Racing
League
Rugby
Cricket
Golf
Motorsport
Combat Sports
Football
Netball
Basketball
Other Sports
Sport Nation
đ» How to tune into Sport Nation
Geelong expecting fine over âthird-party paymentsâ despite ânothing untowardâ
SENÂ âą Â May 27th, 2025 9:26 am
The AFL is set to fine the Geelong Football Club for âdiscrepanciesâ and âthird-party paymentsâ, according to Caroline Wilson.
An audit of the Cats has taken place and there have been some âlodgement issuesâ found.
Reporting on Channel 7âs The Agenda Setters, Wilson says the Cats insist there is ânothing untowardâ but the league is still set to hit them with financial sanctions.
âThe audit is virtually finished. Results have been slowed down by the fact Geelongâs COO Marcus King has been away studying at Harvard,â she said.
âHeâs back and my belief is that Geelong are expecting a fine, or there will be a fine from the AFL over the coming weeks.
âGeelong have been adamant from the word go that there is no smoking gun here, that nothing untoward was going on at the Geelong Football Club in terms of any attempt to hide third-party payments.
âThe AFL accepts this. But there have been discrepancies. There have been lodgements that should have been noted that werenât and they will lead to several five-figure fines. Whether they go beyond five figures I canât tell you.
âI do know that one major lodgement issue was a car to a senior AFLW player and I think there might be a couple of other things as well.
âGeelong are expecting a fine and the AFL is expecting that to happen.â
Wilson says the AFL will make contact with all 18 clubs to ensure everything remains tight financially from a management viewpoint.
âI think thatâs happened before. I remember the Brisbane Lions a few years ago were fined for failing to lodge,â Wilson added.
âItâs happened across the board, the Western Bulldogs many years ago.
âBut weâre not saying there was any cheating or any attempt to cheat the salary cap.
âWhat it will lead to, and the AFL have told Geelong and other clubs, is that thereâs been a loosening of management issues at many clubs. A warning will be given to all clubs.
âThereâs going to be a crackdown on third-party payments and this has been led by whatâs happened at Geelong.â
Earlier this year, Cats coach Chris Scott took on a role with a key club sponsor, Morris Finance, and more recently has taken up a director role at 5G Networks.
But Scottâs secondary employment will not be sanctioned, says Wilson.
âI believe what Chris Scott has said in the past that there was an issue because he wore Geelong gear at one of his second employees,â she added.
âI donât think Chris Scott is part of those fines.â
