Alumni

AFL & AFLW Players’ Injury & Support Fund

This fund represents one of the most significant benefits for past players in the history of the competition, and positions Australian Rules football as a code that prioritises the health of its athletes. The direction of more than $11 million of the players’ share of industry revenue per year demonstrates the desire of current AFL and AFLW players to look after those who laid the foundations for our great game. In particular, this fund aims to support players who transition out of the game with career-ending injuries, provide preventative healthcare, and assist those who suffer illness or financial hardship through retirement. 

Past players can find membership information here

Current Alumni members can apply to access any of the below services via the Alumni Portal: https://members.aflplayers.com.au/

Eligible past player members can apply for a Severe Injury and Dependency Benefit by emailing Crawford & Co. via the following email address: severeinjurybenefit@crawco.com.au

*If past player members don’t have login details for the AFLPA Players’ Portal, click here to request access. 

JOINTS AND DENTAL BENEFIT 

AFLPA Alumni members may be eligible for reimbursement of medical costs associated with any joint surgery and dental procedure related to their football career. 

Members with private health insurance are eligible for reimbursement of up to $10,000, while members without private health insurance will be able to access up to $8,000. 

This program also includes Surgery Avoidant Treatments (SATs) Benefit, which provides up to $5,000 (or $4,000 without private health insurance) for medically directed treatments forming part of a broader healthcare plan intended at avoiding or delaying surgery (e.g., cortisone injections or orthopaedic devices). 

The criteria to qualify for an SAT benefit includes: 

• Clinical care is being coordinated by a general practitioner 

• The procedure has been recommended by a specialist (e.g. Sport and Exercise medicine physician, neurologist, rehabilitation physician, orthopaedic surgeon etc.) 

• Other treatments have been ineffective (e.g. simple analgesics) or are unsuitable 

• The treatment is being used as part of a broad management plan that may include exercise, rehabilitation, weight management, strength work, etc. 

HOSPITAL EXCESS REIMBURSEMENT 

Alumni members can apply for reimbursement of any excess paid for a stay or procedure conducted in a hospital. 

This reimbursement is up to $750 to cover excess following a hospital stay and should help members reduce their monthly premium for private health insurance. 

GEOFF PRYOR GRANT 

This grant is for members who have experienced hardship due to injury, illness and/or wellbeing issues (including where income has been impacted by injury or illness). 

Please note: Financial assessment and assistance will be required where possible, however, grants may be distributed in other circumstances, including to assist insurance claims. 

FOOTBALL-ENDING INJURY BENEFIT 

Former players who exit the game due to an injury that prevents them from playing football at senior level in any other competition again may be eligible for a payment based on their age and the base value of the final year of their standard playing contract. 

DELISTED INJURY BENEFIT 

Former players who are unable to work immediately following their delisting due to an injury can access one month’s pay at the average Australian wage. Application to be made within 6 months after delisting and maximum payment is a 4-week period. Medical certificate required, plus reasoning for being unable to engage in full time work and the level of part time work they can engage in. 

SEVERE INJURY AND DEPENDENCY BENEFIT 

This benefit provides financial support to members suffering the impacts of a severe injury sustained in or significantly contributed to by their AFL or AFLW playing careers, including those suffering the impacts of traumatic brain injuries. 

The Severe Injury Benefit draws on the design of serious injury benefits provided under separate and unrelated governmental schemes. In doing so, various matters and principles have been considered, including: 

• Improving the level of financial support available to former players suffering permanent and severe impacts of injuries sustained in or significantly contributed to by their playing careers 

• Designing an eligibility criteria that prioritises making benefits available to the most severely impacted former players 

• Designing the benefits in such a way to enable the Injury and Support Fund Board to consistently determine applications made by former players

• Ensuring the financial viability and sustainability of the fund is maintained 

To be eligible for the Severe Injury Benefit, an applicant must display:  

• COGNITIVE FUNCTION:
  • A former player has permanent impairment of cognitive function;
  • That permanent impairment is significantly contributed to by the former player’s AFL or AFLW career; and
  • That permanent impairment results in their future earning capacity to normal retirement age being reduced by at least 40%.  

• BODILY FUNCTION:
  • A former player has permanent impairment of bodily function
  • That Permanent Impairment of bodily function was and continues to be significantly contributed to by a traumatic injury suffered in the course of the Former Player’s employment as a Player; and
  • That permanent impairment results in their future earning capacity to normal retirement age being reduced by at least 40%. 

• NOTE: Permanent means that the injury or condition has stabilised and is unlikely to change in the foreseeable future. 

• NOTE: Whether or not an injury is deemed to have been ‘significantly contributed to by’ an AFL or AFLW career will be assessed according to various factors, including duration of career, number of matches played, nature and record of the injuries suffered, probability of the injury occurring if the football career had not occurred, and any relevant hereditary risks, lifestyle factors and activities. 

The Dependency Benefit is designed to assist families who have been impacted by a severe injury, as defined above, where the former player is now deceased. 

A person may receive a Dependency Benefit if: 

• They were wholly, mainly or in part dependant on a deceased former player at the time of their death 

• The deceased former player suffered an injury which satisfied the eligibility criteria for a Severe Injury Benefit prior to their death 

• The deceased former player’s severe injury was significant contributing factor in their death. 

The following are some factors that will be taken into account when considering whether the deceased former player’s severe injury was a “significant contributing factor in their death”:  

• The duration of the severe injury 

• The nature of the severe injury and death 

• The particular consequences of the severe injury for the former player 

• The likelihood of the former player dying had they not suffered the severe injury 

• Any other possible material cause of the former player’s death, including any other health condition, and the former player’s lifestyle and activities outside of their AFL or AFLW playing career. 

The AFLPA has engaged a third-party provider, Crawford & Co., who are a global leader in claims management with nearly 9,000 employees in more than 70 countries around the world, to be responsible for facilitating the management of the Severe Injury & Dependency Benefit. 

Crawford & Co. will be responsible for the intake of applications, assessment including medical criteria where relevant, and making recommendations to the Fund’s Board. The Fund’s Board will then determine the final outcome of each application. 

Eligible past player members can apply for a Severe Injury and Dependency Benefit by emailing Crawford & Co. via the following email address: severeinjurybenefit@crawco.com.au

HOW TO ACCESS?

To access any of the above service, Alumni members can apply via the Alumni Portal: https://members.aflplayers.com.au/ 

For any further questions about the above services, please contact alumni@aflplayers.com.au