State League coaches have been asked to take significant pay cuts to help get season up and running

Coaches will lead their troops for the love of the game for the rest of 2020, rallying to accept significant wage cuts to help the State League season kick off.

North Hobart coach Richard Robinson. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

STATE League coaches will not be spared from the financial fallout to get the 2020 season off the ground.

In what is shaping as a “return to the love of the game”, the seven head coaches and their support staff have all been asked to take significant cuts to their wages for the year to help get a revamped fixture under budget to appease AFL headquarters.

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It comes on the back of players also being asked to forgo match payments — and the SANFL announcing yesterday it was cutting the salary cap to $0 for all community football leagues.

With an uncertainty of crowds being able to attend matches until restrictions on public gatherings are lifted, TSL clubs have no access to game-day revenue.

All of the southern TSL coaches have no issues in accepting a pay cut, aware they have duty to ensure football can return in mid July.

“I think it is just part and parcel of what we have to do in this time, understanding everyone would like to be getting paid, from support staff to players and coaches,” said Roo Jeromey Webberley, the only playing-coach in the south.

Clarence Coach Jeromey Webberley speaking to his teammates. Picture: Matt Thompson

“But the reality is the funds just aren’t there.

“It is great to get money at the end of the day but the reality is that’s not going to be the case this year.

“It will be good I suppose that in some ways we get to go back to what the origin of the game is and we are doing it for the love.”

North Hobart counterpart Richard Robinson said everyone at the Demons was on the same page.

“You can read the tea leaves and realise there is financial cuts across the board, we are just so lucky we have coaches who are really invested in the footy club,” he said.

“Every coach is willing to accept that. At the end of the day we are not there for the money, we are there to enjoy each other’s company and make sure that North Hobart continues to improve.”

As revealed by the Mercury yesterday, the TSL season is close to being given the tick of approval with a 12-round fixture planned.

Darren Winter, Lauderdale Coach. Pictures: Alastair Bett

Clubs can also now train in groups of 20 following the lifting of stage two restrictions.

Lauderdale coach Darren Winter said the pending confirmation of this year’s competition has already brought optimism.

“Even this morning … the people that have come into my business this morning and been up and about talking about it, there is that bit of a buzz that we are getting back to some sort of normality.”