1996: Essendon Bombers (AFL)

A league and ATO investigation uncovered that the Essendon Bombers had breached the salary cap between 1991-1996. They were fined a total of $638,250: $250,000 in back tax and penalties, $112,000 for draft tampering and $276,250 for breaching the salary cap. They were made to forfeit their first-third round picks in the National Draft and were excluded from the 1997 rookie and pre-season drafts. They are the only AFL team judged to have breached the salary cap in a premiership year (1993).

2002: Canterbury Bulldogs (NRL)

Caught over the salary cap by approximately $2 million over three years. All breaches were due to undisclosed payments. The Bulldogs were fined $500,000 and lost the 37 competition points they had accumulated throughout the season. They were leading the league up until that point.

2002: Carlton Blues (AFL)

Fined $930,000 after breaching the salary cap by $1.37 million during 2000-02. Stripped of their selections in the 2002 national draft (numbers 1, 2, 31 and 34). Their first and second round picks for the 2003 draft were also stripped.

2010: Melbourne Storm (NRL)

The NRL stripped the Melbourne Storm of its 2007 and 2009 premierships, its minor premierships of 2006-8, as well as all its 2010 competition points after discovering a series of salary cap breaches amounting to at least $1.7 million over five years. The Storm was fined an Australian-sporting-record $1,689,000

2015: Perth Glory (A-League)

The A-League fined Perth Glory $269,000 after the club was found to have breached the $2.55 million salary cap by $400,000. The Glory has been barred from entering this season's final series, ruling them out of possible silverware and Asian Champions League qualification.

AROUND THE WORLD ...

2000: Minnesota Timberwolves and Joe Smith (NBA-USA)

Smith and the Timberwolves had an under-the-table agreement. The number-one pick from 1995 would sign three separate one-year deals so the franchise could spend cap space on sighing other major players. After the initial three-year period, the Timberwolves would’ve activated Smith’s Bird Rights (allowing teams to surpass the salary cap to re-sign their own free agents - a player must have played three seasons with the same franchise, without being waived or changing teams as a free agent.) They planned to reward him with a contract worth up to $86 million.

When the league found out, the Timberwolves were punished with a fine of $3.5 million, picks over the next five seasons were forfeited (their 2003 pick was restored), Smith’s newly signed contract was voided and he became an unrestricted free agent, signing with the Detroit Pistons for one year. He returned to Minnesota the season after on a $34 million contract over six years but was traded after two seasons.

2004: Denver Broncos (NFL-USA)

The Broncos were fined $968,000 and stripped of their third-round draft pick after they were discovered to have deferring payments of up to $29 million to John Elway and Terrell Davis between 1996-98. Their Super Bowl titles of 1997 and 1998 were not stripped away by the NFL.