Ben Holland suing RFC and Clinton Casey for half a million

[one-eyed]

Tigers to defend against Holland claims
April 4, 2008 - 1:16PM | The Age

Richmond says claims made by former player Ben Holland that he is owed $530,000 by the Tigers are "without foundation" and that it will "vigorously defend" the allegations.

Holland has launched a Supreme Court writ against Richmond and former Tigers president Clinton Casey over what he claims are unpaid payments, dating from a contract he signed with the club in 2001.

Holland claims he was offered incentives on top of an $800,000, three-year contract he signed with the Tigers to keep him at the club and resist a $1.33 million offer to join Adelaide for three years, in allegations that may include salary cap breaches.

He claims he was offered incentives including $180,000 worth of land, other property development opportunities, share parcels in a company run by Casey and the right to work as a podiatrist at an aged care facility owned by Casey.

The Nine Network on Thursday night reported Holland said those offers were made in a combination of written, oral and implied forms, but were never met.

But Richmond chief executive Steven Wright said no claim had been served on the club.

"So all we are aware (of) is what's listed in his statement of claim, which was broadcast last night," Wright said on Friday.

Wright said Richmond had asked their lawyers to investigate the matter, but insisted the club would defend itself.

"At the moment they are allegations and the preliminary advice we have received is that they are without foundation and we will vigorously defend those allegations," he said.

Wright refused to respond to questions over whether the club might have breached the salary cap.

"I'm not going to get into hypotheticals on salary caps," he said.

"Our information is that we'll be defending the allegations and if we defend them successfully there's no issue."

Holland left Richmond at the end of 2003 and now plays for Melbourne.

Casey was president of Richmond from 2000-05, and is reportedly overseas at the moment.

Wright said Richmond had notified the AFL of the situation and would keep the league updated.

He admitted the timing of Holland's writ was not good given Richmond wanted to focus on playing Collingwood at the MCG on Sunday.

A spokeswoman for the Victorian Supreme Court said a writ had been issued in October, with Holland as the plaintiff and Casey and Richmond as the two defendants.

However, no action has yet been taken on the matter and no court date has been set.

A spokeswoman for the Victorian Supreme Court said a writ had been issued in October, with Holland as the plaintiff and Casey and Richmond as the two defendants.

However no action has yet been taken on the matter and no court date has been set.

http://news.theage.com.au/tigers-to-defend-against-holland-claims/20080403-23jy.html

[Moi]

For those of you who didn't vote for him, why didn't you tell us your concerns at the time?
Smug pricks lol

I voted for the Casey ticket.

As WP said in words to the effect, it was a no brainer at the time and they've done a pretty good job in turning the finances of the club around.

[Tigermonk]

Ben Holland IMV was a good player for Richmond
if it wasn't for him doing his knee badly he would be still at the club today
he was the one being moved all over the ground trying to patch up our problems when the chips were down cause more highly paid players wern't pulling there weight
he served well going forward & kicking goals, had good hands, he defended the best he could
Backline / Forward line some players get ticked off  & you cant blame them for losing faith in the club & some of his teammates
l would back Ben Holland any day as a footballer  he was built like a freakin racehorse & his a top bloke
shoot me down for saying this but his getting shafted at Melbourne & should have walked away from that club a few years ago but he couldnot get back in the door at Tigerland & as a supporter l would have let him back in

let the bullets fly 

[1980]

have no hesitation in saying I voted for the Casey ticket as the alternative was... well it wasn't a credible alternative IMV

BTW The current board is the Casey ticket minus Casey and they have done a great job in the last couple of years ... dare I say it ....FACT 

Its a fact when there is a premiership cup in the cupboard. Not wooden spoons.

Its disingenuous to say you voted for the current board. You voted for Casey and Miller, both of whom are entirely discredited

Come on MT, put your hand up

[1980]

Ben Holland IMV was a good player for Richmond
if it wasn't for him doing his knee badly he would be still at the club today
he was the one being moved all over the ground trying to patch up our problems when the chips were down cause more highly paid players wern't pulling there weight
he served well going forward & kicking goals, had good hands, he defended the best he could
Backline / Forward line some players get ticked off  & you cant blame them for losing faith in the club & some of his teammates
l would back Ben Holland any day as a footballer  he was built like a freakin racehorse & his a top bloke
shoot me down for saying this but his getting shafted at Melbourne & should have walked away from that club a few years ago but he couldnot get back in the door at Tigerland & as a supporter l would have let him back in

let the bullets fly 

And here lies the problem with the RFC.

