Hastings hit with fines after exceeding salary cap by almost $50,000

MPNFL club Hastings has been fined for breaching its salary cap last year — and AFL South East has warned player-payment rules ‘will be enforced to their fullest extent’.

Hastings players celebrate the 2016 premiership.

HASTINGS Football Netball Club has been left reeling after being hit with fines totalling $45,000 for player-payment breaches.

AFL South East said this morning the penalties related to breaches last season.

The Blues were almost $50,000 over their $150,000 cap.

The AFL South East’s “player payments disciplinary committee’’ found the club guilty of four chargers after a hearing at Casey Fields last Wednesday night.

A sanction totalling $45,000 was imposed on Hastings, while education and training will be undertaken for charges relating to the club’s lodgement of its player payment documentation.

AFL South East region general manager John Anderson said the disciplinary committee had considered many factors before handing down the sanctions.

“The breaches by HFNC occurred in the first year of implementation of the player payment rules, where there was an emphasis on training and education,” Anderson said.

“The co-operation of the recently elected HFNC executive in pleading guilty to the charges was taken into account in arriving at the sanctions.”

Anderson said the 30 senior clubs under the AFL South East banner should take heed of the Hastings case.

Other investigations that took place in 2017 exposed several rule interpretations that required clarification, such as the co-coach deductions.

Anderson encouraged clubs to apply to AFL South East for a ruling on particular arrangements to ensure they were complying with the APP Rules.

“This is a clear message to everyone that in 2018 strict processes must be followed and the player payment rules will be enforced to their fullest extent.”

Hastings won the 2016 Nepean Division premiership and made the finals last season.

It will play in Division 2 of the MPNFL this year.

Hastings president Ken Stratton told Leader this morning: “The (media) release is self-explanatory and we as a new committee are not prepared to make any more statements. Simple as that.

“I’ve read the release, it explains everything, the way it’s written is self-explanatory.’’

HASTINGS FNC SANCTIONS:

Hastings FNC exceeded its 2017 APP threshold of $150,000 by $48,155 and thereby breached 2017 Player Payment Rule 2(a)(i).

Sanction: $30,000 with $20,000 suspended for two years pending further breach.

Hastings FNC breached the 2017 Player Payment Rules by not lodging all player contracts with AFL South East within the prescribed time frames and thereby breached Player Payment Rule 4(a)(I).

Sanction: $5000 totally suspended for two years pending further breach.

Hastings FNC breached the 2017 Player Payment Rules by not lodging all Non-Contracted Player Statements with AFL South East within the prescribed time frames and thereby breached Player Payment Rule 4(b)(I).

Sanction: $5000 totally suspended for two years pending further breach.

Hastings FNC breached the 2017 Player Payment Rules by not disclosing all its player payments as part of its Final Declaration submitted 31/10/2017 and thereby breached Player Payment Rule 4(d)(I).

Sanction: $5000 totally suspended for two years pending further breach.