Former Melbourne captain Garry Lyon is certain all 18 AFL clubs will survive the immediate fallout from the COVID-19 crisis.
Despite guarantees from AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan that all 18 teams will get through, questions have been raised about the long-term viability of an 18-team competition by Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett and some sections of the media.
Lyon however has no doubt that every team will still be here come 2022.
“Yes (they will survive the next two years), in fact and this would please many, many people if they don’t, I will walk away from the industry if they don’t (survive),” he told SEN Breakfast.
“(I feel that strongly) that they will (survive).
“They’re not going to dump a team in the next two years. I’m on pretty safe ground there.
“The better question would be in 10 years, that might be harder to answer.”
Most AFL sides will enter heavy debt following this period given the loss of revenue.
The AFL took out a $600 million loan in order to guarantee its own survival.