When will AFL players grow up?

That's a question all footy fans are asking themselves.

Fresh from suspending Port Adelaide players Dan Houston and Pete Ladhams for breaking AFL COVID-19 protocols for two and three weeks respectively, is it impossible to think that the penny might drop sometime soon?

For the AFL, it’s been a case of breach after breach when all they are trying to do is keep their season alive and in turn keep the game financial.

While the majority of players continue to do the right thing, a small minority keep stuffing it up for everyone else.

And while some say boys will be boys, I’m sorry that excuse doesn't wash.

The stark reality facing the powers that be at AFL house is, if the game is forced to shut down, the finances would grind to a halt and thousands of employees – players, coaches and broader staff included - would lose their jobs.

No games equate to no broadcast money and the game goes under.

Unfortunately, it appears a minority of players think that won’t happen to them.

The breaches have been coming thick and fast. First it was the Adelaide Crows training breach in their Barossa Hub, then Ollie Wines conducted a TV interview with Channel 7 outside his own home.

It hasn't ended there. Who could forget Steele Sidebottom’s drunken breach? The Dockers house party? Or Bulldog Lachie Hunters’ grand slam breach including an alleged DUI, car crash and a Victorian law COVID-19 breach?

Then there was Sydney youngster Elijah Taylor’s suspension for the rest of the season after his girlfriend entered the Swans WA hub, breaking AFL COVID-19 protocols and West Australian Government quarantine directions.

And of course there have been others, but you get my point.

It’s no wonder we’ve all had enough.

When you sign up to be an AFL player, like it or not, so does your family and extended friends.

As some players have echoed, they never signed up for going into hubs and while it is true, it's a small price to pay to keep the game going while you are still earning approximately 70% of your salary.

And as one high profile player who will remain nameless told me “(QLD)Hub life is amazing, the facilities and weather are perfect.”  Sounds to me like it's a pretty privileged setup in a horror financial climate.

I can guarantee you it doesn’t shine the players in a great light when so many others outside of the football bubble are doing it tough, especially those living in Melbourne who have spent the past month locked down in their homes with at least another month to come.

Nor the hundreds of football club employees who have either been stood down or lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 restricted season.

Sure, there are restrictions being placed on the players, but the positives of living and working as a full-time athlete far outweighs the negatives.

I struggle with players who never truly appreciate the wonderful opportunity they have at their feet being a highly paid full-time athlete.  For most, the glass is half full while others it’s always empty.

As one angry Port fans revealed to me on social media - they had pledged 100% of their membership money to their club this year, yet they find themselves unemployed having lost their job recently due to COVID-19 related cuts.

It’s time AFL players took ownership of their behavior and grow up.  They live a great life.

And as Port Coach Ken Hinkley put it so brilliantly about his players breach “I am really clear, this is not an easy mistake to make when you know all the information, it’s a selfish mistake.”

And not only have the players breaches hurt their themselves and their clubs, it has also hurt the paid-up fans, teammates, they have also cost the game.

Anymore breaches and it might just cost us this season.