In light of the recent betting scandal that embroiled the Collingwood football club and hammered the careers of two of their star players, in my “Between the Posts” column a couple of months ago I wrote: ‘… The AFL has confirmed that an investigation has been launched with betting trends and irregularities … plunges on ‘eccentric’ AFL related bets, has sparked fears that clubs, players and officials may be providing secret team information to select punters for big money returns.’
‘… Team selections such as back position players opening play on the forward line have leaked out of the inner sanctum of clubs causing betting plunges on ‘first goal-kicker’ bets … Inside information for profit is illegal in most forms of speculative investment, so if we don’t want to see Aussie Rules go down the path of international cricket betting, then lets legislate as soon as possible.’
After all that went down regarding exotic bets nothing has happened from the AFL or the Federal Government to curtail illegal and inside information betting on Aussie rules football. In fact recently, Carlton coach Brett Rattan said he supported the AFL sending messages to clubs warning that internal information can not be passed on to anyone outside the club.
But, was anything done? It is sad for the Magpies and their fans that Heath Shaw has been suspended for 14 games (6 games suspended) and that he and Maxwell, club captain, have been heavily fined for minor betting indiscretions.
Admittedly the size of Shaw’s $10 bet was small and that in Maxwell’s case, it was the player’s family that placed the wager without his knowledge. It was both players saving grace or else the penalties would of been tougher. How far and how deep this goes is anybody’s guess. Is the Collingwood incident the tip of the iceberg or are other players and officials in the competition using friends and relatives to place all sorts of bets for themselves and others? How does the AFL police against strangers placing wagers for players?
There has to be some response from our legislative authorities to make this sort of wagering illegal and punishable by law. Something is going to happen soon, but I assume that it’s not going to be substantial enough and sooner or later suspect betting issues will crop up again. It will not be easy to change the betting culture in Aussie rules, especially when local gambling organisations, with the approval of the AFL, sponsor footy clubs.