Scandal AFL auditing third party payments from Geelong

[WOFTAMWarrior]

Cats supporters better hope the AFL doesn’t discover the hidden copy of the actual finances.

But let’s be honest all Clubs tip toe the line of ethical third party payments in once way or another. It has been happening for years and will continue happening. As we all know the AFL have some strong arms to life that heavy rug and sweep rubbish underneath where it remains.

 

[sr36]

They have every right to investigate these things, given the potential issues/conflicts with the Joel Selwood and Chris Scott incidents.

With that said, if anyone actually bothers to watch the 90 second clip, the AFL, sources, and Caro herself, are at pains to say that Geelong is not being accused of anything, but rather audited given these potential conflicts have confirmed the need to check that everything is above board.

My only thing here will be, is if the AFL comes back and says we're not in breach of anything serious, then will people actually stop with the conspiracy theories and accept that as fact? Given that we will have actually opened up our books and provided details of our financial dealings...that's something that 17 other clubs will not have done.

If anything significant is found, I'll be the first to say that I'm wrong about this. I would hope though if it comes back clean, that others would have the courtesy to offer the same - given the amount of years we've copped shit about hypothetical 3rd party deals/rorting the system. I guess we'll see though if tribalism and impartiality is overruled by acceptance of direct sources - something modern society seems to have a lot of trouble with.

Bad news. It's distinctly been called an audit, because an audit isn't an investigation. Do the AFL even have the power to investigate individual player's finances for dodgy payments or business deals? The third party things that have to be declared and will be audited don't cover close to the gamit of potential rorts. Cats will be clear in the audit.

 

[Whiskers]

Oppo supporters: please please please please please please please please please please please please find something.

This thread is hilarious reading. People are so desperate to get something on us.

 

[Whiskers]

Honestly I don’t understand why Richmond supporters get so wound up about Geelong- as far as I remember the Cats never beat them in a truly meaningful game, so what’s it all about? If it went back and forth I’d understand. It would be like Hawthorn fans getting shitty at Freo

I was shocked aswell when I noticed how much they hated us. It was 30 years of hammerings than they got us good from 2017-20.
However it’s hard for them to get past the trauma despite some success but now things are back to normal.

 

[Bont the Lord]

Here's the detail about Third Party Player Payments from the most recent Collective Bargaining Agreement.



11. Additional Services Agreements
11.1 Interpretation

For the purposes of this clause 11 “Player” means:

(a) Player as that term is defined in clause 1.1; or

(b) where a Player has licensed the use or the right to license the use of the Player’s Image to a Player Image Rights Holder, means the Player Image Rights Holder; or

(c) Associate of a Player as that term is defined in clause 1.1 and has entered into an Additional Services Agreement; as the context dictates.

11.2 Additional Services Agreements

(a) A Player may contract with an AFL Club and/or Sponsor of an AFL Club to derive payments as a direct result of bona fide promotions/marketing by that Player in accordance with the Guidelines for Additional Services Agreements (as outlined in Schedule F) and the definition of Football Payments. Such arrangements are separate and distinct from the Standard Playing Contract which regulates the employment of a Player to play Australian Football for an AFL Club. Payments made pursuant to a marketing contract shall be in addition to and separate from payments made to the Player for performance of services as a professional footballer and shall not be taken into account in calculating Total Player Payments except as provided in
clause 11.3(c).

(b) Additional Service Agreements may be for services/uses including the following:

(i) appearances in excess of those in accordance with clause 24 for the AFL Club
or an Associate of a Club or Sponsor of the AFL Club;

(ii) employment arrangements with the AFL Club or Associates of a Club;

(iii) notwithstanding clause 26.2(h), use of Player Image either individually orinvolving six (6) Players or less for promotion of the AFL Club or Club partners, if the Club and Player agree; and

(iv) providing other bona fide additional services including but not limited to media content for the AFL Club or Club partners.

(c) Notwithstanding clause 26.2(h), a Player may receive Additional Service Agreement payment for use of the Player’s Image in Club promotional programs if the Club and Player agree, conditional upon the promotion featuring six (6) players or less, and the use being commercial and bona fide.

(d) The term of an Additional Service Agreement cannot exceed the term of a Player’s Standard Playing Contract, however the Player and the Club may agree that should the Standard Playing Contract be terminated without cause prior to the expiry of its ordinary term any remaining Additional Service Agreement entitlements will become due and payable to the Player.

11.3 Additional Services Agreement Limits

(a) The amount of total payments to Players for each AFL Club for Additional Services Agreements shall be as set out in item 2 of Schedule B.

(b) For each AFL Club, where the total of payments to Players of that AFL Club for Additional Services Agreements in the relevant year exceeds the amounts set out in item 2 of Schedule B, any excess shall, subject to clause 11.3(c), be taken into account in calculating the Total Player Payments of the AFL Club in that year. In calculating the total of payments to Players under Additional Services Agreements, the amount of any goods and services tax payable to a Player or to an Associate of a Player shall be excluded.

(c) Where the Total Player Payments to Players of an AFL Club for Additional Services Agreements exceeds or will exceed the amount set out in item 2 of Schedule B in any year, such contracts shall be referred to the AFL General Counsel. The AFL General Counsel may determine that any such excess (or part thereof) shall not be taken into account in calculating the Total Player Payments of the AFL Club in that year.

11.4 Additional Services Agreement Requirements

(a) An Additional Services Agreement must:

(i) be in writing;

(ii) represent bona fide commercially based arrangements; and

(iii) be lodged with the AFL within 28 days of the date of the signing of the contract by the parties.

(b) The Investigations Manager or the General Counsel must be satisfied that an Additional Services Agreement is bona fide and if he is not so satisfied, the payments made by the AFL Club or Sponsor of an AFL Club under the Additional Services Agreement shall be included in the Total Player Payments of the AFL Club.

