Gaza Football Club salary cap SANFL appeal hearing set for January

A local footy club fighting charges for alleged salary cap breaches over multiple years remains confident it will be cleared of any wrongdoing with an appeal hearing date now set.

A local SA footy club facing a record fine for alleged salary cap breaches remains confident it will beat the charges, with an appeal hearing timeline now set.

Division four Adelaide Footy League club Gaza has appealed charges made by SANFL of alleged breaches dating back to 2018.

The club faces penalties of an SA sport record $380,000 fine, a reduction in premiership and player points for season 2024, and the suspension of club officials including a 10-year ban for president Don Rosella.

A ‘Directions Hearing’ for the appeal was held by SANFL on Wednesday, during which it determined the appeal would go to a hearing in January.

“Following a Directions Hearing regarding the Gaza FC salary cap breaches, the SANFL can confirm the matter, including all sanctions imposed on the club, will now go to a hearing before the independent SANFL Salary Cap Commissioner to be held in January,” a SANFL spokesman said.

The Gaza Football Club's appeal hearing regarding alleged salary cap breaches will be held in January. Picture: Gaza Sports and Community Club

“The club had the opportunity to co-operate with the SANFL, including providing an early guilty plea, but has chosen to challenge the charges.

“SANFL will therefore not be making any further comment at this point in time.”

Gaza enlisted high-profile SA lawyer Greg Griffin to lead its appeal in early September, a week after the charges were laid by SANFL.

Griffin said the club was adamant it did not breach salary cap rules and regulations and remained confident it would win its appeal, labelling SANFL’s evidence against the Eagles as unreliable.

“There are some serious issues that have become evident as to the reliability of the evidence or the statements relied upon by the SANFL and the process that the investigators have undertaken,” Griffin said.

Adelaide lawyer Greg Griffin will represent Gaza in its appeal. Picture: Ben Clark

“There has been great reliance placed upon statements given by a number of former players in support of each other which are implausible and unproved.

“We have already done a significant body of work which renders many of the matters raised as being improbable.”

Griffin also said he and the club would be cross examining witnesses in the appeal.

“We’ll be exercising our rights to cross examine any of the witnesses who have given a statement in the investigation as we feel there are very good reasons to test the evidence.

New Gaza coach signed Mark Kamenic (left) with president Don Rosella. Picture: Gaza Sports and Social Club

“Gaza is a good, strong and hard suburban football club and to suggest they had the financial capacity to pay the money these players are asserting they were given is nonsensical.”

The Gaza Football Club was founded in 1903 and has won six premierships, with the most recent being its 2011 division one flag.

The Eagles were relegated to division three at the end of season 2022 and have been relegated to division four for season 2024.

The club recently signed new coach Mark Kamenic in preparation for 2024.