Geelong’s recent $77,500 fine for third-party payment breaches has sparked claims of bias from commentator Dwayne Russell, who believes the AFL has been unusually lenient towards the Cats this year.
An extensive six-year audit found that Geelong failed to properly disclose a series of third-party payments across both their AFL and AFLW programs. While the club did not exceed the total player payments limit or breach movement rules, the AFL imposed a fine, with $40,000 of it suspended, and tighter oversight for the next two years.
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Geelong CEO Steve Hocking said the club accepted the outcome, adding: “We acknowledge the outcome of the audit has confirmed the Club has not breached AFL TPP limits nor the AFL player movement rules. We also acknowledge the audit identified a number of non-disclosure items over the six-year period. We accept the AFL’s sanctions for these errors and will strengthen our education and governance processes moving forward.”
‘Geelong has been treated lightly this year’
Russell, speaking on SEN Afternoons, argued that the sanction reflects a broader pattern of leniency. “The AFL has, for some reason, treated Geelong lightly this year, with the Bailey Smith non-sanction for abusing a photographer that was just going about her job,” he said.
“It does look like Geelong has been very lightly treated there as well, and it is sad that that has been confirmed by the AFL this year, that Geelong does seem to get lighter treatment when it comes to indiscretions of their people.”
The commentator went on to question the league’s consistency, citing the AFL CEO’s reported visit to Smith’s home.
“It’s crazy stuff, to think that the AFL CEO went and had a cup of tea at Bailey Smith’s house,” Russell said. “How many CEOs have gone to have cups of tea with players that have caused heartbreak and heartache for the AFL?”
The AFL clarified that Smith’s commercial deal with Cotton On was not part of the audit and had been approved.