27-05-2025
AFL fans left FUMING at the penalty expected to be handed down to Geelong over third party payments
Geelong are reportedly bracing for financial penalties following an audit into third-party payments at the club that uncovered 'discrepancies' - and some footy fans have been left fuming.
According to reports, the AFL 's review of the Cats has reached its conclusion, and the club will be facing several fines.
'The audit is virtually finished. Results have been slowed down by the fact Geelong's COO Marcus King has been away studying at Harvard,' journalist Caroline Wilson said on Channel 7's The Agenda Setters.
'He's back and my belief is that Geelong are expecting a fine, or there will be a fine from the AFL over the coming weeks.
'Geelong 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.
'The AFL accepts this. But there have been discrepancies. There have been lodgements that should have been noted that weren't and they will lead to several five-figure fines. Whether they go beyond five figures I can't tell you.
'I 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.
'Geelong are expecting a fine and the AFL is expecting that to happen.'
The news ignited a firestorm among some rival fans who believe the club should be dealt with more harshly.
'Sorry? Swans copped a 3 year trade ban and lost draft capital for legally getting Lance Franklin. Now the cats are found guilty and cop a fine?,' posted one fan on X.
'Of course it'll only be a fine and nothing else,' replied another.
A third posted: 'Can't wait for all those players getting 3rd party payments to get suspended for the rest of the season. Plus Geelong getting stripped of all draft picks and father son next season
Wilson indicated that the league will make contact with all AFL clubs to make sure everything financially sound from a management viewpoint.
'I think that's happened before. I remember the Brisbane Lions a few years ago were fined for failing to lodge,' Wilson said.
'It's happened across the board, the Western Bulldogs many years ago.
'But we're not saying there was any cheating or any attempt to cheat the salary cap.
'What it will lead to, and the AFL have told Geelong and other clubs, is that there's been a loosening of management issues at many clubs. A warning will be given to all clubs.
'There's going to be a crackdown on third-party payments and this has been led by what's happened at Geelong.'
