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Manly cap news just the beginning, according to report

5th July, 2017
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An investigation into alleged salary cap breaches at Manly could reportedly just be the tip of the iceberg for the NRL.

A News Corp Australia report claims police believe they have discovered cases of spot fixing, money laundering and illegal third-party payments across multiple teams as part of an investigation into alleged match fixing.

The report also claims police are looking at whether players have backed themselves in exotic markets, while others are said to have possibly passed on vital inside information to gamblers.

It comes just months after the NRL deregistered former Wests Tigers centre Tim Simona when he was found to have placed numerous bets on himself in matches last season.

The NRL is yet to comment on the latest developments, as they came just hours after they announced the integrity unit would investigate media claims surrounding the Sea Eagles and alleged secret payments.

A Fairfax report suggested on Wednesday that Manly were one of a number of clubs under investigation for alleged top-up payments, with claims at least one unnamed former Sea Eagle was connected to cash payments made in a car park.

The Sea Eagles have denied the salary cap claims and a spokesman for the NRL said the governing body was “not in possession of evidence of any violations which would warrant any disciplinary action”.

“We are in constant dialogue with the police and will take action if it is warranted,” the spokesman said.

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Manly also claimed they had a clean record, which had been maintained over the past three years.

“There are in fact no allegations that the club has been the subject of in relation to any components of the NRL salary cap or lower-tier cap compliance,” a club statement read.

“Quite the contrary we recently had our 2017 mid-year salary cap audit completed by the NRL in record time and without adjustment.”

All of the findings came from the same NSW Organised crime squad investigation, which was originally implemented last year to investigate claims of match fixing in the sport.

It’s also believed all people investigated over those initial claims last season will be cleared.

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