In 2024, GWS players faced suspensions and fines for private end-of-season conduct, whereas Geelong's similar celebrations this year resulted only in an apology and a costume ban, with no sanctions.

Matthews emphasized the need for a clear, consistent framework for sanctions that all stakeholders—fans, players, and clubs—can understand, criticizing the AFL's current approach as guesswork and ambiguity.

AFL football boss Greg Swann stated that the league was unhappy with Geelong players' costumes and antics but decided to leave disciplinary matters to the club, signaling a shift toward club-led responses.

Despite league disapproval, Geelong players faced no sanctions for their Mad Monday costumes and antics, though the club apologized.

Despite similar investigations and facts, sanctions differed, especially regarding social media behavior, highlighting inconsistencies in disciplinary actions.

GWS boss Dave Matthews criticized the AFL for inconsistent disciplinary responses to post-season player behavior, highlighting a stark contrast between GWS's sanctions last year and Geelong's recent antics.

Last year, the AFL suspended and fined multiple GWS players, including captain Toby Greene, for behavior at a private end-of-season function, which was less public than Geelong's recent incident.

He pointed out that Geelong publicly apologized for their misconduct, yet faced no further sanctions, raising questions about fairness and consistency, especially amid ongoing public discussions about their actions.

Geelong issued an apology and committed to educating their players on standards, with future post-season events unlikely to feature similar behavior.

Swann indicated that future incidents might be handled solely by clubs unless league intervention is necessary, contrasting with the stricter approach taken with GWS last year.

He condemned the public targeting of Caroline Wilson by Geelong players, viewing it as an inappropriate attempt to humiliate a respected figure, and stressed respect and responsibility as core AFL values.

He also pointed out that social media posts by Geelong players targeting Wilson should attract sanctions, emphasizing the importance of respectful conduct.

GWS has an established integrity committee and conducted thorough investigations, but differences in disciplinary responses between GWS and AFL raise concerns about fairness and transparency.