Multiple clubs being audited by the AFL over salary cap compliance

Multiple AFL clubs will face scheduled audits in 2025, as veteran journalist Caroline Wilson reported the league is looking into third-party payments at Geelong Football Club.

While former Sydney coach and Fitzroy legend Paul Roos said AFL clubs being looked into in this manner was unusual, the AFL confirmed to ABC Sport the league regularly audits multiple clubs every year.  

“The AFL conducts regular salary cap audit activities across a number of clubs every year as part of our annual salary cap compliance process,” a spokesperson for the AFL said.

“We do not provide commentary on the conduct or progress of any of these activities and the only time we release any information publicly is if we determine there has been a breach of AFL rules.”

Roos did not suggest Geelong had done anything untoward but said any breach of salary caps across the competition would result in serious consequences.

“History tells you, you don’t want to be messing with the salary cap. That’s one thing, whether it’s in the NRL or the AFL, you don’t want to mess with the salary cap,” Roos said on the ABC AFL Daily Podcast.

“You know, we saw Carlton lose I think two first-round draft picks, which set them back.. So yes, don’t mess with the salary cap because the ramifications are going to be pretty serious.”

While from his experience as a coach at Sydney and Melbourne audits into salary caps and third-party payments were unusual, Roos said the “whole system has been tidied up” since his time.

“When you talk about third party (payments), players do work for TV stations, radio stations, probably have car sponsors through their managers, etc, etc. But I can’t honestly remember … (anyone) coming to me and saying ‘Roosy, what do you think about this?’,” he said.

“Now, again, I don’t know what’s happened at Geelong, so this is not a shot at Geelong. [But] I think the salary cap has been tidied up.

“I mean, Geelong are an ethical footy club, so I don’t think anyone’s thinking it’s untoward, but I think it’s just ‘Is there something on the fringes we just need to tidy up potentially?'”.

While the AFL would not disclose which clubs were looked into this year, Wilson said both the league and the club confirmed to her an audit was being undertaken at the Cats.

She added rival clubs had concerns about Geelong’s dealings.

“The Melbourne Football Club raised questions about who Clayton Oliver spoke to and what was involved in that potential deal last year,” Wilson said on Seven.

“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).”

Last year, eyebrows were raised when the club — renowned for luring big names to Kardinia Park — landed Bailey Smith from the Western Bulldogs during the trade period.

Smith famously has a major financial deal with Geelong sponsor Cotton On. The retail company founded in Geelong has been an official sponsor of the Cats since 2016, as their on and off-field apparel provider and sponsor.

Cotton On also partners with players and family members on fashion projects, such as Ceres Life, a brand owned by the company. Emma Hawkins, wife of former Cats star Tom, is a brand ambassador for Ceres Life.

Eyebrows were further raised late last year when Geelong coach Chris Scott was appointed as the new chief of leadership and performance at Morris Finance, a long-term sponsor of the club.

The AFL reportedly looked into the arrangement and closed its investigation earlier this year, however its findings remain unclear.

SEN’s Sam Edmund said the AFL had chosen not to reveal whether the Cats were forced to include the sponsorship money involved in its soft cap.

He said that the AFL’s reason for non-disclosure was that if it was to reveal its findings on Geelong, every player, coach or staff member with a commercial arrangement would need to have their club’s cap position made public.

Wilson and the AFL have stressed that Geelong are not being investigated for third-party payment breaches to the salary cap but an audit is underway, which is a regular process across the competition.