AFL boss responds to claims league is ‘at war’ with players over pay

?AFL boss Gillon McLachlan has denied suggestions the league is ‘at war’ with its players over pay.

It follows reports the league’s players have declared they won’t back down on a push for a fixed percentage of the league’s rising revenues.

The AFL is reportedly refusing to budge.

But McLachlan told Neil Mitchell he didn’t believe there was any tension.

However, he refused to comment publicly on the negotiations.

‘All I’ll say is we’ve got a great partnership players, always have, and they will get a very fair deal because they are a very important part of our game,’ the league’s chief executive said.

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McLachlan, meanwhile, said the league’s thoughts were with Hawthorn forward Jarryd Roughead after his latest cancer diagnosis.

He said he’d exchanged text messages with Roughead, who thanked everyone for their support.

‘He’s a resilient guy,’ McLachlan said.

Click PLAY below to watch Gillon McLachlan in the 3AW studio