Jake Kolodjashnij sidelined amid concussion protocol confusion

The AFL future of Geelong defender Jake Kolodjashnij remains unclear, a month on after his controversial concussion waiver was ripped up.

Last month, the Cats were handed a massive $140,000 fine for adding a concussion clause to Kolodjashnij’s contract and failing to lodge it with the AFL.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Jake Kolodjashnij sidelined amid concussion protocol confusion

Kolodjashnij signed a “voluntary assumption of risk” outside of the AFL’s standard playing contract, which required the defender to assume legal responsibility for any future head trauma.

The 30-year-old has played 35 games since signing the document in 2024, but just 11 this year and has not played since Round 18..

Geelong forward Gryan Miers, who is also an AFL Players’ Association delegate, said over the weekend he’s “putting some serious pressure” on to get him back out there.

But Caroline Wilson told The Agenda Setters on Monday night it’s not an AFLPA call.

“This is not an AFLPA decision, it’s a Geelong decision,” she said.

“Geelong, I’ve found out today, have put Jake Kolodjashnij through a new series of concussion protocols because they’re now on their third doctor in less than a year with the departure of James McLaren, who’s on personal leave and unlikely to return. And Lucy McKinnon, the new doctor.

“I think the club would feel more comfortable to get Jake back playing if he goes through another series of concussion tests.

“Time is running out quite clearly. I think they were 50-50 whether or not they were going to keep Jake next year or not.

“We know he had a short time away from the club on personal leave. He was pretty shattered when that story broke by Jay Clark about a month ago.

“He’s now back at the club but not allowed to train, and no one will answer the question from Kolodjashnij and his management why he’s not playing now when he was allowed to play before. And you can only assume it’s because the story became public.

“Because the waiver, we’re told, was not worth the paper it was written on.

“So who knows what’s going to happen going forward, but he’s very unlikely to make it back for the VFL preliminary final this weekend or clearly go to Fremantle.

“It’s a really tough end for Jake Kolodjashnij, who is going through the concussion tests anyway.”

Craig Hutchison called it “a very sad story and a sad footnote”.

The AFL initially decided against any penalty when they first addressed the incident, but then quickly issued a ‘please explain’ to the Cats.

Geelong responded before the AFL brought in an independent legal counsel, James Peters KC, to help decide the sanctions.

The Cats maintained they acted in good faith, and had discussions with the AFL when they struck the controversial agreement with Kolodjashnij in 2024.

But they never lodged the final agreement with the AFL and failed to disclose the situation with the AFLPA.

Peters KC found the failure by Geelong to lodge the variation was an oversight. His review also found the club had consulted “extensively” with the AFL.

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