The AFL has issued Geelong a 'please explain' notice over a secret deal struck in 2024 in which defender Jake Kolodjashnij agreed to take on legal responsibility for any future brain trauma, shielding the club and its medical staff from court action. ABC News

Kolodjashnij, a 30-year-old 2022 premiership defender with 209 AFL games to his name, publicly identified himself as the player at the centre of the story on Friday 7 August. He issued a statement through Geelong's website confirming he was the previously unnamed player, and said he had participated fully in the AFL's independent concussion panel process and was comfortable with its outcome. Geelong Cats

The story first broke on Thursday 6 August. By Friday afternoon, Geelong chief executive Steve Hocking confirmed he had signed off on the deal and that the club had received the AFL's 'please explain' letter. Hocking said Geelong did not lodge the contract with the AFL or the AFL Players Association, calling that failure a 'misstep.' He said the club would respond to the AFL. ABC News

The AFL published confirmation on its own website that the 'please explain' had been sent. AFL.com.au On Thursday night, the AFL said it was satisfied the agreement was not used to allow a medically unfit player to return to play, describing it as a 'complex and unique case.' ABC News

Geelong said it would remove the waiver from Kolodjashnij's contract, stating it was not attempting to vary the AFL standard playing contract or dodge health and safety law responsibilities. The AFL confirmed the waiver is no longer valid. SEN

The AFLPA was blunt. The players' union chief executive said a waiver of this kind 'shouldn't exist.' SEN

Concussion is not abstract for the Kolodjashnij family. Jake's twin brother Kade, who played for Gold Coast and Melbourne, retired prematurely in 2020 due to concussion. Jake himself has a documented concussion history, including a head knock that left him stretchered off the field and two concussions within two months during the 2022 season. ABC News

The deal adds another layer. New AFL Commission chair Craig Drummond was president of the Geelong board when the Kolodjashnij agreement was struck. Drummond was not mentioned in the AFL's statement. He issued a three-line response on Thursday night calling concussion a 'challenging medical and legal issue for all contact sports globally.' ABC News

For context on how AFL contracts work: every player signs a standard playing contract governed by AFL rules, and any variation must be registered with the league and the AFLPA. Geelong's failure to lodge this side agreement is at the heart of the AFL's concern. The 'please explain' process is the AFL's formal mechanism for requiring a club to account for its conduct before any potential sanction.

The Cats are still waiting to hear whether the AFL accepts their explanation or takes the matter further.