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Brutal call made on in-limbo Cat; grave fears for Vic club’s bold $100m plan — AFL Daily
WHAT'S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au. Geelong premiership defender Jake Kolodjashnij is expected to medically retire from the AFL, after ongoing concussion concerns prevented him from receiving clearance to continue playing.
Herald Sun Chief Football Reporter Jay Clark revealed on Monday evening the 31-year-old has undergone further neuropsychological testing in recent weeks, with subsequent discussions with medical specialists indicating it would be unsafe for him to continue his career. The Launceston product has been consulting Geelong officials and the club’s medical staff about retirement, which would bring an end to his 209-game career. The Cats had previously encouraged the out-of-contract defender to explore opportunities elsewhere ahead of next season.
However, his latest medical assessments have effectively ruled out the prospect of extending his career at another club. Concerns surrounding Kolodjashnij’s long-term brain health follow multiple concussions, including two which resulted in delayed recoveries. One of those incidents came after what was considered a relatively low-impact collision. His twin brother Kade, who played 80 AFL games across stints with Gold Coast and Melbourne, also retired from football due to concussion-related health issues.
Questions over Kolodjashnij’s playing future had previously emerged several years ago when a concussion panel delivered an inconclusive recommendation about whether he should continue his career. Geelong subsequently signed the defender to a concussion waiver designed to place responsibility on Kolodjashnij for potential future brain trauma — which breached AFL regulations and was later deemed impermissible by the league.
The AFL fined Geelong $140,000 over the waiver , while the AFL Players’ Association has made clear such an agreement could not be replicated within the competition. Melbourne’s blueprint for a new home base at Caulfield Racecourse is hanging by a thread. It comes following damning comments made by Melbourne Racing Club chairman Cameron Fisher at the MRC’s Annual General Meeting last week.
The Demons have long wanted to build a $100 million base at Caulfield, but significant movement on the grand plans has been hard to come by. The club has been keen on a larger, dedicated training base and is currently split between Gosch’s Paddock at AAMI Park - which they share with the NRL’s Storm and A-League’s Victory - and Casey Fields, which is distant and too small to house the whole club.
“It’s one of the last challenges for the football club to call itself one of the premier football clubs in the competition,” former Melbourne chief executive Paul Guerra said back in March. In particular, they have opposed Melbourne’s plans to build a tunnel under the track to connect facilities on the site.
“As far as we’re concerned, it’s a dead matter,” Fisher said at the MRC meeting,“We do not want racing in any way, shape, or form to be affected by the Melbourne Football Club, and talk of putting a tunnel under the track and disrupting racing just won’t be tolerated,” Fisher said. The MRC, and its predecessor, the Victoria Amateur Turf Club, have been operating at Caulfield Racecourse for 150 years.
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