As if Australian footy weren’t violent enough already . . .

A long-time player for the Western Bulldogs of the Australian Football League has sued the club in what is called a “ground-breaking” breach of contract claim.

Fullback Martin Croft, who retired recently, says that the club induced him to sign a performance-based contract on which he would be paid based on the number of games he played—and then assigned him to a minor league affiliate, the Werribee Tigers of the Victorian Football League, so that he had no opportunity to perform.  The assignment came immediately after a remarkable five-goal performance in a game against the Kangaroos.

The AFL Players Association has decided to back Croft on the claim, which is the first in the history of a league that goes back to 1896.