Brisbane Lions players have been stood down without pay, according to The Age's Daniel Cherny.

It is the first major move made by an AFL club to deal with the financial crisis from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gillon McLachlan announced on Sunday that the league would be stood down until at least May 31.

It is believed that the Lions players will be on leave without pay until a deal can be worked out between the league and AFL Playersโ€™ Association.

Additionally, the report states that Gold Coast's football department staff has been stood down indefinitely and told to explore their employment options.