BREAKING: Tigers players in wild brawl outside Gold Coast strip club, face $100k fineSeptember 4, 2020 11:48am
Tom Morris
Source: FOX SPORTSGOLD COAST - The AFL is investigating a matter involving Tigers Sydney Stack and Callum Coleman-Jones on Thursday night.
Foxfooty.com.au has confirmed the league is aware of an alleged altercation outside a Gold Coast strip club where the Courier Mail is reporting the duo were involved in a fight after being evicted.
It is understood the fight took place metres from a police station with officers called to the scene.
It is a clear breach of AFL COVID-19 protocols for players or coaches to attend bars, restaurants or other confined public spaces.
AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan and Richmond CEO Brendon Gale were locked in discussions on Friday morning in the quarantine hub.
If found guilty, Richmond could be fined up to $100,000 and both players would face suspensions.
It would be the Tigers second breach since the AFL introduced strict return to play protocols in July.
The $25,000 suspended fine handed down after Brooke Cotchin attended a day spa would need to be paid, plus a further $75,000 for a second breach.
The full financial amount would be taken out of Richmond‘s 2021 soft cap, which is set to be reduced from more than $9million to just over $6million.
Stack has played nine senior games this year, while Coleman-Jones hasn’t featured in 2020 but played on match in 2019.
Richmond CEO Brendon Gale is in the AFL’s transition hub on the Gold Coast, as are AFL executives Gillon McLachlan and Andrew Dillon.
It’s unclear whether Gale will address the media on Thursday or await the AFL’s investigation to conclude first.
The AFL released its updated protocols on July 31, stipulating the financial penalties for first and second breaches.
A third breach would see the AFL Commission have the power to impose any sanction it sees fit on a discretionary basis. It could lead to loss of draft picks, premiership points and even bigger financial sanctions.
Richmond has become aware of a breach of AFL Covid-19 protocol by two of its players, in the early hours of Friday morning.
The Club immediately reported the breach of protocols to the AFL, and is working with the League to investigate the matter.
— Richmond FC 🐯🏆 (@Richmond_FC) September 4, 2020
“This strict regime is important for the AFL and the AFL Clubs to protect the health and safety of the community and to maintain the AFL’s social licence to continue the 2020 Toyota AFL Premiership Season in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic,” The AFL’s media release read in late July.
Richmond is one of 12 clubs which has committed a breach in 2020, but the only club to face a secondary fine.
https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/breaking-tigers-stars-in-brawl-outside-gold-coast-strip-club/news-story/f0e7ad7594cecc4080bb1a2b78637c53