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AFL Goulburn Murray issues Mooroopna Football Netball Club big fine in the wake of player payments investigation
A Goulburn Valley League club has been fined $25,500, with half of that figure suspended, for player payments paperwork errors.
AFL Goulburn Murray launched an integrity review in February this year into Mooroopna Football Netball Club under AFL Victoria's Community Club Sustainability Program process, regarding the club’s match payments during the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
From the 53 initial breaches, 23 were sustained at a tribunal hearing on June 18, 2024.
It resulted in three charges — one of which was dismissed — with the first amounting to $10,500 ($5,250 suspended) revolving around player declarations.
The second centred around the club’s ability to correctly disclose payments made and totalled $15,000 ($7,500 suspended).
Importantly, the review found Mooroopna not guilty of surpassing the salary cap requirements.
Mooroopna president Bill Dowling issued a statement addressing the matter following the hearing.
“As you may be aware the MFNC has been investigated for irregularities in its total player payments,” it read.
“(On) June 18, 2024, an AFL GM tribunal was held in relation to three charges.
“The AFL rules dictate that the club once it is alleged to have breached any rule must prove to the tribunal it has not breached the said rule.
“In layman’s terms you are guilty unless you can prove otherwise.”
Dowling’s statement explained that the first charge arose from the October 2022 floods and the chaotic nature during that period — which included a number of player contracts being destroyed by floodwaters.
“The first charge related to player declarations, in particular, the failure to upload contracts before 31 October 2022 during the historic flood event that gripped Mooroopna,” it read.
“While this was not an issue when audited at local level in 2022 it was an issue to the tribunal some 18 months later.
“Regrettably we didn’t get new contracts and upload them, but at the time the MFNC was fully engaged in flood relief.
“The second charge, containing 15 allegations of breach, was dismissed.
“The third charge related to a failure to correctly disclose payments made and contained 17 allegations of breach, all of which were dismissed except two.
“Importantly, the MFNC was found not to have exceeded the total player payments in either 2022 or 2023. In fact, the MFNC was found to be well under the threshold.”
AFL Goulburn Murray released a position statement in the wash up of the tribunal hearing, outlining its stance on the situation.
“The integrity of competitions is paramount at all levels of the game and all stakeholders, including leagues, clubs, and players, have a responsibility to adhere to the rules put in place,” it read.
“AFLGM will continue to support clubs in the management of the CCSP through training and education and availability of RAC resources.
“The club has advised that they will not appeal the panel's findings.”