Geelong Fined $140,000 by AFL Over Unlodged Concussion Waiver in Jake Kolodjashnij Contract

The Geelong Football Club has been hit with a $140,000 financial sanction by the Australian Football League following an independent investigation into the club’s failure to officially lodge a concussion waiver included in defender Jake Kolodjashnij’s 2024 contract.

The penalty comprises a $100,000 fine alongside a $40,000 suspended sanction, stemming from league reviews into broader governance and third-party arrangements.

The AFL engaged James Peters KC to conduct an independent review after revelations broke regarding the controversial contract clause, which required the 2022 premiership player to assume full legal responsibility for future brain trauma in order to continue his professional career following multiple concussions.

Mr Peters concluded that the omission of the contract variation was an administrative oversight rather than a deliberate infraction, though the governance lapse placed intense inspection on club leadership, including chief executive Steve Hocking and current AFL chairman Craig Drummond.

Defending the club’s handling of the delicate medical and legal situation prior to the penalty announcement, Mr Hocking maintained that there was “not a lot” the organisation would change in how it managed the complex process.

The arrangement, designed to allow Kolodjashnij to remain on the playing list safely with comprehensive insurance backing, has since sparked widespread industry debate regarding player welfare, legal liabilities, and the boundaries of informed consent in professional sport.

Addressing the controversy over the weekend, Geelong president Grant McCabe described the agreement as a “voluntary assumption of risk” and emphasised that extensive consultation took place with external stakeholders and officials when the pact was originally finalised.

While the player has spent time away from senior selection during the height of the public inspection, Kolodjashnij has returned to training at the club ahead of its upcoming finals campaign.

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