Prized Wodonga Raiders recruit Cam Ellis-Yolmen is taking legal action against the Brisbane Lions over his forced exit from the AFL.
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The Herald Sun reported on Wednesday that Ellis-Yolmen had launched a $200,000 claim against the Lions after, he alleges, he was pressured into signing a form that gave Brisbane the right to pay him just $88,043 of his $294,500 playing contract for 2022.
Ellis-Yolmen, who went on to sign with the Ovens and Murray club, was axed after his bid for a COVID-19 vaccine exemption on medical and cultural grounds was rejected by the AFL.
The big-bodied midfielder recently re-signed with the Raiders for 2024 but said he felt like he could still be playing at the top level.
"I got a medical exemption for everything else in Australia, but unfortunately, I couldn't get it for playing footy, which is ridiculous and in hindsight didn't make sense," Ellis-Yolmen told News Corp.
"I got pushed out of the game and that was it. Not many people reached out to me. I felt alienated and pretty alone when the AFL promotes such an inclusive, team-first mentality.
"I'd love to still be playing. I definitely still feel like I could be playing at the top level.
"But I put my own health first. I didn't think I needed a vaccine to play footy or to fight covid, because I'd already had it, and I got through it fine.
"I was as fit as a fiddle - as good as I've ever felt - I had a full year left on my contract and was pretty devastated about the way my career came to end. It was very disappointing the way it all went down.
"They (Brisbane) said they would look after me but they pretty much got rid of me as quickly as they could."
The 30-year-old played 48 games for the Crows and Lions between 2014-2021.
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He told The Border Mail in November last year he was "excited by the opportunity" to join the Raiders after being contacted by assistant coach Joel Price.
"I would have preferred to go out the same way as most other players and either retire or get told by the club that I was no longer good enough," he told The Border Mail.
"But I made my choice not to have the COVID jab and I'm happy with my choice and still stand by my decision.
"Now things have opened up again and more opportunities have opened up for me.
"I'm excited to be playing for Wodonga Raiders and looking forward to the challenge of helping out in regards to coaching."
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Xavier Mardling
Xavier started at The Border Mail in Albury-Wodonga in 2001, covering sport and general news before moving to the subs' desk. He was editor of his hometown masthead from 2016 to 2020 before swapping the Murray for Merewether. He returned to The Border Mail as editor in 2023.
Xavier started at The Border Mail in Albury-Wodonga in 2001, covering sport and general news before moving to the subs' desk. He was editor of his hometown masthead from 2016 to 2020 before swapping the Murray for Merewether. He returned to The Border Mail as editor in 2023.
