The AFL has stood down Hunter Central Coast staff, including community football manager Sam Zikman, in the wake of the global coronavirus pandemic.
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The move, described as "temporary", started on Monday and continues until May 31 which is the earliest date for community competitions to resume across the country.
AFL Northern NSW regional manager Simon Smyth said it was an "unfortunate position" to lose employees because of the COVID-19 crisis.
Smyth, himself working with a reduced team three days a week, estimated up to 30 full-time and casual staff would be out of action for the next two months.
"The health and safety of our players, umpires, staff and the AFL community continues to be our priority," Smyth said.
"We look forward to having them [employees] all back on deck as soon as possible."
Zikman released a statement via the AFL HCC website on Friday saying "these significant actions are needed at this time to ensure the viability of our game at all levels as we manage the impact of COVID-19 on our industry".
Some professional AFL clubs have stood down up to 80 percent of staff.
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