Gaza Football Club found guilty of 223 counts of salary cap breaches dating back to 2018
Gaza Football Club has been hit with a bombshell verdict after a tribunal hearing probing years of alleged salary cap breaches heard statements from six players.
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The Gaza Football Club has learned its fate after a two-day-long tribunal hearing at Adelaide Oval regarding up to 223 charges of salary cap breaches laid by SANFL last September.
Justice Michael David KC – the independent Salary Cap Commissioner – found the club guilty of all charges involving player payments, total player match payment and sign-on breaches, as well as false contracts throughout the 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022 Adelaide Footy League seasons.
The tribunal heard six Gaza players from that period, some of whom were paid up to $600 more than the weekly limit, made statements to SANFL investigators detailing payments by the club on top of what their contracts stated, which were used as evidence against the club by lawyers Andrew Culshaw and Garry Palasis.
Text messages containing discussions around payment amounts between club players and officials, which were provided to SANFL investigators by a Gaza player, were also used as evidence.
The club was found to have deliberately breached weekly individual player payment limits of $400 as well as total player payment limits of $2500 in each of the four years, exceeding as much as double the allowed amount in every week of the 2022 season.
“I find the club guilty on all counts of excessive payments (through 2018-2022),” Mr David said.
“I find the club guilty of falsifying contracts in relation to six players who made statements and gave evidence.
“As far as the upfront sign-on payments of $4000 I also find the club guilty.”
President Don Rosella, who during his cross-examination revealed the club was in $80,000 of debt, denied knowing of any player payments and claimed sign-on payments were given as a loan, was also found guilty as charged by Mr David for breaches in 2021 and 2022.
Lawyer Andrew Culshaw said the evidence was damning.
“Gaza was making the books appear like they were under the salary cap when really they weren’t. They knew what the rules were,” Mr Culshaw said.
“It is clear money was important to the players, and all of them were very good footballers, so it makes sense they were being paid well to play at Gaza.
“The text messages also prove conclusively that at least one player, as well as the club, well knew he was on $700 a game, despite a contract signed earlier stating he was on much less.
“In terms of a $4000 upfront payment, it is irrelevant if it was given out as a loan, it is still categorised as an upfront payment by the club.”
Lawyer Greg Griffin, representing Gaza and Mr Rosella, admitted guilt on the club’s behalf in his closing remarks but maintained Mr Rosella’s innocence.
“I think there is strong evidence that those players who gave evidence did receive that money,” Mr Griffin said.
“There is one person who can walk tall though and that is Don Rosella – he took over a position, saw a breach taking place when he arrived as president and did everything in his power to clean it all up.
“As a consequence of his hard line position, he was then completely kept out of the loop by the football department and had nothing to do with the payments.
“Weak coaches and weak club officials sat back and let it happen.”
The tribunal will reconvene on Tuesday, February 20 to hear Justice Michael David’s submissions on penalties, with official penalties to follow.
Gaza went into the hearing facing a potential $380,000 fine and deduction of premiership and player points.
Neither the Gaza Football Club nor any individuals involved is accused of any criminal wrongdoing.
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