McLachlan also revealed the AFL would appoint a head of concussion soon as they were down to the final two candidates for the role.
McLachlan said they weren’t looking to set up an NFL-style fund as per theproposal put forward by player advocate Peter Jess,who is preparing a legal class action for players suffering because of concussion,that would see a multi-generational fund requiring the AFL to tip in $25 million per year established.
“No,we haven’t contemplated that,” McLachlan said. “We will be talking to the Players’ Association about expanding the hardship fund for players,you know,for past players,who suffered challenges because of concussion.”
Jess toldThe Ageon Friday night it was a surprise to him that the league was playing down the prospect of such a fund because he understood he had a meeting scheduled next Wednesday with AFL legal counsel Andrew Dillon and head of legal Stephen Meade to “work through a process to create a fund that will look at the problem for past players that includes setting up a substantive fund to ensure short- and long-term funding to address issues relating to concussion”.
McLachlan acknowledged concussion was a significant issue for the game as the AFL Commission signed off on thethe use of smart mouthguards in the AFL being increased in 2021 to further examine the link between the number of knocks a player receives and concussion while eye-tracking technology will also be tested as evidence builds around the impact of concussion on players’ health and wellbeing.
The decision comes as the state coroner indicated on the first day of former Richmond playerShane Tuck’s inquest this week that he was concerned about the risk head knocks presented to players and there were still unexplored questions that arose during theinquest into former St Kilda captain Danny Frawley.