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Geelong chief reveals “intensive” depths of investigation
SEN • October 9th, 2025 10:53 am
Geelong CEO Steve Hocking has revealed he was forced to hand over his mobile phone and laptop as part of the extensive audit over third-party payments.
An investigation that looked over a six-year period found that the Cats had issued a number of infringements regarding third-party payments and they were this week fined $77,500.
The club was found to have not exceeded any rules surrounding the AFL’s total player payments limit or player movement rules, with the AFL discovering that the club simply failed to disclose payments across both the AFL and AFLW.
Of the $77,500, $40,000 will be suspended pending further breaches, however the club will now be slapped with tighter restrictions over a two-year period.
In an exclusive interview with SEN, Hocking lifted the lid on how extensive the investigation had been, describing it as “one of the more trying things he has been through”.
“There's a feeling of letting (people) down, you don’t want to get caught up in these items,” Hocking told SEN Breakfast.
“I would start with the fact this has been extensive. As far as vindication goes, I’m not sitting here saying ‘you beauty’.
“This has been six months worth of work.
“They (mobile phone and laptop) were taken for four hours; they went through those and they have an AI search that went though things.
“It was that intensive.
“There will be a range of people out there that think this is a cover up band that because I have a relationship with the AFL Geelong are receiving favours. It’s not the case, this is one of the more trying things I have been through.
“The reason those devices were taken was to make sure they could research all areas.
“They chase down and try to reveal any movement of players or discussions relating to sponsors, player managers etc.
“There's always been this question about how do Geelong continue to get the big players?
“Players want to come down here. We have to make sure it’s done appropriately and above board.”
