Former AFL player accused of stealing from Gold Coast sports club

A former AFL player is set to face court after allegedly stealing from a Gold Coast Sports Club shortly after coaching its biggest affiliated football side.

A FORMER AFL player allegedly stole from a Gold Coast Sports Club shortly after coaching its biggest affiliated football side.

Craig Devonport is due to appear in the Southport Magistrates Court in the coming months for allegedly defrauding the Broadbeach Sports Club.

Devonport has been charged with 11 counts of fraud, four counts of stealing as a clerk and servant, one count of forgery and uttering, one count of uttering a forged document and one count of stealing.

AFL football - Adelaide Crows vs St Kilda match at Football Park. Adelaide's Andrew Jarman fails in his attempt to smother Craig Devonport's kick 16 Aug 1992. (Pic by staff photographer Mark Brake)

The 50-year-old, who played 95 games at St Kilda and Carlton between 1989 and 1996, allegedly stole money from the sports club, forcing it into debt.

Devonport arrived at the Cats in in the 2016 pre-season, becoming an assistant to the QAFL senior men’s team.

He accepted a management position at the sports club once the premiership season began and left at the start of 2017.

Forensic auditors spent multiple months trying to find the reason behind the club’s financial woes.

The Broadbeach Sports Club is affiliated with the not-for-profit Broadbeach Cats Australian Football Club and Broadbeach Robina Cricket Club.