Dutchy says he met Casey and Spud at Crown and that he has the promises in writing.....
According to the statement, the inducements were offered at a meeting with Casey and Frawley on October 6, 2001, at Koko's restaurant at the Crown Casino and that the "opportunities" were later "confirmed in writing on or about 16 October, 2001", a copy of which Holland says he possesses.----------------------------------
Holland sues over Tiger deal
Thomas Arup | April 4, 2008 | The Age
VETERAN Melbourne player Ben Holland is suing his former club, Richmond, and former Tiger president Clinton Casey for lost "business and investment opportunities" that he claims he never received in a 2001 agreement that may have breached the AFL salary cap.
In a statement of claim filed in the Supreme Court of Victoria, dated September 27, 2007, Holland also alleges similar "opportunities" were offered to other Richmond players and officials "including business opportunities in property developments with which Casey was directly and indirectly involved such as the Sandhurst project".
The statement says that in October 2001, Casey, a property developer, in the presence of then Tigers coach Danny Frawley, offered inducements that would compensate him for the $530,000 difference between a contract offered by Adelaide, also in that month.
The allegations, which were raised on Channel Nine's The Footy Show last night, may mean Richmond contravened AFL salary cap regulations, for which the club can be fined and lose draft picks and premiership points.
According to the statement, the inducements were offered at a meeting with Casey and Frawley on October 6, 2001, at Koko's restaurant at the Crown Casino and that the "opportunities" were later "confirmed in writing on or about 16 October, 2001", a copy of which Holland says he possesses.
The Age last night tried to contact Casey. He is believed to be overseas and could not be reached. AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said late last night that he "had no reaction".
Richmond said in a statement issued last night: "No formal claim has been served upon the club. RFC is currently awaiting legal advice in respect of these matters and we have notified the AFL of these claims.
"Once legal advice has been received this information will be made available to the AFL."
In early October 2001, Richmond offered the out-of-contract Holland $800,000 over three years. Shortly afterwards, the Crows offered him $1.33 million over three years.
In the statement of claim, Holland alleges that Casey offered the following "business and investment opportunities" to compensate him for the monetary difference between the two offers:
■ Involvement in a Sandhurst property development in which Holland would be allocated selected blocks of land for $180,000 before the land was released for sale to the public, plus similar opportunities in other property developments.
■ An arrangement for Holland to provide podiatry services — Holland is a qualified podiatrist — at aged care facilities in Victoria in which Casey was involved.
■ An arrangement for Holland to acquire a large parcel of shares in a particular company whose shares were expected to increase.
Holland finished sixth in the Tigers' 2001 best and fairest count in a season where Richmond finished third.
Holland injured his knee in April 2002 and was cut from the Tigers' list in September 2003 and subsequently traded to Melbourne on the basis that Richmond would pay Holland the difference between the two contracts for season 2004.
Holland maintains the business and investment opportunities never eventuated, apart from $4000 in podiatry services.
He is suing for $530,000, which he claims is the difference between the Adelaide offer and the one he accepted at Richmond.
Casey quit as the president of Richmond Football Club at the end of 2005 to concentrate on his business, the Casey Group, which develops property including luxury aged-care facilities. Casey and his wife Leslie founded the company in 1988.
The case has similarities to that of former Carlton duo Stephen Silvagni and Craig Bradley, who, at the urging of the club, came forward with information about promised monetary entitlements outside the salary cap, which were never paid.
In 2002, Carlton was fined $987,000, disqualified from receiving priority picks and barred from the first two rounds of the national draft for two years.
Speaking on The Footy Showlast night, Richmond forward Matthew Richardson said he was never offered "opportunities" by Casey, nor had he heard of the allegations until yesterday afternoon.
With SAMANTHA LANE
http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/holland-sues-over-tiger-deal/2008/04/03/1206851113196.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
