Geelong Football Club's Waiver Policy Controversy: Contract Clause Drafted Post-Concussion
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The clause in Kolodjashnij’s contract was drafted and signed after the defender was not fully cleared by the AFL’s concussion panel in 2024, and followed consultation about potential risks of returning to senior football with the player, his family, doctors and insurers. The waiver was set aside by Geelong in the days after its existence first became public.
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SMH SportGeelong have been handed a massive $140,000 fine for failing to lodge the variation to Jake Kolodjashnij’s contract which included what AFL chairman Craig Drummond described as “a waiver” to reduce their exposure to legal risk if the defender suffered another concussion.
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There has been widespread criticism directed at Geelong for developing the waiver which has also enveloped the AFL given Drummond, the former Cats president, became chair of the AFL Commission in March.
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SMH SportClearly the commission considered a heavy fine would satisfy that mob, while the KC’s findings would enable former Geelong president Craig Drummond to continue on as AFL chair.
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The sanction exceeds recent fines issued by the AFL, including the $77,500 penalty to the Cats for salary cap breaches, of which $40,000 was suspended, and the $75,000 fine handed to Carlton for their mismanagement of Elijah Hollands’ mental health episode.
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SMH SportThe club was represented at that meeting. The Cats argued that a $40,000 suspended fine, which was hanging over them following a $77,500 fine last year after an AFL audit into the club’s third-party agreements and associates between 2019-2024, should not be added in this case as the Kolodjashnij waiver error occurred before that penalty.
2 details only one outlet reported
Independent claims that didn't surface elsewhere in our corpus. Treat as supplementary — not corroborated across outlets.
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01 SMH Sport Administrative oversights don’t warrant such a whack unless the governing body is looking to mollify the multitudes who are both sick of the cute Cats and the way headquarters have handled concussion in the past.
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02 The Guardian Sport Drummond appeared to be referring to a review of the safety nets around concussion that the AFL and AFLPA also announced today, covering issues like the challenges of commercial insurance protection for players and officials, and an increase to the scope of the injury and support fund.
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