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Experience

Adrian is an advocate practising in sports law, disciplinary tribunals and appeals, defamation, suppression orders, contempt, common law/personal injuries, criminal and general commercial law. He brings to the Bar experience as a senior executive in major professional sport.

A former partner in the commercial litigation division of Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Adrian was General Manager of Football Operations of the AFL from 2004-2012 establishing the AFL’s integrity unit, tribunal system and heading negotiations such as the Collective Bargaining Agreement. At Corrs, he was the principal media law advisor to the Herald Sun and 3AW. He also acted for the AFL Players’ Association, the Australian Cricketers’ Association, Greyhound Racing Victoria, and professional athletes in disciplinary matters, anti-doping cases and contractual disputes.

Immediately prior to joining the Bar, Adrian:

• conducted an integrity review for Cricket Australia concerning the threats of match fixing and doping
• was appointed interim CEO of Cycling Australia by the Australian Sports Commission to implement governance and financial reform
• conducted a player welfare review on behalf of the NRL.

He has recently appeared in:

• Defamation, ACL and injurious falsehood proceedings in the Supreme Court and County Court
• Disciplinary tribunals and appeals in the Supreme Court , Court of Appeal, VCAT, the Victorian Racing Tribunal, the Racing Appeals Tribunal NSW, and the AFL, VFL and Football Victoria tribunals
• A rape trial in the County Court
• County Court negligence matters and serious injury applications
• General commercial and criminal law matters
• Court of Appeal matters.

He is a committee member of the Melbourne Cricket Club, the National Golf Club, Chairman of MyGolf (JV between Golf Australia and PGA Australia), a Cricket Australia Conduct Commissioner, Chair of the Independent Integrity Division Hearing Panel of the Victorian Amateur Football Association, and Member of the Rules Committee of Harness Racing Australia. He has the indictable crime certificate.

Recent matters in which Adrian has appeared include:

Sports and other disciplinary matters:

• Football Victoria v Nunawading Football Club, Theo, Khalfallah and ors, FV Tribunal, 14 July 2021
• Counsel for Athletics Australia in selection disputes for Tokyo Olympics 2021
• Bailey Fritsch, AFL Tribunal, 4 May 2021
• Douglas and Tormey v HRV [2021] VSCA 128
• Goodrich v Kilmore Racing Club and Racing Victoria [2021] VSC 20 (strike out application re claims of breach of contract, denial of natural justice, restraint of trade)
• AFL/VFL Tribunal appearances for Essendon and GWS players 2015 - 2021, recently Ryan Angwin 30 March 2021
• Douglas and Tormey v HRV [2020] VSC 568 (re jurisdiction of VCAT)
• RV v Richard Laming (application to test RV sample, Judge Bowman, VRT, 21 April 2020)
• Dr Brennan v Veterinary Practitioners Board (stay application, Senior Member Wentworth, 28 February 2020)
• Des Dooley v Greyhound Racing Victoria [2020] VCAT 189 (life ban reduced due to special circumstances)
• Jeff Tabone v HRV [2019] VCAT 1701 (TCO2 presentation charge - alleged material flaw in testing procedure)
• Scott Dyer v HRV, VCAT, 8 October 2019 (appeal on penalty - involvement in race fixing)
• HRV v Tormey and Douglas, RADB (Chair Judge Hicks), 24-25 September 2019, (tubing charge)
• Diane Dooley v GRV [2019] VCAT 1514 with Brendan Murphy QC ('special circumstances' under GRV Rules)
• Toby Greene v AFL, AFL Appeals Board (Chair Murray Kellam QC), 19 September 2019 , with Ross Gillies QC
• AFLQ v Jason Burge, Tribunal 4 September 2019, and Appeal 10 September 2019
• WRFL v Deer Park FC, VFL Disciplinary Committee, 27 August 2019 (salary cap charges)
• Racing Victoria v Monica Croston, RADB (Chair Judge Bowman), 17 July 2019 (cobalt administration charge)
• RNSW v David Brideoake, Stewards' inquiry before Mr Van Gestel, decision published 18 June 2019
• HRV v Scott Dyer, RADB, 22 May 2019 (merits, corrupt conduct, and interference with test charges)
• GRV v Des and Diane Dooley, RADB, 29 January 2019
• HRV v Jack, Pitt and Bartley [2018] VCAT 1981 with Chris Winneke QC, and RADB 16 November 2018 (stay application and appeal)
• Tardio v HRV, Cavanough J, [2018] VSC 722, and previous application to vacate stay 20/11/18
• Cameron Fitzpatrick v HRNSW, Racing Appeals Tribunal NSW, 19 June 2018 with C Winneke QC (severity appeal)
• HRV v Eastman, RADB, 28 May 2018 (race fixing charges)
• Adrian Kenyon v GRV, RADB, 23 April 2018 (EPO administration charge)
• Russell Clarke v Racing Victoria [2018] VCAT 747 (trainer licence application)
• Chairman of the GRNSW Inquiry into the unauthorized export of greyhounds - Penalty decision for Michael Eberand (25/3/19), Decisions re Eberands, Cortis, Lagogiane (9/1/19), Michael Abbott (20/9/18), Farrugias (23/10/17), Paul Wheeler (20/4/18), Yiwen Xi and Wei Shan (24/4/18), and Cauchis (31/5/18)
• Joshua Henshaw v Basketball Victoria Incorporated, Magistrate McCallum, Case No. H13331912, 8 February 2018,(injunction under Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012 (Vic))
• Ben Thompson v Racing Victoria, RADB (Chair Judge Bowman), 20 December 2017 (reckless riding charge)
• QAFL Tribunal for Palm Beach Captain Jesse Derrick prior to QAFL grand final 2017
• Victorian Building Authority v Jim Tsaganas [2017] VSCA 248 (with Chris Winneke QC)
• Cyan Racing v Rogers Engineering & Development Pty Ltd, SCV injunction application, J Forrest J, 10 January 2017
• Victorian Building Authority v Jim Tsaganas [2016] VCAT 1732 (plea before Dyer J)
• HRV v Kilduff [2017] VCAT 2068, Snr Member Butcher (testosterone administration charge)
• HRV v Vozlic [2017] VCAT 485, Vice President, Hampel J, (breach of conditions of disqualification)
• HRV v Aiken (Snr Member Butcher, 26/4/17)
• Racing Victoria v O’Brien, Mark Kavanagh and Dr Brennan (Decisions of RADB of 23/12/15 and 20/1/16)
• Racing NSW v Sam Kavanagh, Dr Brennan and Dr Mathews (Racing Appeals Tribunal NSW decisions 6/5/16 and 17/6/16)
• Greyhound Racing Victoria v Jason Thompson (RADB 3/4/17 and GRV appeal to VCAT 6/9/17)
• Greyhound Racing Victoria v Braden Finn RADB decision 23/6/16 (cocaine presentation charge)
• Victorian Football Federation Tribunal on behalf of North Sunshine Eagles SC and Diellon Memishi (2015)
• Appeal against grand final disqualification on behalf of Melbourne East Basketball Association to Basketball Australia Appeals Tribunal (20/9/16)
• Appeal on behalf of James Lawton and Adam Cullen to AFL Riverina Appeal Tribunal 5/9/15.

