WA Football Commission officials will check the contracts of five Perth senior squad members to determine whether the Demons have made an error in their player-payments report or are guilty of serial salary-cap rorting.
The West Australian has been told the WAFL found two contracts, one not signed by Perth management, relating to a deal between the club and Chris Bossong last season. They were unearthed last month when the former Demons captain sought a clearance to South Fremantle.
Only one of the contracts was included in the 2008 total player payments lodged with the league.
WAFL operations manager Clint Roberts said the difference in Bossong's contract payments did not push Perth above the 2008 salary cap of $175,000. However, Roberts said when a disparity had been identified it was incumbent on the WAFC to review the club's contractual arrangements to ensure there weren't other inconsistencies.
The penalty for not following correct procedures in the lodgement of total player-payment lists can be $25,000. Roberts, who with WAFC director of finance Michael Hnatojko will conduct the investigation, met the five Perth players at EFTel Oval last night to review their contracts.
One of the players, who spoke to The West Australian on condition of anonymity, said he was prepared to co-operate because it would clear Perth of the allegation of salary-cap rorting.
Perth management have described the discrepancy as a clerical mistake.
ROSS LEWIS
