Essendon District power Keilor loses premiership over salary cap breach

The Keilor Football Club has provided reasons for salary cap breaches which have seen it stripped of its 2023 premiership while revealing AFL Victoria had originally approved its player payments.

Keilor has been punished.

The embattled Keilor Football Club has spoken for the first time since it was stripped of its 2023 premiership, saying it is “devastated”.

A day after the Mick McGuane-coached Blues were found to be $45,100 over the cap in ‘23 and $605 over it in the 2022 season, the club has revealed that AFL Victoria initially ticked off its 2023 payments.

In a statement on Wednesday afternoon, the club said an “administrative error in timing of payments” led to the breach.

“We would like to confirm that all charges listed, had previously been ticked off and approved late in 2023, after we were originally reviewed by AFL Vic appointed review panel,” the statement said.

“We want to assure our community, that the player payments for the 2024 season were well under the allowable player payment limit, and have been approved by AFL Integrity Auditor as part of this investigation.

“The Keilor Football Club has been completely open (and) transparent to the EDFL, AFL VIC and independent auditors, from the beginning of this investigation.

“We want to be clear, that despite this outcome, we do not believe we benefited in any way above the competition and all other competing clubs.

“The Keilor Football Club takes pride in its leadership, integrity and passion for local sport and community involvement. We are run & operated by a wide variety dedicated volunteers who work tirelessly to ensure that our club is run and operates to the levels that we do.

“While these sanctions are a setback, they will not define us. We remain committed to competing on the field with respect for the rules and guidelines of our competitions.”

The club was also fined $50,000, with $20,000 suspended “pending compliance by Keilor FC with the EDFL Player Payment Rules for the 2025, 2026 and 2027 football seasons”.

“The integrity of our competition is paramount and we remain committed to upholding the rules and regulations of our league, and our expectation of clubs to adhere to those rules and regulations,” EDFL chairman Ian Price said on Tuesday night.

“We will acknowledge Keilor FC’s excellent co-operation and full disclosure throughout the integrity review and player payment disciplinary committee hearing.

“We also acknowledge that the club’s breaches were not dishonest or wilful.”

Asked today if Strathmore would accept the 2023 premiership, president John Toniolo said he had no comment.

EARLIER

Tuesday night looms as D-Day for the Keilor Football Club.

The Essendon District Football League club will face a league appointed panel at Windy Hill with former AFL operations boss Adrian Anderson to oversee the hearing.

It’s understood any decision on punishments could be made swiftly.

Keilor must answer to any alleged breaches of during the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

The Blues are the latest local footy club to have been charged for alleged breaches on the salary cap.

CLUBS TO HAVE BEEN PUNISHED FOR BREACHES OF PLAYER PAYMENT RULES

2018: MPFNL club Hastings was fined $45,000 in total for player payment breaches during the 2017 season. The club was found to be almost $50,000 over the cap.

EDFL club Aberfeldie was found to have breached the cap by $9595 in 2017 when it won the premiership and a year later was fined $10,000 for being over what was then a $250k cap.

2019: Deer Park was fined $6000 for breaking player payment rules. But the club was cleared of breaking the WRFL’s $215k salary cap.

2022: Wimmera league club Dimboola was fined $20,000 with $10k suspended for breaches during the Covid shortened 2021 season. The club also started 2022 on -12 premiership points.

2023: Wangaratta Magpies, who play in the Ovens and Murray league, were stripped of their 2022 flag after being found to breach the salary cap by $28,000. Coached by Ben Reid, the club was fined $28k and couldn’t play for premiership points in the first two games of the year. Its player points were also cut to 36.

2024: Outer East league clubs Alexandra and Emerald were fined for breaching the salary cap in 2023. Alexandra was fined $40k with $15 suspended for three years and also lost four premiership points. Emerald was fined $8000 after winning the Division 1 flag.

Robinvale-Euston was fined $15,000 and stripped of 12 premiership points for failing to lodge a player declaration, gain signatures of non-declared players and providing full and free access to records. They were found guilty of breaking the cap by $9650. Robinvale-Euston will also have six less player points in 2025.

EARLIER

A major metropolitan football league has revealed a powerhouse club will face a disciplinary committee over alleged salary cap breaches.

