AFL’s big move for concussion victims

AFL clubs will get salary cap relief for payments to any players forced to retire from concussion for up to three years under new guidelines revealed on Monday but anyone contracted for four years or more does not have their full salary protected.

Already in 2024 Melbourne star Angus Brayshaw, Collingwood premiership defender Nathan Murphy and Western Bulldogs youngster Aiden O’Driscoll have all been forced to retire after directives from the AFL concussion panel after suffering from issues.

All were contracted beyond 2024 and while they have negotiated individual settlements with their clubs the AFL has declared a percentage of those contract payments will now be excluded from the salary cap.

In the year immediately following a player’s retirement, up to 90 per cent will be excluded from the salary cap, decreasing to 75 per cent the following year and only 50 per cent in the third year.

But contracts that last beyond three years will not come under the guidelines, which will also be “at the complete discretion” of the medical experts as to whether a player qualifies. Brayshaw had four years left on his contract with the Demons.

There are also currently more than 25 players who have contracts to 2029 or beyond, meaning all of their salaries would not be exempt if they were forced to medically retire.

“The guidelines are only applicable in the specific circumstance of retirement occurring subject to a recommendation being made by the AFL concussion panel,” the AFL said in a statement.

“Retirements due to other injuries, or decisions made unilaterally by the player or the club, will be subject to existing TPP assessment rules.

“The guidelines do not provide a guarantee of TPP relief being provided with regards to any specific concussion-related retirement event.

“The provision of TPP relief is at the complete discretion of the concussion TPP committee with consideration given to the terms of the relevant contract and the circumstances of each eligible retirement, and subject to the maximum thresholds approved.”

The guidelines will also extend to AFLW players in the event they retire due to concussion, with payments to any replacement players to be excluded.

“In the usual course, where an AFLW player is no longer able to play due to injury, the retiring player receives their contractual payments, but payments made to the replacement player are not assessable in the club’s TPP,” the statement said.

“Under the guidelines, in circumstances where an AFLW player retires subject to a recommendation made by an AFL concussion panel, the concussion TPP committee may at its discretion permit the injured player to be replaced with a player from a tier above tier four (on terms to be determined at its discretion).

“In consideration and determination of such a matter, the concussion TPP committee will again look at the terms of the relevant contract and the circumstances of each eligible retirement.”