Richmond backs investigation
30 July 2005
Herald Sun
Michael Horan
RICHMOND has no qualms about the AFL's latest audit of players in which it has asked them to divulge any property and investment dealings.
It is one club that might interest investigators of salary cap breaches, with Tigers' president Clinton Casey a successful property developer who is linked to one of the club's major sponsors, the Laguna Whitsundays Resort.
Earlier in the year it was reported star forward Matthew Richardson, captain Kane Johnson and Nathan Brown had bought land at the resort.
Football director Greg Miller said yesterday the club welcomed the nine-page questionnaire sent to more than 300 AFL players, including senior Richmond personnel.
"That's standard sort of procedure, it's certainly no problem as far as I'm concerned," Miller said.
He said he wasn't sure who had bought property where, but there was nothing untoward at Punt Rd and everyone – players and officials – were comfortable with the league questionnaire.
"They make purchases and they've got to pay the right money. If they make money they make money, if they don't they don't," Miller said.
"I've seen these things going on for 20 years. You've just got to make sure there's no impropriety in these things.
"This is just a normal procedure the (AFL) investigation department is doing and should be doing."
Miller said the timing of the questionnaire didn't really matter, that it was a simple process for all.
"There's no hassles as far as I understand. The players aren't concerned about it, they've just got to fill it out," he said. "If they've got properties they've purchased through someone around the club they just say so. Just about every player over the age of 21 owns a property now."
Several Fremantle and West Coast players – Chris Judd and Matthew Pavlich included – have invested in properties with the aid of Perth property magnate Nigel Slattery, while in the past St Kilda has reported a property bought by Fraser Gehrig through club director John Gdanski, which was cleared.
AFL Players' Association president Brendon Gale said the league had sought feedback about the questionnaire, designed to ensure there were no salary cap breaches through property investment involving clubs and their players.
The AFLPA sought and received some amendments to the questionnaire before it was sent out, but, in principle, supported the league initiative.
"The AFL certainly has the power to do this. The salary cap is very important to them and they don't want it compromised in any way," Gale said.
Amendments to the original document allowed players without any property or investment dealings to tick a single box stating as much, absolving them from answering further questions on the document.
It was also agreed the questionnaire would not be sent to rookies, or first and second-year players.
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