(c) Where a Player or an Associate of a Player enters into a marketing contract with an AFL Club or a Sponsor of an AFL Club after the AFL Club has submitted to the AFL details of all Additional Services Agreements, the details of such contracts shall be submitted to the AFL General Counsel to be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of clause 11.3(c).

Is that you, Steve Hocking?

 

[Randomizor]

Local footy powerhouse handed down punishments for salary cap breach

The Committee imposed the following sanctions ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️

www.zerohanger.com

Keilor was audited following its 2024 premiership over Pascoe Vale Panther, a year in which it lost only two matches to claim back-to-back flags.

 

[Sarcoidevo]

They say Selwood's last contract Costa lot

 

[Mr Meow]

Local footy powerhouse handed down punishments for salary cap breach

The Committee imposed the following sanctions ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️

www.zerohanger.com

Manson was put on trial. That's how I've known anyone "put on trial" should serve 9 life sentences.

It's clear as day that Pascoe Vale replicated Geelong's indiscretions. This thing runs deep.

 

[Fatty rules]

Need a third party firm with high integrity and financial expertise to carry out the audit. Reckon I know just the place.

I’ve always thought that being head coach of an AFL team was pretty much a full-time, all-consuming job. Which would not really leave a lot of free time to be a Chief of Leadership and Performance at a private firm in order to justify income on the basis of performance for that firm. Nice pic on the job announcement though. I’m all for coaches getting good rewards, on a level playing field.

 

[MisterMarcus]

If there was anything in this, the usual anti-Geelong nuffies would have already swamped this thread.

Instead it's like 75-80% Cats fans in here just having a laugh.

 

[craffles]

Hi craffles

Hai m9

 

[10571z]

Imagine Matt Rowell being named an Emirates ambassador then appearing at the Pies next year. Laughable it’s been allowed.

No player should be able to accept roles from sponsors full stop.

 

[STPer18]

As a show of good faith Geelong have already offered to award the Sydney Swans a retrospective 80-point headstart in the '22 GF.

 

[Strange Cat]

Cats supporters better hope the AFL doesn’t discover the hidden copy of the actual finances.

But let’s be honest all Clubs tip toe the line of ethical third party payments in once way or another. It has been happening for years and will continue happening. As we all know the AFL have some strong arms to life that heavy rug and sweep rubbish underneath where it remains.

On the flip side if the club gets the all clear (again…Morris deal has been signed off twice now) will this put to bed this stupid conspiracy theory that the cats are rorting the system?

Nope, opposition fans have created this false narrative and won’t be changing it no matter what evidence is presented …. It’s more concerning that a few clubs are whining and sulking to the AFL with no evidence because of lost players or approached players (WBD, MFC and GWS).

Pathetic and sad really

 

[Bluelegs]

Didn't Bowes agree to go to Geelong only to have his $1.6m 2 year contract being spread over 4 years? Effectively agreeing to work two years for free. Amazing no other club could offer a better deal than that.

 

[GWT6]

The real question is - why are they now auditing Geelong? Everyone has known about this for decades,what has forced the AFL to do something?
The AFL likes to keep tight control on things, there is no way they want this out there.

 

[TheEscapeClub]

2007-2011: the ‘Roid Years’

2012 - present: the ‘non-disclosure 3rd party era’

2013-2025 : Geelong plant Ken Hinkley at Port Adelaide as senior coach. During this time, Port win **** all.

 

[DT_35]

I know a guy who knows a guy that owns a building company who recently got the job of renovating the property of a senior figure at Cotton on. Once completed, the next job they got was the renovation of young Bailey smiths property.

Dodgy AF

 

[MisterMarcus]

Tom Morris saying the AFL audits two clubs by rotation every year, and in 2025 it's Geelong's turn (along with Port Adelaide apparently).

Would be pretty funny if all this clickbait outrage literally amounted to nothing more than "It's just this club's routine audit in 2025".....

 

[AmericanMustard]

Tom Morris saying the AFL audits two clubs by rotation every year, and in 2025 it's Geelong's turn (along with Port Adelaide apparently).

Would be pretty funny if all this clickbait outrage literally amounted to nothing more than "It's just this club's routine audit in 2025".....

Would also be pretty funny if everyone’s suspicions were proven correct and Geelong spiralled into a Carlton level hole for 15 years

 

[STPer18]

Didn't Bowes agree to go to Geelong only to have his $1.6m 2 year contract being spread over 4 years? Effectively agreeing to work two years for free. Amazing no other club could offer a better deal than that.

The secret ‘quasi list manager’ behind Geelong’s staggering trade heist

The man ‘pulling the levers’ for ‘one of the most intriguing deals ever’ has been unmasked.

7news.com.au

Bowes chose Geelong and his owed money was “smoothed out” over four years at around $550,000 per year, according to Cleary.

$2.2M over four years.

 

[STPer18]

Oh dear...

 

[Schmuck]

Imagine Matt Rowell being named an Emirates ambassador then appearing at the Pies next year. Laughable it’s been allowed.

No player should be able to accept roles from sponsors full stop.

Except Smith had been an Ambassador for Cotton On for almost 3 years before signing with Geelong.

Rowell joining Emirates now and playing for Collingwood in 2028 is more comparable.

 

[Mr Meow]

Would also be pretty funny if everyone’s suspicions were proven correct and Geelong spiralled into a Carlton level hole for 15 years

It's always foolish to confuse hope with suspicion.

 

[10571z]

Except Smith had been an Ambassador for Cotton On for almost 3 years before signing with Geelong.

Rowell joining Emirates now and playing for Collingwood in 2028 is more comparable.

And? You dont think working for the major sponsor could influence his decision?

Opens a huge can of worms allowing this.