Collingwood president Eddie McGuire has opened up on the impending “financial disaster” facing AFL clubs as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.
All Victorian clubs now face the prospect of not returning to play football in the state for the remainder of 2020 after originally being told they would only spend 32 days in respective interstate hubs.
As a result of the dramatic shift, the AFL will allow more family members to join players in their hubs in the coming weeks.
While McGuire admitted that added to the already exorbitant cost of housing players interstate for multiple months, he said the worsening coronavirus numbers in Victoria and New South Wales simply meant the AFL had to get a season away by any means possible.
“It’s such a financial disaster for the competition but now it’s a matter of just getting the season away as best we can," McGuire told SEN's Dwayne's World.
“It’s all shoulders to the wheel, help players and their families as best we can but it’s been done with the AFLPA … everyone is trying make the best of a horrible situation and we will do whatever we can.
“In the next few years, we’re going to have to fight back. Fingers crossed there is a next year but let’s get this year out of the way as best we can.
“You go into these meetings with the AFL, you sit down with a piece of paper to take your notes and you’re hearing a story that would be the biggest story in football every other day in a nonchalant (and concise) manner by Gillon McLachlan and Richard Goyder.
“Gill looked like he hadn’t slept all night and by the time it comes to the club we know the AFL are doing all they can.
“If you can come up with an idea that’s any better, good luck.”
Collingwood are currently preparing to play Geelong in Perth on Thursday, the first of three games in Western Australia before heading to Queensland.