In an hour-long press conference, alleged match-fixer Eddie Hayson made the explosive claim that Kieran Foran would not be alive if he wasn’t “in his life this year.”
Whilst describing his relationship with Foran as a close one, Hayson admitted an attempt to use the former Eels’ gambling accounts “once or twice” and attempted to place $30,000 into one of Foran’s accounts three to four months ago.
He claimed that the use of someone else’s account was not an unusual practice, claiming “everybody does it”. Hayson incredibly suggested that bets of $18,000 were “minor” in nature and claimed there was no such thing as inside information in Rugby League.
The Parramatta and Manly fixture at the centre of the match-fixing allegations again came into question with Hayson admitting that either through his own account with William Hill or with the help of others he had placed bets on all Eels game this season until “8-10 weeks ago,” the same time Foran was officially ruled out for the season.
Hayson denied he had any involvement in the $2,000 that brother Liam Foran placed into Kieran’s account three weeks after the match in question. He also stated he could not remember the specific details of any bets made in relation to the match despite confirming Frank Ferrugia, a close friend of both Foran brothers and Hayson, was one of two people involved in betting on the match
Despite affirming his comforting presence for Foran throughout “some really dark times this year,” Hayson declared he would sever the friendship in order to allow Foran a clean return to the game.
Hayson’s relationship with several other NRL players also came into question. It was revealed that Hayson paid for a trip to Las Vegas with Brett Stewart but assured reporters he was reimbursed by the Manly fullback.
Reporters Josh Massoud and Kate McClymont traded personal barbs throughout the press conference, with Hayson constantly accusing McClymont of having her “wires crossed” and suggesting she get her “colleagues to give [you] a crash course in gambling.”
He accused Massoud of ruining the careers of several players, but, refused to name them in a fiery exchange with the channel 7 reporter.
“Is it fair to accuse Rugby League players for doing nothing wrong? Look [at] what you did to Steve Matai – you named his phone, you linked it to the investigation, you got that wrong.”
Hayson also reminded Massoud that after three months of investigation he had found no bets relating to the match-fixing allegations.
After the exchange, Massoud went quiet.
The former brothel owner also accused police of leaking information to journalists to create drama and further fuel investigation into match fixing.
Hayson admitted that both NRL players and police officers had frequented his brothel in the past, free of charge, but, glancing to his lawyer before proceeding, he denied this gave him leverage over anyone suggesting instead that “free sex was good for business, [it creates] a good word of mouth.”
Hayson consistently denied any direct involvement in the match-fixing allegations claiming he had not spent “seven hundred thousand, one million dollars, or even a single dollar” on any of the matches being investigated and reminded attendees that no charges had been laid.
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