AFL players brutally mocked over 93-day holiday break: ‘It is a joke'
Expert Channel 7 commentator Kane Cornes is perplexed by the amount time professional players have away from the club, and could not believe his ear when he heard Swans coach Dean Cox reveal his return-to-train dates for his players.
After an underwhelming season cruelled by injury, Cox said the first-to-fourth-year players would be back on November 10 and senior players would fire up their pre-season on November 24.
'So, you know, for the younger players they'll get five weeks pre-Christmas,' Cox said.
'Throughout that, they'll be expected to come back extremely fit and in really good condition and ready to attack a full pre-season.'
On Channel 7's The Agenda Setters on Monday night, AFL great Nick Riewoldt said 'AFL footy will remain a part-time job in 2026' with players being afforded such a generous vacation time.
Cornes said it was a 'joke'.
'Their (Sydney's) last game is on August 23,' Cornes said on Channel 7's The Agenda Setters.
'Their senior players are back on November 24.
'That is a 93-day break for our AFL players and you are telling me these are full-time players.
'It is a joke and no wonder the skill level (is questionable and) injuries are high. It's for that reason.
'(AFL players) get far too much time off (and) that's not including Christmas.'
Cornes has been hot on the topic (of the amount time off players have) for many years, and believes AFL coaches do not get enough time to spend with their players ahead of the season proper.
He also believes the extended time-off contributed to a spate of injuries that happened to senior players at the start of this year.
'It's been one of my biggest frustrations for a long time,' Cornes said on SEN earlier this year.
'I actually have been writing about this for seven years.
'Players get far too much time off and the lack of preparation is leading to this significant spate of injuries.'
Cornes said back then the AFL Players' Association had 'far too much power in the game' and things needed to change.
'Who is going to stand up to them?,' he asked.
'If you're wondering why everyone is getting injured and why it's never been worse, this is why.'
Annual leave for most Australians is a four-week period, while those who are required to work on public holidays typically receive a six-week break.
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