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NRL premiers Manly have confirmed the resignation of CEO Grant Mayer following a meeting of the club’s board.
The Sea Eagles have been rocked by off-field dramas since winning the 2008 grand final, including a bitter feud between co-owners Max Delmege and the Penn family.
Mayer, who had reportedly lost the support of Delmege, had said he was close to calling it quits earlier this week before news of his resignation surfaced in the media on Wednesday.
Manly released a statement late on Wednesday night confirming Mayer’s departure.
“The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles board has tonight accepted the resignation of CEO Grant Mayer effective immediately,” the statement read.
“Grant has agreed to assist the board for a four-week transition period, and a management committee has been formed until a replacement CEO can be found.”
Manly chairman Scott Penn paid tribute to Mayer, who took over at the Sea Eagles in 2006 and was contracted to the club until October this year.
“Grant came to Manly at a time when the Sea Eagles were struggling off the field and formed a wonderful partnership with (coach) Des Hasler to take the team to successive grand finals, including the 2008 premiership and 2009 World Club Challenge,” Penn said in the statement.
“Grant leaves the club in good shape, having increased revenue more than 30 per cent, more than doubling membership and tripling merchandise sales as well as signing our new major sponsor.
“We are a much stronger organisation as a result of Grant’s leadership.”
NRL chief executive David Gallop said he hoped Manly could end their boardroom infighting.
“Obviously Manly have got some internal issues and I think everyone would like to see some peace in relation to that,” Gallop told AAP.
“We wish Grant good luck in whatever he chooses to do in the future and if he’s looking for a future in the game then we wish him good luck in that as well.”
Mayer is the latest club boss to step down in recent weeks, following the departures of Parramatta’s Denis Fitzgerald, Cronulla’s Tony Zappia and the Wests Tigers’ Scott Longmuir.
Despite the number of top jobs now vacant in the game, Mayer denied he was leaving the Sea Eagles to join another NRL club.
“Speculation that I will re-appear at another club is off target – I have no intentions of joining another club at this stage,” Mayer told News Limited.
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