The AFL has confirmed a third-party deal involving Carlton superstar Chris Judd - believed to be worth $250,000 a year - can no longer be paid outside the club's salary cap.
In a move sure to put even more pressure on the Blues' already tight salary cap, Judd's contentious deal with Visy must now be included as part of the club's total player payments or the Additional Services Agreement.
The deal, which was payment for Judd's services as ambassador for Visy, had played a crucial role in the midfielder's move to the club from West Coast in 2008, and had one more year to run as part of the original six-year contract.
But the AFL's general manager of football operations Adrian Anderson said the payments would no longer be permitted outside the salary cap following a revision of the rules regarding third-party deals last month.
'A previous arrangement between Chris Judd and Visy had been approved by the AFL as an employment agreement in 2008,' Anderson said in a statement.
'Since that time and with the advent of free agency, the AFL has tightened the criteria for the approval of such third party arrangements.
'The consequence of this decision means that any future payments made under arrangements between Chris Judd and Visy need to be included in Carlton's ASA limit or TPP.'
Anderson said the AFL would continue to scrutinise related-party deals for players across the game.
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