The AFL Players’ Association has published its 2016 Annual Report, detailing the programs and services provided to the PA’s 814 male members, 218 female members and more than 3000 Alumni throughout 2016. AFLPA CEO Paul Marsh and President Matthew Pavlich reflected on some of the highlights from 2016.
Click here to view the 2016 Annual Report
“It was a crucial year for the AFLPA, with negotiations for the next Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) commencing on behalf of current, past and future AFL players. The key pillar of our CBA claim is to secure a partnership model with the AFL, where the players are recognised with a fair and reasonable share of the game’s revenue. We look forward to continuing these negotiations and reaching agreement with the AFL in 2017.
The ‘PA also welcomed 218 female players into the Association and successfully negotiated their employment terms and conditions ahead of the inaugural AFL women’s season next year.
Whilst navigating through the CBA and AFLW negotiations, the AFLPA continued to provide a range of first class benefits, services and programs to assist all players in the game, as well as those transitioning out of the AFL system and into retirement.
The industry continued to elevate player development with 17 clubs now utilizing the MAX360 program and 66 per cent of players having off-field development action plans.
Four clubs were involved in the first year of the AFLPA Gambling Harm Prevention Program, run in conjunction with Deakin University.
AFL players continued to display social leadership through campaigns such as Racism. It Stops With Me and Better Out Than In, an AFLPA mental health campaign that saw more than 1.7 million people view the personal stories of mental illness shared by AFL players.
Through official charity program AFL Players Care, players donated a total of $435,600 to 33 charities. The players’ official charity Ladder received $217,800 to help fight youth homelessness.
The AFLPA also launched the Multicultural Players’ Advisory Board and the second edition of Many Stories, One Goal — Supporting Indigenous Footballers best practice guidelines.
Looking ahead, 2017 is expected to be another landmark year in the AFLPA’s history with the debut of the AFL Women’s League, the implementation of a new CBA and the bi-annual Indigenous Camp.
We look forward to again working closely with all of our members, past and present, and all industry stakeholders to continue to grow our great game.”