- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
The Organised Crime Squad from the NSW Police have launched an investigation into claims of match-fixing in the NRL.
“The Organised Crime Squad is in the early stages of examining information to alleged match fixing in the NRL,” a police spokeswoman said.
“No further comment is appropriate at this stage.”
It is understood that two matches from 2015 – Manly versus South Sydney in Round 16 and Manly versus Parramatta in Round 24 – are the fixtures under investigation.
Souths won the first match 20-8, while the Eels won the second 20-16.
The NRL responded to the reports with a statement, saying they were cooperating with the authorities conducting the investigation.
“The NRL is treating this as a serious matter and will take any action necessary to protect the integrity of the game,” and NRL spokesman said.
CEO Todd Greenberg also responded to the news, saying the investigation will be given the full support of the NRL.
“Whatever the police require they will get from the NRL Integrity Unit,” Greenberg said.
“We will always confront issues in Rugby League. And we will always deal with these issues.”
Greenberg also threatened severe penalties for anyone involved in the scandal if they are found guilty of match-fixing and said he will talk to the CEOs of every NRL club in light of the investigation.
“If any allegations are proven and individuals are found guilty, we will ban them for life.”
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Eddie Hayson, a former brothel owner and gambler, has become involved in the investigation.
Hayson allegedly collected $500,000 in cash to place a bet on the Rabbitohs to win by eight or more points in the Round 16 fixture. Hayson reportedly told a jockey to place separate bets of $120,000 and $100,000 on the same result. The second wager was declined by the betting agency.
According to a source who didn’t agree to be a part of Hayson’s alleged scheme, six players were involved in the plan.
“Eddie did tell me there were six players and he had to give 50 large [$50,000] to each one,” the source told Fairfax Media.
Separately, Hayson is known to have met with Kieran Foran around the time of the embattled Parramatta star’s TAB account being linked with a large number of bets placed on various races.
Foran is suing both News Corp for their story on this matter, and TAB for breach of privacy. Hayson has denied he was behind the gambling splurge, and Foran has not been implicated in the current fixing allegations.
There has been growing concern that the NRL is at risk of falling victim to match-fixing, with Detective Inspector Wayne Walpole, the man in charge of the NSW charter against organised crime in sport, claiming the competition has already been infiltrated.
“I’m not saying corruption or match fixing has happened, but I’m saying the infiltration is there and that infiltration can lead to the compromise of the sports of the athlete,” he said.
If the allegations are proven to be true, it would not be the first time match-fixing has reared its head in the NRL.
Former Canterbury forward Ryan Tandy was fined $4000 and placed on a good-behaviour bond after he was convicted of trying to fix a match between the Bulldogs and Cowboys.
In addition to the current match-fixing investigation, the Organised Crime Squad is reportedly close to issuing an additional set of warnings to Corey Norman, Junior Paulo and James Segeyaro for allegedly consorting with convicted criminal figures.
The group were issued with warnings last week. There is no suggestion any of the three players were involved in, or had planned to take part in, match fixing.
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.