The fallout from Oscar Allen’s meeting with Sam Mitchell shows why AFL players won’t announce plans to move clubs ahead of time like their NRL counterparts, according to departing players’ union boss Paul Marsh.
The AFL Players’ Association chief executive weighed in on player movement on the same day that he announced his resignation to return to the Australian cricket players’ union as its new boss.
Last week, Hawthorn coach Mitchell flew to Perth and met with West Coast co-captain Allen, who is a restricted free agent at season’s end.
Amid a wave of criticism, Allen, 26, fronted the media and said he was “embarrassed” and “ashamed”.
He kept the captaincy and has been supported by Eagles players and his counterparts elsewhere.
“That’s an issue that in my view has been blown totally out of proportion,” Marsh said on Tuesday.
“If anyone thinks that players aren’t doing this all the time – and clubs, more importantly – then they don’t understand what’s going on.
“I don’t think we’re seeing clubs critical here because they’re taking part in it. The players understand this is what’s going on.
“Typically what happens is players don’t start talking to other clubs if they’re being looked after at their club with the right offer.
“Without knowing the ins and outs of that, I think he had every right to go and talk to another club.
“It doesn’t mean that he’s going to leave West Coast. I think that’s something everyone needs to get their head around.
“It’s appropriate that he’s exploring what’s out there, and hopefully, he’ll land on a good decision for him.”
Oscar Allen celebrates a goal. (Photo by Will Russell/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
In the NRL, it is common for clubs to confirm players’ plans to move elsewhere while seeing out that season. Marsh didn’t expect to see that replicated in the AFL.
“What we saw as a reaction to Oscar last week is exactly why we won’t,” he said.
“I’m even seeing like the Daly Cherry-Evans issue in the NRL (announcing his departure from Manly). I think you’ve seen a greater backlash there for their players than what we’ve seen historically.
“So there’s no incentive for the players to announce this stuff. As much as I personally think we should be mature enough to deal with this, this is the industry we live in.
“The clubs benefit – they lose players, but they’ll gain players. So there shouldn’t be outrage around this stuff, but there is.”
Marsh indicated that a captain meeting with another team was only damaging if a club allowed it to be.
“Every club is doing this. There’s players doing this all the time, the players get this, so I think they respect each other as professionals,” he said.
“I’ve spoken to a lot of players in the last week about this issue, and they are wondering why such a big issue is being made of this because it’s happening all the time.
“It doesn’t just get to the end of the season that a player then moves clubs. These conversations have been going on all the time.
“So I like to think we’re a mature enough industry that we’re not allowing these types of issues to damage culture.”
(Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)
Marsh, who has been at the helm of the AFLPA for 11 years, will replace Todd Greenberg as chief executive of the Australian Cricketers’ Association.
His resignation comes mere weeks after Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield stepped down as AFLPA president in favour of Collingwood skipper Darcy Moore.
Marsh was involved in multiple player collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations with the AFL.
They included the 2017 AFL CBA, where players secured a percentage share of industry revenue for the first time, then a historic joint AFL-AFLW agreement six years later.
The 2023 agreement delivered AFL and AFLW players a 37.1 per cent share of industry revenue.
“I’m proud to have served the AFLPA and its members for nearly 11 years, and it’s a role I’ve absolutely loved,” Marsh said in a statement.
“It has been incredibly challenging but also rewarding and I trust I leave with the AFLPA in a better place than when I started.
“I make this decision with a heavy heart.
“… I am excited about the opportunities and challenges that are ahead at the Australian Cricketers’ Association and am looking forward to getting started in June.”
Moore hailed Marsh’s impact during his time leading the players’ union.
“Marshy has been a true player advocate and all current and past players have been extremely fortunate to have had him in our corner for as long as we have,” he said in a statement.
Marsh, the son of Australian cricket legend Rod, previously led the ACA between 2005 and 2014.
“Paul has an unmatched depth of experience and expertise, having spent close to two decades at the head of Australia’s leading player associations,” ACA chair Greg Dyer said in a statement.
“Cricket is in his blood – his passion for our game and its players is obvious.”
“We feel very fortunate to have attracted him back to cricket as we navigate significant change in the global landscape.”
© AAP
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