The Geelong Cats have been identified as the club involved in a reported arrangement with a player known for a history of concussions, permitting the player to continue competing while shielding the club from future liabilities.
The arrangement was first disclosed by The Herald Sun on Thursday morning without naming the club, but by the afternoon, multiple media outlets had confirmed that the Cats were involved. The club has been approached for a statement.
Concerns from AFL Players’ Association
James Gallagher, chief executive of the AFL Players’ Association, stated that the alleged deal might violate both competition regulations and Australian law. He emphasized, “The game has a duty to provide a workplace that protects the health, safety, and wellbeing of players and all clubs hold this duty as employers,”
Gallagher further remarked, “Clubs cannot unilaterally contract out of their obligations under the CBA and standard playing contract, nor attempt to avoid their responsibilities under health and safety laws. “Importantly, no player is permitted to return to play or train unless they have been deemed medically fit to do so. We’re in discussions with the AFL to better understand the circumstances of this case and ensure this issue isn’t replicated further at the elite level.” He added, “It’s hard to really fathom how you would get to the conclusion that this is a good thing to do, and how it goes up the chain?”
Details of the Alleged Deal
The Herald Sun detailed that this so-called “I can’t see how you would accept that is the right thing to do for your son or your player.” made two years ago, allowed a player with multiple concussions to take on legal responsibility for any potential on-field brain injuries, with the board reportedly approving the arrangement.
Adam Simpson, a former premiership coach with West Coast, expressed his astonishment over the report while speaking on SEN. He stated.
“It’s hard to really fathom how you would get to the conclusion that this is a good thing to do, and how it goes up the chain? I can’t see how you would accept that is the right thing to do for your son or your player.”
At the time of the deal, Craig Drummond served as Geelong’s chair and has since been appointed as the chair of the AFL Commission.
Both the AFL and Geelong have been contacted for comments regarding the situation.
Concussions, brain health, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) pose significant challenges for the AFL, which has undertaken efforts in recent years to enhance player safety and mitigate brain injuries.
A class action led by Max Rooke, a former Geelong player, has been in the Victorian courts for over two years. It now includes former Cats doctors who could face liabilities for their actions dating back to 1985. This case, involving over 100 former AFL players, is anticipated to go to trial next year.
This year, independent doctors monitoring games received increased authority to remove concussed players from the field, a responsibility that previously rested with club doctors.
This change was one of the recommendations following the coronial inquiry into the death of Shane Tuck in 2023. Another recommendation was to limit contact during training sessions, which is set to be implemented for the first time during the upcoming pre-season.
