Missing past player campaign

Aug 09

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Missing past player campaign

Jason Murnane

Steve Alessio_Simon Madden_Brendon Gale_Michael Roach.JPG

The AFL Players’ Association today launched its ‘Missing’ past player campaign at the historic Brunswick Street Oval, Fitzroy.

The campaign was launched by former Essendon Champion, VFL Players’ Association President, AFL Hall of Fame member and current AFLPA Executive Committee member Simon Madden.

Madden was joined by a range of former playing greats including triple Brownlow Medallist Bob Skilton, Peter Daicos, Michael Roach, James Clement and AFLPA CEO Brendon Gale to launch the campaign.

Created to inform former VFL / AFL players of the range of valuable and practical health and wellbeing initiatives available to them by taking up AFLPA past player membership, the campaign utilises iconic footy card images from the 1950’s onwards to encourage former players to reunite with their long lost benefits.

By working supportively with the AFL Club past player groups, the AFLPA past player membership category has worked to pool the resources of the collective to help deliver a practical and growing list of services to past players, which includes access to;

Medibank Private corporate health cover which sees the AFLPA cover the excess payment (to the value of $500) incurred during a hospital stay or procedure.
The AFL Medical Officers' Association Network to receive excellent Australia wide advice and treatment for football related injuries - all bulk billed.
The AFLPA national network of psychology and career & education consultants.
Range of insurances, finance and other investment advice
Geoff Pryor Grants for past players experiencing hardship.

The Chair of the AFL Players' Association Past Players Advisory Board Committee Simon Madden said the introduction of an AFLPA past player membership category meant former players could start accessing an integrated range of health and wellbeing benefits tailored towards past players.

"Our research tells us that there are around 6,000 living past VFL or AFL players. To help meet the needs of these former players, we’ve created a suite of tailored health and wellbeing benefits. Too many former players are missing out on this range of serious benefits. I encourage all former VFL and AFL players to get in touch with the AFLPA to help us reunite these past players with their long lost benefits.”

“Over the two years of the AFLPA’s past player membership categories existence, over $100,000 in grants and excess payments have been paid to past player members, with over 150 former players receiving advice and assistance from an AFL Medical Officers’ Association Doctor in regards to a football related injury,” Madden said.

AFLPA CEO Brendon Gale said the creation of an AFLPA past player membership category and the provision of a range of health and wellbeing benefits was the realisation of the commitment and respect current players have for those who came before them.

“Current players recognise the tremendous and meaningful contributions made by past VFL / AFL players to our game. What better way for current players to display this than by backing the heath and wellbeing of past players by signing off on the opening up of an AFLPA past player membership category and the benefits that flow from this.”

AFLPA surveying of past players drove the direction of services to be provided to former players. The 2008 AFLPA Past Player member survey found that:

66% of former players suffered football related injuries post VFL / AFL career.
Most common injuries included: Knees / Hips / Arthritis / Shoulder injuries
Of this 66%, 50% of past players required surgery.
82% continued to be involved in AFL beyond their playing careers.
80% continued to play football in some capacity after VFL / AFL retirement.
37% of players considered assistance with their next career option as their number one post career issue.
Median career span of players surveyed was 8 years.
55% are involved in volunteer and community work