Gawler club Willaston cops heavy penalty for salary cap breach
WILLASTON Football Club has been docked two points on the eve of finals and will start next season in arrears as part of a string of harsh penalties for breaching the salary cap.
WILLASTON Football Club has been docked two points on the eve of finals and will start next season in arrears as part of a string of harsh penalties for breaching the salary cap.
The SANFL Salary Cap Commissioner upheld all charges after the Donnybrooks pleaded not guilty at a hearing on Thursday night that it made upfront payments of $3000 to former AFL now Norwood player Josh Glenn for 2016 and 2018 Barossa Light & Gawler Football Association seasons.
Under rules introduced in 2016 no sign-on player payments are permitted.
The club’s penalties include the loss of six premiership points — two for the 2018 season and four in season 2019 — an $8000 fine of which $2000 is suspended until the end of 2020 season and the loss of three Approved Player Points System points in both season 2019 and 2020.
The SANFL also suspended a Willaston official for 12 months from holding any official role with an affiliated league or club, effective immediately, while a former club official was banned from holding any official role with an affiliated league or club for two years.
It is understood the Barossa and Gawler league will take no further action.
The club said in a statement it stood by its evidence but had accepted the outcome.
“The Willaston Football Club have acted honestly, fairly and been compliant throughout the entire process of investigation, appeal and hearing.
“Whilst unsuccessful and accepting of the outcome, Willaston Football Club stands by the evidence produced in favour of the case put forward.
“Willaston Football Club’s focus is now upon the remainder of the 2018 season.”
Willaston drops from 22 to 20 points on account of the penalty and slips from third on the Barossa Light & Gawler Football Association ladder to fourth, behind Barossa District on percentage.
It takes on bottom side Angaston on Saturday in the last game of the minor round while Barossa District plays sixth-placed South Gawler.
SANFL Community Football Manager Matt Duldig said the Player Payment Cap regulations, which were clear in not permitting any sign-on payments for players, had been in place for the past three years and there was no excuse for any club breaching these rules.
He said the SANFL would continue to investigate clubs and encouraged individuals involved to be truthful and fully co-operative.
Josh Glenn’s football future is unclear after he made himself unavailable for selection at Norwood after pleading guilty in court this month to an aggravated count of recklessly causing harm to another after breaking the victim’s nose in Gawler in March.
Glenn’s case has been adjourned to September 21, only two days before the SANFL grand final.
Drafted by Gold Coast Suns from Central District in 2014, Glenn made five AFL appearances before quitting the club at the end of 2015.
He returned to the Bulldogs, only to leave the club at the end of last season to play with Willaston. However, he was sacked by the Barossa, Light & Gawler league club after the incident at a Gawler hotel.