AFL Tasmania tells TSL clubs to investigate JobKeeper as a way to pay players and staff

Will the Federal Government’s JobKeeper subsidy pay for players and staff? TSL clubs have been told to find out.

STATE League clubs will find out on Friday if their annual TSL grants will be honoured and have been told by AFL Tasmania to investigate whether the Federal Government’s JobKeeper program can pay players and club employees.

The postponement of the season and subsequent loss of income has made the seven TSL clubs more reliant than ever on their grants.

Clubs are suffering and standing down staff as a result.

AFL Tasmania – with CEO Trish Squires and manager of public affairs and infrastructure Damian Gill the only paid employees out of 35 through the coronavirus crisis – sent out an email on Tuesday telling clubs they would be told their financial fate at the end of the week.

TSL clubs may need to tap into the Federal Government’s JobKeeper program in order to pay their players and staff. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

Squires and Gill have spent the past week examining the finances of TSL clubs after they were asked to submit abridged business statements last week.

TSL CLUBS TO SUBMIT FINANCIAL DETAILS

FINANCIAL COST OF CORONAVIRUS THE GREAT UNKNOWN

This week’s letter advised clubs to investigate the coronavirus employment protection scheme JobKeeper and how it might help.

“Our position is each TSL club will need to make their own assessment as to whether players or other club employees are entitled to the JobKeeper payment,” Squires said.

“To assist you in making this assessment, once we understand the detail of the JobKeeper payment application and grant process, we will work to provide State League clubs with guidance on the process.

“It is a new concept that will take some time to work through before we are able to provide you with this guidance.”