The AFL is set to look into the Gold Coast Suns’ hiring of coach Damien Hardwick’s partner, Alexandra Crow, amidst concerns from rival clubs regarding a potential breach of the soft cap regulations. Crow has taken on the role of consultant focusing on the club’s consumer and commercial strategy, which has sparked questions about what types of positions are covered under the soft cap. Rival teams suspect that the payments made to Crow could inadvertently increase Hardwick’s overall earnings.
The concept of a soft cap was established in 2015 to regulate off-field spending that does not directly involve player salaries. This includes costs related to facilities, coaching staff, and data analysis tools, with the limit set for 2025 at $7.7 million, rising to over $8 million by 2027. Clubs may pay up to 20% of their senior coach’s salary outside of this cap.
Despite these concerns, Suns CEO Mark Evans remains confident that Crow’s position will not pose any issues with the AFL. Crow previously worked in an administrative capacity at Richmond during Hardwick’s successful tenure there and joined the Suns shortly after leaving her role in 2023.
Top coaches in the AFL, including Hardwick, typically earn around $1 million per season, though specifics about Hardwick’s contract with the Suns are not publicly available. The AFL’s inquiry aims to clarify the situation, especially since the presence of a partner in a similar role could raise ethical questions about integrity within the league.
Damian Barrett, in reporting the issue on Nine’s Footy Classified, stated that if the league was unaware of Crow’s employment, it raises serious concerns about transparency. He highlighted that the situation looks questionable at best and underscores ongoing scrutiny over the integrity of the AFL’s soft cap regulations. Barrett also drew parallels to past instances involving other clubs, such as Geelong Cats, where coaching contracts were similarly scrutinised within the soft cap framework.
As the AFL conducts its investigation, many will be watching closely to see how this situation unfolds and what implications it may have for the governing body and the clubs moving forward.