Ex-Storm boss Waldron apologises for role in salary cap scandal

Waldron was at the rebels for 6 months. There were no police investigation because News Ltd wouldn't want their poor governance uncovered. As for the star players who signed 2 contracts and received no penalty and the players warehoused at Wigan. The whole NRL turned a blind eye while they had 11 internationals or SOO players. Same as the canberra Raiders because it was in NRL interest to have a strong team in southern NSW and melbourne. Criminal negligence by other NRL mediaT

Waldron, who was employed by Murdoch was dubbed "chief rat" by Murdoch's papers after the shenanigans became public. Seems to me he was acting in accordance with the great traditions of News Ltd, just like his editors in the UK who are currently taking the rap for the phone tapping saga. Truth is that organisation is rotten to the core and Waldron is just the fall guy. And anybody who says that nobody from the playing or coaching staff ever wondered how they got the cream of the crop has rocks in their head.

Im only having a guess but I reckon the internal justifications would go something like this: "We wanted to win multiple premierships and create a dynasty. We felt this would establish our brand in the tough Melbourne sporting market. We couldn't bring ourselves to ask the players to take pay cuts to achieve this. So we came up with more "creative" ways of maintaining our playing group. Everyone else was doing it, so why shouldn't we?"

It's definitely a book I won't be reading. Honestly, who would want to hear his side of the story. He had his chance twice to tell it in a public court and both times the decision went against him.

What an absolute joke. I understand the bloke tried to do the same thing at the Rebels and his following CEOs had to clean up his mess. Should never be heard from again

