Give us a break, say players

PLAYERS are on a collision course with the AFL over league chief executive Gillon McLachlan’s contentious prefinals bye.

The player union is pushing for a second in-season bye next year as part of negotiations for a new wages deal.

But the AFL Players’ Association says the pre-finals break, introduced for the first time this year, does not count as a bona fide week off because it only assists eight of the competition’s 18 teams.

The union wants two permanent byes embedded into the home-and-away season in a move that could force footy fans to endure three in-season breaks if the AFL insists on preserving a week off before the September action.

“The players believe that the return of a second in-season bye is essential to give them a physical and mental break during a demanding season,” AFLPA player relations chief Brett Murphy said.