INTERVIEW – GEELONG CEO STEVE HOCKING
Geelong will submit its response to the AFL’s request for a ‘please explain’ in connection with the concussion liability waiver signed by player Jake Kolodjashnij by tomorrow afternoon.
The Cats board, led by president Grant McCabe, met this morning to discuss its response in the wake of the 2024 deal with the premiership defender becoming public late last week.
“This will provide the Club with the chance to detail the actions it took in navigating this complex matter. We welcome this opportunity,” McCabe said in a statement.
“The Club remains committed to providing our players with the highest standard of care and support.”
Meanwhile, captain Patrick Dangerfield says “there are parts we buggered up as a club” in the process when speaking outside the club this morning.
But he also cautioned against being quick to jump to conclusions.
“It’s not until you unpack all the detail and find out what the whole process was, why it was done the way that it was,” Dangerfield told Fox Sports.
“Clearly there were some parts that we buggered up as a club, and we can be better, but I still think there’s a bit to unpack yet.”
“As an older player, I think what I’ve learnt over my time is you’ve got to wait for the detail before the shock and awe kicks in.
“That’s a bit of the challenge sometimes, with something like this, that is very much emotive – especially when it comes to players’ health and when it’s one of our players that’s certainly concerning in that sense.
“But you’ve got to get the detail first. The nuance to that is the context of how it was done.
“Clearly there’s been more information needed from the AFL, and that’s what the club’s been doing over the last few days.”
X: @krockfootball
