The health and welfare of AFL footballers past and present is of paramount importance to the AFL Players’ Association and the game as a whole.
Our game is the greatest football code on earth, thanks to the extraordinary athleticism and bravery our players display each and every week.
This sacrifice comes at a cost.
Most players leave the game with some sort of injury or ailment that will remain with them forever. That’s the reality of competitive sport, but no player should have his life permanently and adversely affected through his involvement in AFL/VFL football.
Most players are able to adequately support themselves and manage their injuries in life after football, but there are some who cannot.
Many of these past-players come from a time when medical science was not so advanced and awareness around player rights was not so sharp.
The stats don’t lie.
Sixty-four per cent of past players are still affected in daily life by their previous AFL/VFL injuries. Sixty per cent of those who reported injuries require ongoing treatment for old football injuries, but only six per cent have treatment costs covered by their former club or the AFL Players’ Association.
As it stands, there is little workers compensation available to former AFL/VFL footballers and current day AFL players pay for their own private health insurance.
The Players’ Trust is an important step as part of a long-term vision for dealing with the health and welfare of our past players.
The Players Trust brings together the support mechanisms for AFL players who experience financial hardship and cannot afford appropriate medical treatment for injuries sustained during their playing careers.
Currently, past-players have access to a grant scheme called the Geoff Prior hardship fund, which provides assistance of up to $5000, but this discretionary fund will bolster the ability to provide a more significant benefit for those past-players who suffer significant or temporary hardship.
Our current group of players has made a strong commitment to AFL/VFL footballers past and present. This money comes directly from the players’ share of funds negotiated in the last Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
However, this route support is not the final solution. It is a step in the right direction, but players supporting players is not the final model.
It is the hope of the players that in the future a broader safety net be cast, utilising the profits of the game. The revenue our players sacrifice so much for.
The reliance on a Players’ Trust should diminish with time as more permanent reforms are built to ensure the long-term health and welfare of our players.