‘AFL to Investigate Suns Following Controversial New Role for Coach Damien Hardwick’s Partner’

The AFL is set to examine the Gold Coast Suns’ choice to hire the partner of coach Damien Hardwick, as reported by Damian Barrett, following concerns from rival clubs regarding a potential soft cap infringement.

Alexandra Crow, Hardwick’s partner, has been brought on board by the Suns as a consultant for their consumer and commercial strategy initiatives.

This hire has sparked a debate about which roles should be included under the club’s soft cap, with rival clubs suggesting that Crow’s remuneration might inadvertently increase Hardwick’s earnings at the Suns.

Introduced in 2015, the soft cap was designed to limit spending on non-player related expenses such as facility costs, data analysis tools, and coaching staff salaries.

In recent years, restrictions on club football departments have become increasingly stringent, with the soft cap limit for 2025 set at $7.7 million.

This amount will gradually increase to over $8 million by 2027, allowing clubs to pay up to 20 per cent of a senior coach’s salary outside the cap.

Suns CEO Mark Evans stated, when approached by AFL.com.au, that he is confident there will be “no issues for the AFL or club concerning Crow’s position.”

Previously, Crow worked in an administrative capacity at Richmond during Hardwick’s successful stint that saw him guide the team to three premierships.

She concluded her role with the Tigers in 2023 and joined the Suns just three months after.

Top coaches in the AFL, including Hardwick, typically earn around $1 million a season, although details about Hardwick’s specific contract with the Suns remain scarce.

Regardless, the AFL will conduct an inquiry into the situation, as Barrett reported on Nine’s Footy Classified.

“The hiring of a partner of someone who is part of the playing list or coaching panel falls under the AFL’s integrity jurisdiction,” Barrett noted.

“Either there was a lack of communication or very little information was shared with the AFL regarding this matter.

“At the very least, the optics are poor. The AFL was not fully informed of this.”

While there has been no additional commentary on the investigation, Barrett pointed out other instances where the integrity of an AFL club’s soft cap has come under scrutiny.

The most recent example involved Geelong Cats coach Chris Scott’s arrangement with Morris Finance, which was deemed to be “within the realms of the soft cap.”