AFL Cairns stops jobs for most of its staff

PRESIDENT Gary Young admits it was not an easy decision to stand down all AFL Cairns’ operations and administration staff members.

AFL Cairns made the decision late yesterday with staff stood down from Tuesday.

The local competition follows the lead of the professional AFL and many other clubs around Australia following the COVID-19 epidemic.

Employees of the Gold Coast Suns and AFL Queensland, who are based in Cairns, have already been stood down.

It was this week reported the AFL will stand down about 80 per cent of its staff until May 31 as it deals with the forced shutdown of the premiership season.

AFL Cairns will close down after Tuesday until May 31.

“However, due to the ever changing environment we are currently experiencing, this may change,” Young said.

“Our inability to conduct our core business of operating a football competition and conducting our game development activities has forced our hand in this matter.

“The Government’s understandable prescribed conditions on participant numbers in one place associated with COVID-19 containment measures has been the significant reason behind the action. This has not been an easy decision and we will support our team members during the standdown period as best we can.

“We hope that this situation comes to a head soon so that we can reset and have them back in action and getting some form of footy happening again this year. What that may look like, we don’t know.”

Young and Mike Diversi, AFL Cairns’ Financial Controller, will be on site on a reduced hours schedule.

AFL Cairns hope to complete their 2020 season but what the fixture looks like is up in the air with all community football postponed until May 31.

AFL Cairns are considering a fixture which has clubs playing each other twice, including finals, as well as another shorter option that has clubs playing each other once, before jumping into finals.