By Sam McClure
A war of words has broken out between the AFL and its players’ union over how much money the league is collecting by fining players for on-field indiscretions and how it spends that cash.
At a time when concussion is arguably the most significant issue in the game, the players’ association has accused the AFL of lowering the threshold for which players are fined by the match review officer and has also claimed they are being disingenuous about where the money goes.
The league is on the cusp of collecting almost $500,000 this season in player fines, obliterating the previous record of $370,000.
With one home-and-away game and finals left to go, the tally is already near $450,000.
Stricter policing of some rules by the match review officer has added to the bulging tally.
The total collected from players accused of making careless contact with an umpire is closing in on $100,000 and a similar amount has been accrued from players found guilty of wrestling or engaging in a melee.
For several years now, all money collected by the league from players fined by the match review officer has been put towards concussion research.
It was, in fact, specifically written in to the previous collective bargaining agreement that this would happen.
Harley Reid gets physical against the Blues last round.Credit: Getty Images
On page 55 of the 2017-2022 CBA states: “The AFL agrees to commit $250,000 per annum towards concussion research to be funded by tribunal fines, with any shortfall to be paid by the AFL.”
However, in the final negotiations of the players latest deal, the clause was removed.
It has now left the AFL Players’ Association demanding answers from the league.
“We are extremely concerned by the size of some of the fines being handed down in 2024, which will result in a record amount collected this year, and the AFL’s lack of accountability on where this money goes,” players’ association general manager Brett Murphy told The Scoop.
“The combination of the increase in fines, the application of additional penalties for second and third offences, and the seemingly lower threshold for fining on-field acts has resulted in some penalties which are entirely disproportionate to the acts committed.
“We don’t believe it’s appropriate for the AFL, as the governing body of the competition, to set the fines structure, enforce it in individual cases, and then financially benefit from the collected funds.
“We continue to call on the AFL for an explanation regarding these concerns and propose that the funds should go towards a joint project that benefits the industry as well as the playing group.”
But the AFL has hit back, telling this column the money collected from MRO fines continues to go directly to concussion research.
“The player fines accumulated during the season go directly into concussion research,” AFL spokesperson Jay Allen said.
“Every dollar of every player fine accumulated across the season goes directly into concussion research for the benefit of the players at all levels.
“Any suggestion it’s not going into concussion research is incorrect.
“The health and safety of players at all levels of our game continues to remain our number one priority.
“The AFL continues to invest in, and support, research into concussion.
“There have been more than 30 rule changes, and there are more than seven full-time employees working at the AFL in this space, across research and education.”
Tensions have been rising between the AFL and its players’ union over several issues for much of this year.
Three senior players, all of whom spoke to The Age on the condition of anonymity, said they were concerned the relationship between the AFL and the players’ association was reaching breaking point.
Players are being fined more than ever in season 2024.
Zak Butters (middle) has been fined thousands of dollars for on-field indiscretions.Credit: Getty Images
Individual fines range from $1250 for minor indiscretions at the first offence, but escalate quickly when a player is found guilty of the same infraction on multiple occasions, with tripping offences often accruing hefty penalties.
Port Adelaide star Zak Butters is the game’s most-fined player this year, accumulating nearly $20,000 worth of penalties so far.
West Coast sensation Harley Reid has been fined six times in his first season, pouring $11,250 into the kitty from his first 19 games.
The Western Australian derby in round 20 produced 15 fines and a total of $21,875 in fines were issued.
Melbourne’s Jack Viney was fined $6250 in round 23 for his third rough conduct offence, this time against Gold Coast’s Matt Rowell.
The AFLPA has consistently called for the money to go to a fund to be administered for the betterment of the players and the industry.
At the end of the 2022 season, Andrew Dillon – at the time the league’s general counsel, but now its chief executive officer – was forced to apologise for an “under funded and under resourced” concussion project report.
Following that report, the AFL said it would commence a process to respond to numerous recommendations made by the panel’s report, hoped to improve the structure and workings of its ongoing concussion management research
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