The NRL has announced salary cap breaches in 2010 against the Wests Tigers, the Gold Coast Titans, the St George Illawarra Dragons, the Parramatta Eels and the Canberra Raiders following the completion of audits for the 2010 season.
The largest breach notice is in relation to the Wests Tigers, who claimed a ‘long serving player allowance’ contrary to advice from the salary cap audit team – attracting a fine of $187,140.
The remaining breaches across the other four clubs were around technicalities of the use of second tier players and how payments for education, accommodation and terminations were made by clubs.
The NRL also announced that final findings of the Melbourne Storm salary cap scandal investigations, with no new penalties or infringements detailed. The breaches led to the Storm being stripped of three NRL competition titles, prizemoney and fined $500,000.
“The compliance across the vast majority of clubs has been encouraging but the penalties are a reminder that the Salary Cap will be enforced,” NRL Chief Executive, David Gallop, said today.
“Six clubs were breached last year, most notably the Storm. It is pleasing to see the number down this year but the warning bells for anyone looking to break the rules could not be any louder.
“For the most part we are seeing a genuine wish to comply with the rules from the clubs but this remains an area in which we are always conducting thorough investigations.
“The salary cap audit team works incredibly hard to monitor the clubs and deserves considerable recognition for the role it plays in making the Telstra Premiership the closest and most exciting competition in Australian sport.”
The 2010 Salary Cap Breach notices are as follows:
Club Fine
Wests Tigers $187,140
Gold Coast Titans $76,380
Parramatta Eels $44,988
Canberra Raiders $31,657
St George Illawarra Dragons $15,694
The Titans have also been breached a further $2,500 for failing to properly register a Toyota Cup player.
All clubs will have until Friday, May 20, to make submissions to the NRL chief executive in relation to the breaches before any penalties are imposed.
The Wests Tigers have responded to the breach notice put forward by the NRL, stating:
“Wests Tigers has always supported the NRL Salary Cap principles and rules. We believe that the objective of equality amongst Clubs is fundamental to the strength and competitiveness of the NRL Telstra Premiership.
“We also respect the need for Salary Cap compliance to be closely monitored and managed by the NRL.
“In relation to our 2010 position, however, we strongly disagree with the findings of the Salary Cap audit. The application of the Veteran Player Allowance has been the subject of many discussions with the NRL over an extended period of time. We have maintained a consistent view on our entitlement to the Allowance throughout these discussions. We shall reinforce this view in representations to the NRL Chief Executive in accordance with the prescribed process.”
Mr Cool
Guest
OK -- the precedent was set. Dragon's must have their shields stripped. The amount is irrelevant a rort is a rort.
mushi
Roar Guru
So you'd be happy to go to jail for the late lodgement of a BAS statement?
josh
Guest
Re the findings in the Melbourne case, having read the report it seems to me pretty evident that for the most part the players were aware, and in some cases complicit, in the fraud. However, the NRL appear to be shirking away from any legal battle and are prepared to let the existing punishment handed down by way of stripping of premierships and the like provide the only penalty. There is clear evidence to support the notion, that on the balance of probabilities the players were involved. It's also plainly obvious that O'Sullivan if not the "chief rat" was at the very least the leuitenant to the fraud and indeed continues to work with the Roosters. Similarly, he has also escaped any reccommendation for punishment by way of life bans such as those reccommended for Waldron and Hansen. This whole thing stinks, just as the NRL has continued to allow a clearly criminal player agent (the one involved in the betting scandal) to continue to ply his trade within the League, it appears it will turn a blind eye to the players and O'Sullivan. That is to say nothing about the four player agents involved who will no doubt also continue their careers unincumbered. When is the media going to going to ask the hard questions about all of this. The Report asks more questions than it answers - questions as to why the NRL aren't going to bring, not the club as a whole but individuals to account for their actions. Corruption and favouratism at its finest.
Jeff
Guest
The figures above are merely what the clubs have declared.. Storm would not have been found out but for a 'lover's tiff'.. We will never know how much 'shredding' went on across the rest of the clubs.. like quoted.. Life goes on.. please no more articles on this subject -- unless the NRL are going to do something that 100% stops the needs for a cub (any club) never has to 'work around it' ever again..
phil
Guest
paperwork my arse a breach is a breach they all know that .
Fez's are cool
Guest
Yeah, burn the Dragons! An accidental $15k technical breach to do with a Toyota Cup players education expenses equates to a multi million dollar systematic rorting over a period of 5 years.
mushi
Roar Guru
I wonder if those that think all clubs should be hit with the same penalties as the storm would be happy to do a five year stretch in jail for a misunderstanding on their tax return.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Storm are within the bounds now,what happened was under a prior admin,and after much scrutiny,is ancient history. Time to move on. I think the puishment and fines handed to the Storm were let us say, more than adequate.
Jaceman
Guest
Interestingly these reviews come out in April/May (eg Storm rorts last year). In 2006 however the Warriors were deducted 4 points for the Steve price salary rort (again they blamed player agents) in early march just before they played the Storm which was ironic since the Storm had begun rorting in 2006 (although I'm not sure how they arrived at that date)
mushi
Roar Guru
And the paranoia begins
greg
Guest
It generally appears that it a paper work issue not a intent to avoid the cap. Nothing to see hear folks...just move on