Whether he was a good player can be debated. Whether he was worth $1.3m cannot.

We've been overpaying and overestimating servicable players as superstars for 10 years, and not making any progress on gthe ladder

[Francois Jackson]

Ben Holland IMV was a good player for Richmond
if it wasn't for him doing his knee badly he would be still at the club today
he was the one being moved all over the ground trying to patch up our problems when the chips were down cause more highly paid players wern't pulling there weight
he served well going forward & kicking goals, had good hands, he defended the best he could
Backline / Forward line some players get ticked off  & you cant blame them for losing faith in the club & some of his teammates
l would back Ben Holland any day as a footballer  he was built like a freakin racehorse & his a top bloke
shoot me down for saying this but his getting shafted at Melbourne & should have walked away from that club a few years ago but he couldnot get back in the door at Tigerland & as a supporter l would have let him back in

let the bullets fly 

And here lies the problem with the RFC.

Whether he was a good player can be debated. Whether he was worth $1.3m cannot.

We've been overpaying and overestimating servicable players as superstars for 10 years, and not making any progress on gthe ladder

agreed. 2 many players have walked thru punt road on inflated pay packets when they are very average players.

stuff holland i hope he gets nothing. he has probably figured out that he is a poo footballer and money is running dry so better search for cash elsewhere.

loser

[one-eyed]

AFL launches Tigers probe
Adelaide Advertiser | April 04, 2008 01:00pm

 THE AFL has launched an investigation into claims by former Richmond player Ben Holland that he is owed $530,000 by the Tigers. League boss Andrew Demetriou said today football operations manager Adrian Anderson would look into the issue.

"I've spoken to Adrian Anderson this morning and he'll speak to Ben Holland and obviously he'll speak to other relevant parties," Demetriou said.

Demetriou said he had been aware of the alleged deal since he met with Richmond and Holland in 2002 but thought it had been resolved.

"The issue back then was that he was being offered allegedly $1.3 million from Adelaide, so we have to ascertain whether that's true.

"And then he was offered a significantly less amount from Richmond and he decided to stay at Richmond."

Demetriou said he had then met with Holland and Richmond to discuss how Holland could be paid.

"The issue back then was, was there a way that, under the rules of the salary cap, whether Richmond Football Club could pay him any more - and the answer was no.

"That was the rules and that was the AFL's position as it would (be) for any player."

Demetriou said he was not aware of any alleged deals such as land and work offers for Holland.

"I had a meeting with Ben Holland and Mark Brayshaw who was the then CEO about this matter back when I was general manager of football operations and when they left my office I thought this was a dead issue," Demetriou said.

"I was surprised when it surfaced, I understand he's lodged a Supreme Court writ.

"If it's true, and he's got a writ which I'm sure based on my information from back then, Clinton Casey will contest - and then it's a matter for the courts."

However, if the claims were true, they would breach the AFL salary cap rules, he said.

"Yes it would be, you can't do that," he said.

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/sport/afl/story/0,26547,23483544-5016212,00.html

[cub]

Stuff it 

[WilliamPowell]

have no hesitation in saying I voted for the Casey ticket as the alternative was... well it wasn't a credible alternative IMV

BTW The current board is the Casey ticket minus Casey and they have done a great job in the last couple of years ... dare I say it ....FACT 

Its a fact when there is a premiership cup in the cupboard. Not wooden spoons.

Its disingenuous to say you voted for the current board. You voted for Casey and Miller, both of whom are entirely discredited

Come on MT, put your hand up

I think you mean me 1980

I am putting my hand up - I voted for the Casey ticket. Not just Casey & Miller but the entire ticket. Dalton, Lord. March, O'Shanessy, the other lawyer bloke who's name I always forget and Mithen are the others BTW

I voted for that entire ticket because they were IMHO the best option for club at that time.

The fact is they all remain on board today and have done a good job.

Do I regret who I voted for back then? Nope

Edit: the lawyer bloke = Matthies

[WilliamPowell]

AFL launches Tigers probe
Adelaide Advertiser | April 04, 2008 01:00pm

"I've spoken to Adrian Anderson this morning and he'll speak to Ben Holland and obviously he'll speak to other relevant parties," Demetriou said.

Well I'm sure we all feel at ease now knowing Adrian A is on the case 

[richmondrules]

...
However, if the claims were true, they would breach the AFL salary cap rules, he said.

