Updated August 27, 2026 — 4:13pm,first published 12:09pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. AAA Geelong have been handed a massive $140,000 fine for failing to lodge the variation to Jake Kolodjashnij’s contract which included what AFL chairman Craig Drummond described as
Updated ,first published
Geelong have been handed a massive $140,000 fine for failing to lodge the variation to Jake Kolodjashnij’s contract which included what AFL chairman Craig Drummond described as “a waiver” to reduce their exposure to legal risk if the defender suffered another concussion.
The AFL Commission met on Tuesday night to consider the matter following an investigation by James Peters KC, who found the failure to lodge the document by the Cats was an oversight rather than a deliberate attempt to conceal it from the authorities.
The club was represented at that meeting. The Cats argued that a $40,000 suspended fine, which was hanging over them following a $77,500 fine last year after an AFL audit into the club’s third-party agreements and associates between 2019-2024, should not be added in this case as the Kolodjashnij waiver error occurred before that penalty.
However, the AFL decided to add the suspended fine to a $100,000 sanction to come up with a total of $140,000. Two industry sources confirmed the size of the penalty to this masthead, which the AFL later released on Thursday. Geelong were contacted for comment.
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon conceded the controversial concussion waiver signed by Kolodjashnij would not have been approved by the league, despite defending Geelong’s handling of the saga and declaring the club had done “almost everything right”.
“It wouldn’t be approved because it’s inconsistent with the collective bargaining agreement,” Dillon said.
When asked whether a player could sign a similar concussion waiver in the future, he replied: “At the moment, under the collective agreement, it can’t happen and it won’t happen.”
The AFL’s independent review by Peters found Geelong’s breach was the failure to lodge the variation to Kolodjashnij’s playing contract, which would have allowed it to be scrutinised by the league and the AFL Players’ Association.
Had that occurred, Dillon acknowledged the waiver would not have survived the league’s scrutiny because it sought to remove rights afforded to players under the collective bargaining agreement.
Despite that, Dillon strongly defended Geelong’s broader conduct.
“Geelong had a big call to make in relation to Jake Kolodjashnij’s future, and they did almost everything right,” Dillon said.
“They consulted widely with the AFL, with doctors, lawyers, insurers and, importantly, with Jake himself and his representatives.”
Dillon later doubled down on that assessment, saying the Cats had acted with Kolodjashnij’s interests in mind.
“They had his interests all the way, they consulted widely, but ultimately, they had to lodge the agreement with the AFL, and that’s where they fell short,” he said.
Earlier, the AFL declared in its statement releasing a summary of Peters’ findings that the Cats did not intend to deceive the league and that Kolodjashnij was not coerced into signing the agreement.
“The review found Geelong breached AFL rules by entering into an unauthorised variation to a player’s contract and failing to lodge that document with the AFL and AFLPA,” commissioner Paul Bassat said on behalf of the AFL Commission.
“The health and safety of our players is our highest priority and the commission is satisfied it was central to the decisions made by the Geelong Football Club.
“While the review found no intention to conceal the document or deceive the AFL or AFLPA, the commission determined the rules were breached and that a significant sanction was warranted.”
The Cats had put an agreement in writing that the premiership defender acknowledged the risk of continuing his career after the league’s concussion panel delivered an “amber” finding which left the responsibility for the decision to play on in the player’s hands.
The club, in consultation with the AFL, their club doctors, an insurance expert and Kolodjashnij’s family, put together an agreement which satisfied Kolodjashnij and the club that he could play on as long as he adhered to the conditions. They did not include the AFLPA in their deliberations and despite consulting the league throughout the process, the AFL did not see a final version of the agreement.
Geelong president Grant McCabe said at the president’s function before Saturday’s match against Richmond that “the club took careful and detailed steps and nothing was done in secret”.
The Geelong official managing the process from outside the football department did not recognise at the time such a document needed to be lodged.
Drummond recused himself from all commission deliberations as he was Geelong president at the time the deal was struck.
The league also flagged a major change in policy as a result of this incident, and released a joint statement with the AFLPA in which the AFL and PA committed to reviewing the safety nets for players, clubs and the wider industry in managing concussion risk.
They will consult players, clubs, and club medical staff to consider how to handle the challenge of commercial insurance protection, to provide clearer outcomes from cases dealt with by the league’s concussion panel, to clarify the risks and responsibilities of the various parties regarding concussion, increase education and review how concussion data is collected, and increase the industry’s injury and support fund for current and past players.
The AFLPA welcomed the findings, with CEO James Gallagher saying Kolodjashnij “should never have been put in this position”.
“Jake’s wellbeing remains a priority for the AFLPA, and we continue to fully support him,” he said.
“In recent weeks, the AFL and AFLPA reinforced that any variations to those agreements [the collective bargaining agreement and standard player contract] must be agreed by all parties and the AFLPA or they will be treated as ineffective and unenforceable.”
Kolodjashnij has not played – at any level – since the waiver became public. He has played 11 AFL games this season – most recently in round 18 – as well as three VFL matches. The most recent of those was on July 31 against Collingwood at GMHBA Stadium. His future at the club remains uncertain.
In a statement a fortnight ago, the 31-year-old Kolodjashnij, who has played 209 AFL games, revealed he was the player in question.
“I participated fully in the AFL’s independent concussion panel process, respected its independence, and was comfortable with the outcome. I have continued playing AFL football since,” he said at the time.
“I am healthy, feeling good, and focused on playing my role for the team for the remainder of the season.”
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