@ Brett McKay : did u hear about this ??? "" Ryan Tandy's mother decides whether to go ahead with tell-all book on match-fixing scandal after she found 32-year-old son dead of 'drugs overdose' By Candace Sutton and Daniel Mills and Sarah Dean : 01:59 GMT, 29 April 2014 Carol Tandy will decide whether to go ahead with the publication of her son's tell-all book on his rugby league match-fixing scandal after spending the night following his death surrounded by family and friends. Mrs Tandy discovered the body of her son, 32-year-old former NRL player Ryan Tandy, yesterday afternoon at the family's apartment on the NSW Central Coast. She spent last night surrounded by family and friends. Sydney journalist Josh Massoud told Sydney radio Triple M's Grill Team he would ask her if she wants the 'tell-all' book to be released on its scheduled June date by publishers Allen & Unwin. Friends say Tandy had lost weight, was looking forward to a new business venture and the publication of his book. Fitter and feeling positive: Friends say Ryan Tandy had lost weight and was 'looking forward' to a new business venture as well as the publication of his tell-all book, The Fix, in the weeks leading up to his death from a suspected drug overdose The NSW Coroners Court told the MailOnline no decision has yet been made whether to conduct an inquest into Tandy's death to determine whether he died of a drugs overdose. Police said the death is not being treated as suspicious. Tributes have poured in from throughout Australia for the 32-year-old, who played for the Canterbury Bulldogs and for the Melbourne Storm, and from Ireland and Hull where he was also being remembered by former team mates as a 'larger than life' character. A statement from Rugby League Ireland, for whom Tandy played in the 2008 World Cup, said: ‘Rugby League Ireland would like to pass on our condolences to the family and friends of Ryan Tandy. ‘Ryan was a larger than life character and we would like to express our thanks for the commitment during the World Cup.' Hull's Kingston Rovers rugby league club said in a statement: 'The club are shocked and saddened by the news of the death of former player Ryan Tandy. 'Ryan served Hull Kingston Rovers with distinction during his time with the club and our thoughts go out to his family and friends at this difficult time.' 'It's important that people know who the real Ryan Tandy was ... he was a generous man with his time,' Tandy's former coach Keiran Dempsey told Triple M. The former journeyman front-rower had been living at his parents' apartment as part of his bail conditions after he was charged with allegedly kidnapping a man on January 16.. Tandy was due back in court next month over the plot, linked to criminal bikie organisations, which allegedly was an attempt to recover a drug debt worth tens of thousands of dollars. The troubled star had received a life ban from rugby league after he was convicted of match fixing while playing for the Canterbury Bulldogs against North Queensland Cowboys in 2010. Investigations were launched following a $30,000 betting plunge on the game and Tandy was subsequently banned for life from NRL. He was also handed a $4,000 fine and a 12-month good behaviour bond for his involvement in the scandal. Over the course of his tumultuous career, Tandy featured in 36 NRL games across five clubs. Born in Wollongong in 1981, he began playing for St George Illawarra in 2003 before joining South Sydney midway through that season. 'In complete shock!!! Won a premiership with Ryan in 2009, a bloke who gave his all on the footy field. RIP,' he added. Tandy, whose father was born in Birmingham, spent time in Britain where he played for five clubs including Doncaster and then Hull KR in the English Super League in 2007. He also played five matches for Ireland in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. A statement on Rugby League Ireland's official website today said: 'Ryan was a larger than life character and we would like to express our thanks for the commitment during the World Cup.' Tributes for the sportsman have also poured in on Twitter. Tandy's former coach at Hull KR, Justin Morgan, wrote: 'So sad to hear of Ryan Tandy's death. RIP' Retired professional rugby league footballer Steve Turner, said: 'Shocked and saddened to hear of the news about Ryan Tandy. RIP mate!' Tandy's former South Sydney teammate Bryan Fletcher told The Daily Telegraph: 'I wouldn’t have seen this coming. It's tragic for his family.' Fletcher revealed he had spoken with Tandy only a month ago. During their meeting, Tandy told of how he was planning a new compression garments business. 'He'd been training and was off the drink. He was in a good headspace which I thought was good,' a shocked Fletcher added. Tandy's friend Brett Clarke wrote on Twitter: 'Today I've lost a good mate, a bloke I've shared the best and funniest days of my life with. Ryan Tandy you'll be missed mate. #RIP'. Sydney Roosters star James Maloney commented: 'Cant believe the news on Ryan Tandy, a bloke I shared some good times with... RIP mate!!!' The official Twitter account of the Australian National Rugby League posted a tribute that said: 'Saddened to hear of Ryan Tandy's death. Our thoughts and condolences are with his family.' As well as his new business venture, Tandy had been excited about the release of his book, The Fix, written with Sydney journalist Josh Massoud about the footballer's role in Australian rugby league's most notorious match-fixing scandal. Book publishing house, Allen & Unwin, describes Ryan Tandy's arrest, his subsequent very public fall from grace and his treatment by police and the football establishment. 'Sacked by his club, arrested, charged and convicted for attempting to fix the game, Tandy became the most recognised and despised figure in Australian sport,' Allen & Unwin wrote. 'Behind the headlines, little is known about Tandy, the shadowy dealings that went into the now notorious fix, or the police investigation that claimed his scalp.' ""

the internal justifications EJ, certainly. I don't really care who instigated it or who knew about it, but I'd certainly like to know why they thought they needed to go down the route they did, and to what length they went to to hide it..

Do we really need to know all that, BM? No doubt a book will be released by Mr Waldron in due course....

I am in no way a lawyer but i thought each club had to sign a stat dec declaring everything is above board in respects to the salary cap

I guess the only issues maybe tax, if the extra income was not declared. The NRl cannot legally obligate anyone to cap wages. The only reason the salary cap works, is that everyone buys into the idea. I,m sure there are sanctions everyone signs up for etc.

Is there any legal ramifications coming this blokes way? Cooking books can't be legal can it? Or is it only NRL issues, not actual legal issues?

I'll say it - I thought Waldron's 'apology' was about as hollow as it gets, and didn't really explain anything; not the reasoning why they did it, how they justified the level of deceit within the club, or even who concocted the scheme in the first place. Tokenism at best...