"Yes it would be, you can't do that," he said.
...

lol. Wouldn't it just be typical Richmond if we got done for breaching the salary cap rules in an effort to keep ... BEN HOLLAND!!! 

ROFLMFAO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tigersalive]

AFL launches Tigers probe
Adelaide Advertiser | April 04, 2008 01:00pm

 THE AFL has launched an investigation into claims by former Richmond player Ben Holland that he is owed $530,000 by the Tigers. League boss Andrew Demetriou said today football operations manager Adrian Anderson would look into the issue.

"I've spoken to Adrian Anderson this morning and he'll speak to Ben Holland and obviously he'll speak to other relevant parties," Demetriou said.

Demetriou said he had been aware of the alleged deal since he met with Richmond and Holland in 2002 but thought it had been resolved.

"The issue back then was that he was being offered allegedly $1.3 million from Adelaide, so we have to ascertain whether that's true.

"And then he was offered a significantly less amount from Richmond and he decided to stay at Richmond."

Demetriou said he had then met with Holland and Richmond to discuss how Holland could be paid.

"The issue back then was, was there a way that, under the rules of the salary cap, whether Richmond Football Club could pay him any more - and the answer was no.

"That was the rules and that was the AFL's position as it would (be) for any player."

Demetriou said he was not aware of any alleged deals such as land and work offers for Holland.

"I had a meeting with Ben Holland and Mark Brayshaw who was the then CEO about this matter back when I was general manager of football operations and when they left my office I thought this was a dead issue," Demetriou said.

"I was surprised when it surfaced, I understand he's lodged a Supreme Court writ.

"If it's true, and he's got a writ which I'm sure based on my information from back then, Clinton Casey will contest - and then it's a matter for the courts."

However, if the claims were true, they would breach the AFL salary cap rules, he said.

"Yes it would be, you can't do that," he said.

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/sport/afl/story/0,26547,23483544-5016212,00.html

Ridiculous.

Surely the AFL cant act until the Court hands down its decision.  That could severly prejudice the case on either side if the AFLs investigation is called before the supreme court.  

Stay the stuff out if it for now AA.

 

[Francois Jackson]

AFL launches Tigers probe
Adelaide Advertiser | April 04, 2008 01:00pm

"I've spoken to Adrian Anderson this morning and he'll speak to Ben Holland and obviously he'll speak to other relevant parties," Demetriou said.

Well I'm sure we all feel at ease now knowing Adrian A is on the case 

thanks mate. after telling me that about AA, i feel so much better now.
is it just me or is this guy anderson a complete tool.

[tigersalive]

AFL launches Tigers probe
Adelaide Advertiser | April 04, 2008 01:00pm

"I've spoken to Adrian Anderson this morning and he'll speak to Ben Holland and obviously he'll speak to other relevant parties," Demetriou said.

Well I'm sure we all feel at ease now knowing Adrian A is on the case 

thanks mate. after telling me that about AA, i feel so much better now.
is it just me or is this guy anderson a complete tool.

Seriously I dont know who I'd chose if I had to about Dimmy, Ando, or Gill running the joint.

Scary,   

[mightytiges]

have no hesitation in saying I voted for the Casey ticket as the alternative was... well it wasn't a credible alternative IMV

BTW The current board is the Casey ticket minus Casey and they have done a great job in the last couple of years ... dare I say it ....FACT 

Its a fact when there is a premiership cup in the cupboard. Not wooden spoons.

Its disingenuous to say you voted for the current board. You voted for Casey and Miller, both of whom are entirely discredited

Come on MT, put your hand up

Like WP I don't sway away from voting for the Casey ticket. Seriously the Big 4 ticket challenge or whatever it was called was a joke. They wanted to take us back to 1999  . I'm comfortable with my choice given the stability, long-term planning including improved and more facilities, and sound financial progress which hadn't existed at Punt Rd for 25 years prior to 2005. Sure this improved off-field position hasn't transferred to on-field yet but it was always going to be a long-haul going down the youth path from where we were.

And I did vote for the entire board. Although there were two 9 person tickets, we all could vote for individual candidates. 8 of those 9 are still there and Penny Haines >>> Casey. There's been no challenges (anyone would be silly challenging a $1 million profit).

Those who voted for the other ticket should also put their hand up for supporting Schwab and co who were also on the board along with Casey when these idiotic decisions were made.