Tiger trio give Clinton Casey ultimatum
Damian Barrett | April 08, 2009
FORMER Richmond president Clinton Casey has been given just weeks to settle claims by high profile players.
Richmond stars Nathan Brown, Matthew Richardson and Kane Johnson have told Casey they will take him to court next month if he fails to meet their demands that total at least $300,000, and could be much higher.
Each is seeking at least $100,000 from Casey and last week, via heavy legal representation, gave him the ultimatum: pay us by mid-May or we'll see you in court.
There has been a widely held belief in football that Casey's dealings with Richmond players breached salary cap rules.
Casey-controlled companies include vast land holdings around Melbourne, which, according to rival clubs, were used by the Tigers in contract negotiations.
AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson said last night investigations manager Ken Wood was continuing to probe the dealings.
"Ken has been looking in to it and he has not finalised those inquiries," Anderson said.
The pursuit of the six-figure sums by Richardson, Brown and Johnson came after Casey missed a December 31, 2008 deadline on settling the deals, which involve property at a Torquay resort.
It is believed each of the players had invested six-figure amounts in the resort.
Recourse is also being sought by the players on other matters relating to perceived agreements made with Casey, president of Richmond from 2000 to 2005, a period when Richardson renegotiated a contract and Brown and Johnson were recruited from the Western Bulldogs and Adelaide respectively.
"This is red hot," a senior AFL club official said.
Richardson, Brown and Johnson have informed Casey they will issue individual writs, lodged with either the Supreme Court or County Court, if their demands are not met.
The players claim promised financial returns from their investments in a resort run by Casey have not materialised.
Casey, and Richmond, only recently settled out of court a dispute involving another ex-player, Ben Holland.
Holland gained the confidential settlement, believed to be more than $100,000, after lodging documents with the Supreme Court seeking $530,000 from business and investment opportunities that he claimed were not delivered.
His case also carried salary cap ramifications.
When contacted in late February about the Brown, Richardson and Johnson matter, Casey denied the Tigers' salary cap had been rorted.
"I've spoken to the boys, it is a private issue with them and with me . . . If other people want to talk about it, that's fine, but really it is a private issue and I am not going to be discussing it with you," Casey said.
Casey could not be contacted for comment on the latest demands last night.
The AFL decided to investigate after the Herald Sun revealed in February the players were considering their legal options against Casey.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,25305707-19742,00.html