Defamation/ACL/injurious falsehood/suppression orders/commercial

• Stanowitsch International Pty Ltd v Steven Drake [2021] VCC 436 (ACL claim)
• Farrah and DRF LLC v Smith and Doc Adam Pty Ltd [2021] VSC 158 (interlocutory injunction denied)
• Holten v Fehsenfeld (Ruling) [2021] VCC 404 (pleading dispute in defamation and injurious falsehood claim)
• Patrick Lennon v The Herald and Weekly Times Ltd (ruling) [2021] VSC 147
• Abela v Tracey Grimshaw, Nine Network, and Neil Mitchell [2020] VCC 1237 (summary judgment for defendants)
• Janet Young v Steve Healy [2018] VSC 546 (extension of time and default judgment applications)
• Asmar v Fontana and Laurence [2018] VSC 382 (strike out application)
• Appeared for Nationwide News Pty Ltd and the Age Company Pty Ltd before Bromberg J on 1/2/19 to oppose suppression application on behalf of the AWU in AWU v Registered Organisations Commissioner and Ors
• Ptasznik v Australian Medical Association [2018] VSC 275
• Appeared for ABC opposing application for blanket suppression order in DPP v Pell, Chief Judge Kidd, 24/5/18
• Stuart Johnston v Nicola Holland [2017] VSC 597, John Dixon J, (with David Collins QC)
• Stuart Johnston v Nicola Holland [2017] VSC 448, Derham AsJ
• Hanks v Johnston [2015] VSC 570 and [2016] VSC 149
• Johnston v Holland [2016] VSC 340
• Nadinic v Nine Network Australia Pty Ltd (Supreme Court injunction application before Ginnane J, 13/5/15)
• Hanks v Johnston [2016] VSC 629
• advising and drawing pleadings in multiple other defamation and related proceedings issued in SCV, Federal Court, County Court and Magistrates Court.

Crime

• DPP v Clinton Leahy (rape trial in County Court of Victoria concluding 21 May 2019)
• committal hearings, pleas, interlocutory matters.

Common law/personal injury

• Beau Hart v Beaumaris Junior Football Club, South Metro Junior Football League, and Bayside City Council (with Jeff Moore QC)
• Multiple serious injury applications and personal injury proceedings.

From 15 May 2015, liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards legislation.