Former footballers facing financial pain due to injury to be given aid by AFLPA Barry Round suffers from serious pain in his knees and hips. FORMER league footballers facing financial hardship from injuries related to their playing careers will be protected under a new initiative to be announced by the AFL Players Association. The current crop of AFL footballers has agreed to help fund the AFL Players' Trust in a bid to leave a legacy to the men who came before them. Under the AFL Players Association's collective bargaining agreement, $250,000 will be set aside annually in a fund from which retired footballers who have played at least one senior game can apply for assistance for medical issues. AFL Players Association president and Collingwood midfielder Luke Ball believes the trust will safeguard the interests of former players dealing with hardship due to ill health or injury-related issues. "One of the main goals of the AFL Players' Trust is to provide real and valuable assistance to former members ... a support mechanism for former players facing hardship after they have finished their careers," Ball said. Extensive research has revealed that 64 per cent of past players remain affected in their daily life from a previous AFL injury. Sixty per cent of those required medical treatment. Luke Ball says it is important to leave a legacy for past players. One of the candidates could be Brownlow Medallist and former VFL champion Barry Round, who is struggling physically and financially due to injuries related to his playing days. He is now feeling the impact of an outstanding playing career in which he played 328 games over 16 seasons with South Melbourne/Sydney and Footscray. Now living on the Gold Coast, the 63-year-old has already had one knee replacement. He now faces daily issues with his other knee, has serious ankle pain and requires costly medications for a heart condition. "I'm not the sort of person who likes asking for assistance, but if there was something in place and you were eligible, you would be silly not to apply," Round said. Poor Freddy Goldsmith had to sell his (1955) Brownlow because he had to have a new hip. I would hate to have to do that with mine. AFL Players Association general manager, player development, Brett Johnson said the players had a choice of keeping the money in their Total Player Payments or using it to improve the lot of past players. They chose the latter. "It works out to be $1.25 million over five years," Johnson said. It is a very good message to the players of the past but also to the players of the future, too. You come into the game and you will be looked after if you need it when your career is over. Strict criteria will be in place for prospective recipients of the trust with a committee to decide eligibility. The AFL Players' Trust will be announced this morning with the first series of applications likely to follow immediately.