The Essendon District Football League confirmed this masthead’s report that Keilor was being investigated.

It comes after a former player spoke out in defence of the club on Thursday night.

Keilor, coached by former Collingwood star Mick McGuane, will face a league-appointed panel next Tuesday night at Windy Hill.

It’s not suggested McGuane was aware of any of the alleged breaches.

Former AFL operations boss Adrian Anderson will oversee the hearing.

It’s understood Keilor must answer alleged breaches of the salary cap in seasons 2022 and 2023.

The club was audited after its dazzling 2024 season in which it lost only two matches and routed Pascoe Vale by 53 points in the grand final.

AFL Victoria conducted the audit and referred its findings to the league.

The Blues also won the flag in 2023 and have captured five premierships under the respected McGuane.

Under AFL Victoria regulations in 2024, metropolitan clubs in their league’s top division could pay their players a maximum of $120,000. The salary cap was $110,000 in 2023.

On Friday afternoon, the EDFL confirmed rumours that had been swirling in local football.

“The Essendon District Football League is aware of the speculation concerning the Keilor Football Club and its player payments,” a league statement said.

“The EDFL can confirm the Keilor Football Club will appear before a player payments disciplinary committee following an Integrity Review into player payments.

“Keilor was subject to an integrity review as a result of competing in the 2024 Premier Division grand final, as required under Rule 9 of the Player Payment Rules.

“The EDFL will not be making any further comment prior the Player Payments Disciplinary Committee hearing.”

Mick McGuane has been the Keilor coach since 2008. Photo: by Josh Chadwick.

In a statement on Friday afternoon, Keilor president Shaun Morris said the club was “aware” of the integrity review.

The club’s statement followed the wide dissemination of a fake statement, written by AI, which was shared on social media and among the local football community on Friday morning.

“The Keilor Football Club wishes to categorically state that no past or present players have had any involvement at all in this integrity review,” Morris said.

“As it has done to date, the Keilor Football Club will continue to co-operate with the EDFL and its appointed officers, in an open, honest, and transparent manner.

“Until this review is completed, it would be inappropriate for the Keilor Football Club to make any further comments in relation to this matter.”

Former Keilor and AFL player Damien Cavka took to social media on Thursday night to hit out at suggestions he “ratted out” the Blues.

Cavka returned to his junior club for the 2023 season after a stint with Keilor Park in the lower divisions of the competition, winning a premiership in 2022.

The ex-West Coast Eagles draftee played 10 games but missed the Blues’ 2023 senior flag.

He then signed with Division 1 club Hillside for 2024 but Keilor denied his clearance and he had to sit out the season.

“The recent rumours linking me to salary cap accusations against my junior club, Keilor, are completely false and an absolute disgrace,” Cavka said.

“The idea that I would ‘rat out’ the club I have been a part of since the age of 5 and a place where my family has grown up and live is not only absurd but deeply offensive to both myself and my family.

“To those who have spread these baseless claims – you should be ashamed.

“Keilor is a club built on integrity, strong values, and a true sense of community. I have nothing but respect for the club, and it’s disappointing to see these false accusations circulating.

“Potentially this is just another case of jealous individuals trying to bring down what has been a power house and football factory where some have tried to conquer but have not come close and never will as the club is a well run/non-ego centralised organisation.”

Damien Cavka in action for Keilor. Picture: Jamie Morey

Cavka is now senior coach of Division 2 club Coburg Districts.

“I am proud to be the coach of Coburg Districts Football Club, where I have received nothing but support from Mick in my coaching journey. My passion has always been for the growth and development of footballers, helping them reach their full potential,” he said.

AFL Victoria has been contacted.

The state’s governing body conducted 120 audits at the end of last season. It’s believed a number of the investigations are ongoing.

If a club is found guilty of breaches it is up to the league and its board to decide any punishments.

In 2023, Ovens and Murray league powerhouse Wangaratta Magpies were stripped of their 2022 premiership and fined $28,000 for their own salary cap breach.

The side, which was coached by former Collingwood defender Ben Reid, was found to have been over the $125,000 cap by $28,000.

The Magpies also were not allowed to play for premiership points in the first game of the 2023 season and declared the breach as an administrative error.