Classy touch: AFL players donate grand final tickets to Queensland community football club volunteers

Queensland community clubs will benefit from the state saving the AFL season with players donating their grand final tickets to hardworking volunteers.

More than 150 local Australian Rules clubs in the Sunshine State will be handed two tickets each to the historic season decider in Brisbane on October 24.

Those teams will then pass on the prized possessions to “long-standing volunteers or people who have fallen on hard times”.

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AFL Players Association president Patrick Dangerfield thinks it is the least the clubs can do after Queensland allowed the 2020 competition to thrive amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s been tough for a lot of players to be away from home for so much of the year,” the Geelong star said.

“But it’s been made easier thanks to the local fans who have brought their energy and voices to the matches each week to cheer us all on.

“We know the tickets will go to deserving supporters who have done so much to grow our game in Queensland.”

Gillon McLachlan and the AFL claim the game has grown considerably at a local level in Queensland as a result of the state hosting more matches.

“I wanted to say thank you to the Queensland football community that has supported our AFL competition this season,” the AFL chief executive said.

“Footy in Queensland is going from strength to strength and it is testament to the passion of the players, coaches and volunteers who love their local clubs.

“We are hoping with this fantastic gesture from the collective AFL playing group that local Queensland clubs can show appreciation to their long-standing volunteers or even use the tickets to raise some funds.”

All 10 Victorian clubs have been based in Queensland for extended periods this year after Melbourne started experiencing a second wave of COVID-19 infections.

The Gabba will host the first AFL grand final to be played outside Victoria.