AFL warns Western Bulldogs over AFLW player payments breach

The Western Bulldogs will face a hefty $20,000 fine if an AFLW player payments breach discovered from the 2022 season is found to have been repeated.

The AFL slapped the club with the suspended fine after the Bulldogs made “administrative errors” while reporting third party agreements held by women’s players, according to a league statement on Thursday.

The Bulldogs will also have to pay the fine if a similar error is identified in their AFL program in recent seasons.

The league said it did not believe the error was intentional or significant enough in value to warrant a larger penalty.

“The club will not have to pay the fine unless a similar breach is identified in the AFL or AFLW programs up to the end of their respective 2024 seasons,” an AFL spokesperson said.

“These errors were identified in the ordinary course of audit procedures conducted by the AFL and were not considered material in nature with respect to value or intent.”

The AFL did not specify whether the breach occurred in season six or seven during 2022.

The Bulldogs finished 7th and missed the finals in season six but made an elimination final in the subsequent campaign after carrying a 7-3 record through the home and away season.

The collective bargaining agreement in place at the time allowed AFLW players to sign “additional services agreements” worth up to $100,000 per club.

These rules allowed players to drive club sponsor’s cars or receive promotional offers from businesses, with the value recorded outside the salary cap.

Melbourne premiership captain Daisy Pearce attracted ire from other clubs at the end of 2022 when she appeared to take a dig at clubs using the player payment rules to attract recruits.

“We’re not the most popular team and we don’t have all the bells and whistles,” Pearce told Channel 7 while on the field celebrating the Demons’ premiership win.

“We don’t give away cars to players that come to us – but we’ve got the best coach in the competition that helps make you a good footballer.”