lock down too. Who are you going to lock down for? Especially you @Craig_Foster pic.twitter.com/4YR6q1srD9
— Trent Cotchin (@tcotchin9) March 25, 2020
‘I don’t think we’re being selfish’: Rockliff
Port Adelaide midfielder Tom Rockliff insists AFL players aren’t being selfish as they continue their negotiations with the league surrounding pay cuts.
Earlier today, AFL Players Association president Patrick Dangerfield confirmed the league had told players their offer of a 50 per cent pay cut during footy's shutdown was not enough.
The two parties are now continuing to work towards a resolution.
“We understand that there’s a lot of people that have lost their livelihoods and lost their jobs throughout this and we feel very sorry for them and wish we could do more, but we’ve also got to protect ourselves as best we can,” Rockliff said on SEN.
“When I say protect ourselves as best we can, I spoke about those different situations everyone’s in and they’ve still got the payments to make on different things and you’ve still got to be able to live.
“Particularly for rookies. If they end up losing their salary like all of a sudden they go to $500 – $1000 to live off a month, which can be quite challenging when you’ve got rent to pay, food to out on your table
“I think there’s a lot to play out in that space and the players association and the AFL are having those discussions. Hopefully we can get to a resolution as quickly as we can.
“I think everyone needs to be a bit patient with it and just hold judgment until it all plays out.
“We obviously know it’s a very tricky situation for everyone in the community, I don’t think we’re being selfish at all.”