The AFL Players’ Association has this week achieved a significant outcome, having negotiated a revised end-of-season leave schedule to help its players achieve better work-life balance.
Under the new agreement there will be fixed return dates for players, dependent on their duration of service to the game and whether their club participates in finals.
A working party consisting of representatives from the AFL Players’ Association, the AFL and clubs, developed the new structure recognising the need to give players more meaningful time away from the game, to engage in personal and professional development.
Players’ Association General Manager Player Relations Ian Prendergast said it is a big win for the players.
“It is extremely rare that players get the ability to improve their minimum standards outside of a CBA negotiation. Therefore, it is a great result that we’ve been able to receive the AFL’s agreement to introduce these significantly better leave arrangements from this year.”
“[We have] to make sure they develop themselves off-field in a genuine way and to ensure they can transition effectively out of the game as better people,” Prendergast said. “[It’s] important we all recognise that.”
Under the agreement more than 70 per cent of players will receive a longer break in the off-season as well as one additional day-off prior to Christmas. There will be no monitoring of training loads during these periods.
Players will also receive a mandatory two-week break over Christmas, along with two mini-breaks in the second half of preseason and two more around the fixtured bye rounds.
AFL General Manager Football Operations Mark Evans said clubs still have the ability to provide a work environment that fosters a balanced lifestyle with the flexibility to tailor training regimes to gain a competitive advantage.
“The purpose of the revised agreement is to map out a more balanced approach to the compulsory off-season leave period, pre-season training and in-season training,” Mr Evans said.
“Under the structure that will now be in place, clubs will still have flexibility and ownership around their particular training program while club player leadership groups will have the responsibility to set standards and adequately prepare players for the season ahead.”
As part of the new model, clubs will also be able to set appropriate benchmarks for players to reach before their return to training, and impose additional training if players return below standard fitness.
For the 2014 Toyota AFL Premiership Season, and for future years going forward, players in years 1 to 4 on an AFL list may return up to two weeks before the main group of players on a club list.
The return dates for the start of pre-season training each year will be agreed and confirmed by the AFL and the AFLPA each year.
This year’s training commencement dates for the 2014 season will be as follows:
Sides 9-18 and the two teams eliminated in week one of finals:
Wednesday Nov 6 – Players in years 1-4 on an AFL list.
Monday Nov 18 – Full playing list.
Sides 1-6 on the ladder
Monday Nov 18 – Players in years 1-4 on an AFL list.
Monday Dec 2 – Full playing list.