AFL boss Gillon McLachlan has offered to match the pay cuts taken by the players.
McLachlan yesterday told AFL Players’ Association chief executive Paul Marsh he would sacrifice the same amount of cash as the players and over the same period.
The show of goodwill looms as a potential circuit breaker as talks between the two parties struggle to reach common ground.
McLachlan and Marsh remained in frequent contact over the phone yesterday.
The players had offered to take a 50 per cent pay cut for the next two months, which stunned the league as it battles to limit losses during the coronavirus shutdown.
AFLPA president Patrick Dangerfield has demanded the league open its books to give the players “greater clarity around the finances of the game”.
The AFL executive had initially agreed to 20 per cent pay cuts. It is understood that despite that being an indefinite arrangement, that sacrifice is also likely to grow as the league looks to satisfy the banks for a monster line of credit.
The 12-person board has an average salary of nearly $900,000.
McLachlan’s gesture is said to have gained the respect of the AFLPA player delegates. Sources at AFL headquarters said McLachlan was working 20 hours a day, seven days a week, to guide the game through the crisis.
His salary was last disclosed as $1.74 million three years ago.
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