Finley's Tom Hawkins says he completely understands why he along with all AFL players have been forced to take a pay cut.
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The AFL and AFL Players’ Association (AFLPA) agreed to a deal on Saturday, March 28, that will have all AFL players accept a 50 per cent pay cut for at least April and May, and 70 per cent from June if the season hasn’t resumed.
The decision came after the Australian sporting scene was turned upside down with the AFL season suspension.
The suspension was announced due to distancing measures put in place by the Federal Government to stop the spread of the coronavirus and is due to end on May 31 when the season will resume.
Hawkins said while it was almost unbelievable when he heard the news, he understood why decisions were made.
The Geelong forward said despite all the complications this had caused, he applauded the AFL and the AFLPA's ability to make the financial transitions while taking care of the players’ mental health and well-being.
“It's something that is like the virus, it really snowballed and escalated really quickly,” he said.
“If you asked us three weeks ago, if you told me this was the point we'd get to, I wouldn't have believed you.
“It's been something we've had to closely monitor, there's a lot more to it than just what gets paid out each week or each month depending on clubs, there's many factors that need to be taken in to account to make sure all the players are looked after with their mental health.
“As players we've been supporting each other, but certainly getting a lot of mental health and well-being support from the club and the AFL Players Association in conjunction with the AFL.
“They've been fantastic on keeping an eye on us, making sure no player slips through the cracks, so we want to avoid that as best we can, it's not going to be easy, but we just want to keep an eye on each other.
“At the end of the day we're very fortunate to hold our jobs in this case, there has been no cash grab from players just wanting to be paid, there is a lot more conversation that went on behind closed doors.”
The AFL was suspended after round one of the season when Hawkins traveled to Sydney to play the Greater Western Sydney Giants in an empty stadium on March 21.
While it was a first for Hawkins, he is hoping it will be the last time he plays without the fans.
“It was no doubt really strange to run out. In moments where you kick a goal or someone does a brilliant rundown tackle, a smother or something like that, those finer things in the game over a three-hour period is really highlighted when there's no crowd,” he said.
“It's not the same without the crowd and we miss the crowd, there's a lot of people that for them going to the football is such an enjoyment and a release from work stresses.
“For people not to do that it's devastating for them, but those things that you can take for granted in such a busy world, I really miss them, just the crowd when you run out for round one, no matter where you're playing, it's electric.
“The game just felt soulless, I didn't think I'd feel it, but we really did. Who knows how the season is going to pan out, but hopefully we never have to do it again.”
While Hawkins wishes to return home to see family, he had to make the business decision early to stay in Geelong in case the club needed him at late notice.
During the past two weeks he has been hard at work with a training program specifically tailored to his position.
“I chose to stay up in Geelong for a number of reasons, but I'm just at home, we're fortunate ourselves, we live just outside of town on a few acres,” he said.
“It's a wonderful spot to do the self isolation, but also just have a little space to take the kids for a walk and be able to play around which if we were in town we wouldn't have that luxury.
“We'd love to come up to Finley and across to Deni where my wife's from and spend a bit of time at home all permitting that we're allowed to do so.
“We've been given a program that hopefully keeps us ready and keeps our fitness levels at a certain standard, we need to make sure we keep speed, agility and strength in our legs.
“Our programs are tailored to each individual to stay ready. The guys at the club have done a really good job to ensure we're ready to play come May 31 if we get the go-ahead."
Having grown up playing for the Finley Cats, Hawkins knows just how hard it will be for the community with Murray league and Picola District league also being suspended until May.
“We saw just how much people missed it, and that's not only from an AFL Level,” he said.
“Country football all over Australia and particularly in an area like Finley and the surrounding towns, it's a big part of the social fabric of people's weekends and that's going to be missed and be really hard.
“It's hard to self isolate and in my lifetime I've never had to do it, but it could drag out for the next six months.”