AFL General Manager Football Operations Mark Evans today said the AFL and the AFL Players’ Association (AFLPA) had reached an agreement around a revised structure for the compulsory break / annual leave period for all players in the off-season.
Mr Evans said the AFL and the AFLPA, through meetings with the Annual Leave Working Party, had reviewed the structure and guidelines of the off-season break to ensure that players and the wider football industry continued to maintain a strong balance between football commitments, other interests and family time.
Under the new model that has now been agreed, players from all clubs will have a mandated break period while clubs retain some flexibility to manage their training schedule for players, as well as ensuring an adequate preparation program for developing players or players rehabilitating from injury or surgery.
“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.
“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,” Mr Evans said.
As part of the new model, clubs will also be able to set appropriate benchmarks for players to reach in fitness standards for 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 1-4 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 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.
“The issue of an adequate break for players from club demands has been an extremely important matter for the wider industry,” Mr Evans said.
“Under the revised agreement, we have sought to ensure that there is a suitable period for players to refresh after a long season, while also ensuring that clubs have the time available to them to prepare their list for the year ahead.”
Mr Evans said clubs would be strictly monitored around the break requirements and significant sanctions ($50,000 for a first offence and $100,000 for subsequent offences) could be applied for any club that breached the break provisions.
A full two-week break for all clubs will be introduced across the Christmas period while all players must be given a minimum four-day break around the bye / split round during the season.
