Geelong

[mjp]

The AFL should either completely endorse it or deny it. I also wonder why it's taken so long to determine this decision.

I have a funny feeling the AFL said it would be OK, then it got questioned, now they are trying to figure out how to go back on their assurances to Geelong because it is clearly not OK.

As an aside, how well are the Cats going that Chris Scott can casually commit hours to work at other organisations...AFL coaches putting in 80+ hours per week...Chris the Cat fitting it in around speaking gigs and leadership consulting!

[Sedat]

But why the grey area? It's either a deal outside of the coaching soft cap or it should be seen as fully part of the coaching soft cap.
The position if advertised externally would be at least a 300K job but given Scott is only doing limited hours perhaps the numbers you suggest are closer to the mark.

The AFL should either completely endorse it or deny it. I also wonder why it's taken so long to determine this decision.

Manufactured outcome of convenience. That's what the AFEL specialise in.

The only surprise was that the findings weren't released late on a Friday arvo, the traditional "take out the trash" time for tricky AFEL announcements.

[GVGjr]

So we can assume it's not a 3rd party deal in the truest form so perhaps it's regarded as the competitions first 4th party deal and that's why it's been apportioned that way.

[GVGjr]

I have a funny feeling the AFL said it would be OK, then it got questioned, now they are trying to figure out how to go back on their assurances to Geelong because it is clearly not OK.

As an aside, how well are the Cats going that Chris Scott can casually commit hours to work at other organisations...AFL coaches putting in 80+ hours per week...Chris the Cat fitting it in around speaking gigs and leadership consulting!

When asked about the optics of it when it was announced Scott said the AFL had approved it. So It looks like a complete rethink as you indicated

[Sedat]

When asked about the optics of it when it was announced Scott said the AFL had approved it. So It looks like a complete rethink as you indicated

In other words, standard AFEL makey-uppey on the run.

[Go_Dogs]

Credit where credit is due. Geelong are excellent at pissing in the AFL HQ water and telling them it’s Barry.

[The Adelaide Connection]

Lots of online rumours swirling around a couple of AFL clubs allegedly breaching the salary cap. Have seen suggestions Geelong may be one, with a creative setup for Selwood over the years. Carlton was another name I have seen linked to this.

May be something. May be nothing. May be something that just gets the usual Gtown treatment- quietly disappearing and a bit of "nothing to see here".

[Axe Man]

The trouble is the Selwood rumour was included in the same message doing the rounds as the Jamarra pulled a gun "rumour". Basically take it with an enormous grain of salt.

[Bigdog]

Heard yesterday from someone within AFL VIC there is an investigation into Geelong.

Lets see if anything comes from it.

[GVGjr]

Heard yesterday from someone within AFL VIC there is an investigation into Geelong.

Lets see if anything comes from it.

That one has been doing the rounds for a while but lets face it the powers to be are creative with ignoring things for the Cats.

[jeemak]

That one has been doing the rounds for a while but lets face it the powers to be are creative with ignoring things for the Cats.

Dillon won't have an appetite for putting anything at Geelong to the fire. Andrew Demetriou, irrespective of how flawed he was, will be the last CEO of the AFL to ever be something other than a corporate shill. Putting Geelong to the fire would be bad for commercial outcomes, they'll be protected to the extent where it's beyond laughable.


NB - as an aside Dillon could actually play a bit. It just really irks me that guys like him and of his ilk get to laugh about being given a job at head office because someone who used to play at Old Xavs and worked at head office saw him crossing Punt Road and out of a car asked, given he was a lawyer who used to play for Old Xavs, whether he wanted a lucrative career as a lawyer with the AFL......

[GVGjr]

AFL Audit

The AFL is “auditing” Geelong over third-party player payments, according to veteran journalist Caroline Wilson.

Both the league and the club reportedly confirmed there was an audit being undertaken, Wilson said on Seven.

An audit is an independent examination into financial reports to verify them and ensure they have been kept properly.

“I can tell you that the AFL is auditing third-party player payments at the Geelong Football Club,” Wilson explained.

“This is not an investigation, those in the know were at pains to tell me today, it’s an audit, and there are audits going on with third-party payments around the competition.

“But this one is intriguing. It began last year. We spoke in another place about issues, potentially with the Bailey Smith-Cotton On deal.

“But since then, the Morris Finance story broke, and that is the deal that they have with the club’s coach, Chris Scott. That story came to light when Morris Finance wanted more out of their man and asked that he wear the club colours. And that caused some problems. Some of that money is now going into either the soft cap or outside the soft cap, the 20% etc.
Chris Scott, Senior Coach of the Cats talks to his players.
“There was also a story in The Age last December, which revealed a $100,000 loan contracted with a former club sponsor now being investigated by police, and former captain Joel Selwood.

“This deal (allegedly) stood to earn Selwood $10,000. No-one is saying that Joel Selwood did anything wrong, or that the deal even took place, but this raised eyebrows at head office.

“Very sensitive, the AFL were, when I started asking questions about this last week, but there have been confirmations today, both from the club and the AFL, that an audit is going is currently going on. It’s ongoing. And it’s not only concerning those two stories, but other players as well.”

Chris Scott’s deal with Morris Finance has reportedly sparked the inquest. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
She added: “There have been rumours, unfair, about Geelong for many years now, but I think that those two stories — the Morris Finance, and the old story, the ancient story about Joel Selwood — sparked this investigation.

“Chris Scott also has a deal with Deakin University, and of course, that leads to a lot of questions about coaches and what they earn. I believe it’s unfair that they aren’t able to earn more.

“The AFL are at pains to say this is an audit; there won’t be findings necessarily announced if nothing is found. But they are looking and they are looking deep.”

Wilson said rival clubs have raised concerns about the Cats.
“The Bulldogs remain very, very angry about what went on with Bailey Smith and the club. GWS, ditto, Jeremy Cameron.

“I’m not saying Geelong have necessarily done anything wrong, but there is no doubt (rival clubs are concerned).”

[GVGjr]

I really hope this bill becomes due.

[jeemak]

Thank Christ they cleared this up - I was flying blind until they did:

An audit is an independent examination into financial reports to verify them and ensure they have been kept properly.

[Vred]

''We've investigated ourselves and found nothing wrong, case closed''

[jeemak]

A couple of interesting things out of this.

Wilson reports it, goes relatively hard, but gives the get out of jail free card by saying “There have been rumours, unfair, about Geelong for many years now, but I think that those two stories — the Morris Finance, and the old story, the ancient story about Joel Selwood — sparked this investigation."

And then blames two other clubs for its initiation beyond that by saying “The Bulldogs remain very, very angry about what went on with Bailey Smith and the club. GWS, ditto, Jeremy Cameron. “I’m not saying Geelong have necessarily done anything wrong, but there is no doubt (rival clubs are concerned).”

This is the power Geelong wields over a media landscape all too willing to mollycoddle them. In two or three sentences she's reported an audit because of suspicious behaviour, said it's a trend speculated unfairly by others, and then pinned two less supported and mollycoddled clubs for pushing the case.

Wanker.