Former Geelong Cats executive involved in payments probe

A recent audit involving Geelong Football Club has raised some concerns. This comes after Simon Kelleher, a former high-ranking officer at Geelong, began overseeing the audit as part of his new role with the AFL. Kelleher was the chief operating officer at Geelong for six and a half years. He left the club in October 2024 after being informed he would not be the next CEO. He then took a position with the AFL as General Manager for Club, Finance, Performance, and Growth. This means Kelleher is responsible for communicating with clubs about audits. Critics express concern over his connection to Geelong while overseeing their financial examination. Sports journalist Scott Gullan noted that this situation has sparked curiosity in the sports community. Despite the audit, some experts believe nothing significant will emerge from it. According to them, the AFL has not officially confirmed that they are investigating Geelong, suggesting the matter could fade away. Kelleher's background includes key finance roles in various sports organizations. His leadership has been credited for Geelong's strong financial position during his time there.