- Moderator
- #4,676
Is Dalrymple being stood down really that controversial? Do we know the outcome of individuals at other clubs in his position?
Given that his job resolved around elite junior football, largely of which has not been played this year, is it really that surprising? Particularly given he also has a fallback profession?
I personally don’t think there is much to read into it at all.
Dalrymple was stood down, along with 80% of the AFL football department staff across the 18 clubs while the league was shutdown. This shouldn't come as a shock to anyone.
AFL, clubs stand down almost entire workforce on horrendous day for football
Up to 80 per cent of staff at the AFL and clubs have been stood down without pay as the league imposes austerity measures.
www.theage.com.au
Nearly the entire AFL and club workforce were stood down without pay as the league imposed savage austerity measures in a desperate effort to ensure the competition survives the coronavirus shutdown.
Up to 80 per cent of employees across the industry - assistant coaches, support staff, recruiters, list managers, executives, administration staff, membership, marketing and media staff - are without work after the AFL effectively took over the clubs and mandated that up to 80 per cent of employees be put on unpaid leave.
The AFL has mandated that clubs cut back to a bare minimum, which would see about five staff members remain within each football department. Typically that would be a coach, head of football, doctor, fitness or conditioning coach and a welfare officer. However, some clubs will allow the additional staff to take paid leave, where it has been accrued.
Clubs during the shutdown could only have 5 members of staff working in their Football departments and Dalrymple as a recruiter a) didn't fill any of those positions and b) didn't have any actual work to do.
The fact he had another job to fall back on is something he was lucky to have when there was no pay available, he wasn't the only person in the League to do similar. Now that the junior pathways have restarted he has work he can undertake and therefore a job that pays him.
But this has only popped up because Essendon fans on an internet forum are throwing his name around as a replacement to a person they want sacked. No media links to Essendon or anything.
But lets not make this out to be an isolated case. It wasn't and in the coming weeks (and we have seen already) we will see very good people forced to leave the AFL industry due to the AFL Football Department Soft Cap being cut. Clubs need to cut nearly $3million of spending out of their Football Departments, we are going to lose brilliant people throughout the game because they won't be paid enough to want to stay in the Industry.