Central Murray: Probe finds Kerang guilty of breaking salary cap by $16,000 in 2024

A country footy heavyweight which was denied a hat-trick of flags in the grand final last year has been caught over the salary cap.

Central Murray league powerhouse Kerang has been found guilty of busting the salary cap by $16,000 last year when the club lost the grand final.

A long-running investigation concluded this week when Kerang accepted the penalties of a $16,000 fine and a reduction of $10,000 in the club’s salary cap for the 2025 and 2026 seasons from the AFL Central Victoria integrity committee.

Two charges of exceeding the salary cap and not lodging cap-related documentation when required were sustained.

Kerang must pay $10,000 of the fine by the end of the 2025 season with $6000 suspended until the end of the 2026 season pending no further cap breaches in the next two seasons.

The cut to Kerang’s salary cap is a step away from other previous penalties handed down to country clubs that have breached the cap in recent seasons including loss of player points and deduction of premiership points.

Last month, Rumbalara was hit with total fines of $32,900 for busting the Murray league salary cap by $54,650 last season.

Keilor captain Kane Barbuto, coach Mick McGuane and president Shaun Morris following the decision to strip the club of the 2023 premiership for a salary cap breach. Picture: Jason Edwards

Also last month, metro club Keilor was stripped of its 2023 flag when it was found to be $45,100 over the salary cap in that season.

An accredited AFL Victoria integrity officer will also complete a review of Kerang’s player

payments for the 2025 and 2026 seasons with the club to pay for both reviews.

Kerang lost last year’s grand final to Nyah Nyah West United by 54 points to be denied a hat-trick of flags.

Kerang also won six successive flags between 2012 and 2017.

Since the grand final loss, Kerang has suffered a mass exodus of players.

Among them are Sean Hunter, who has joined WAFL club Peel Thunder, Sam Heavyside has returned to Strathfieldsaye, Josh and Caleb Nitschke have joined six-time Kerang premiership coach Troy Coates at South Bendigo and ruckman Nick Lang has also headed back to the Bendigo league and rejoined Kangaroo Flat.

Another premiership coach Paul Grayling has returned to coach Kerang this season.

Meanwhile, North Central league club Birchip-Watchem and Golden Rivers league club Hay were also hit with “formal reprimands” for breaches of the salary cap.

They both must attend this year’s AFL Central Victoria salary cap and player points “education session” and will be the subject of an AFL Victoria integrity review.

The two clubs have also received a $5000 fine, suspended for 12 months.

Originally published as Central Murray: Probe finds Kerang guilty of breaking salary cap by $16,000 in 2024