Why the AFL won’t tolerate Dustin Martin having an association with Sydney identity Eddie Hayson

There is no evidence Dustin Martin did anything illegal or wrong when he met up with Eddie Hayson but the AFL is seriously concerned about the optics.

Dustin Martin was spotted having dinner with high-profile gambler and ex-brothel owner Eddie Hayson. Picture: Michael Klein

Dustin Martin’s recent dinner date with a colourful Sydney identity is further proof that AFL footballers must be vigilant about the company they keep.
It’s a stern reminder that the AFL will give to the Richmond superstar when it makes contact with him soon.

In a year in which the optics have never been more important, and where the challenges have been many and varied, AFL bosses were extremely frustrated to hear of CCTV footage of the game’s highest-profile star dining with former brothel owner and high-profile punter Eddie Hayson at a King’s Cross cafe on December 4.
There is no evidence of any wrongdoing or anything untoward about Martin’s catch-up with the controversial Hayson.

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But the fact the dinner was raised with NSW Police after a tip-off from the nation’s newly-formed sports watchdog, Sport Integrity Australia, wasn’t the image the AFL needed as it prepared to close the book on 2020.

And it is planning to tell Martin in no uncertain terms of its concerns about him keeping company with Heyson, who was once accused of using inside information from NRL players for his much-talked about punting exploits.
Sydney’s Buddy Franklin also attended for a short period of time, but didn’t stay for dinner, and is understood to have had no idea who Hayson was.

The AFL will remind Dustin Martin to be careful about the company he keeps. Picture: Peter Wallis

Hayson has long been on the radar of police and sports integrity officers, not just for his gambling, but for his relationships with some of the country’s biggest sporting stars.
He was once investigated over NRL match-fixing allegations which he strenuously denied and in 2014 lost control of his NSW brothel, declaring he had debts of $52 million and admitting he provided several sports stars with free services at the premises.
Connections between AFL footballers and colourful identities are nothing new. They are as old as the game itself.

Ben Cousins had a long-running friendship with Perth underworld figure John Kizon, much to West Coast’s angst, while other players have previously cautioned about their connection with various controversial figures.
But with the integrity of sport now paramount and with proliferation of the sports gaming industry in recent years, those relationships have never been more scrutinised – or discouraged – by the powers that be.

Eddie Hayson has long been on the radar of police and sports integrity officers. Picture: Craig Greenhill

An AFL spokesman said of Martin’s recent catch-up with Hayson: “The AFL, through ongoing education & briefings, constantly reminds players & clubs about the need to take care and be mindful of who they associate with. The AFL will reach out to both clubs and the players to reinforce this message.”

There is no bigger individual brand in Australian football than Martin. He is the most talked about, most watched, most marketable player in the game.
His power and reach is such that he came in ranked at No.6 in a recent News Corp ranking of Australia’s 100 most powerful and influential sports industry figures.
It’s a ranking he can still climb in the coming years as the 29-year-old is at the peak of his football powers.
A dinner with Hayson isn’t going to change that.

But an ongoing, public relationship with the man once accused of using inside information to gamble on NRL matches won’t be tolerated by the AFL.

Originally published as Why the AFL won’t tolerate Dustin Martin having an association with Sydney identity Eddie Hayson