Phones belonging to directors of Cronulla Sharks have reportedly been seized by the NRL’s integrity unit as the probe into potential salary cap breaches intensifies.
The Daily Telegraph has reported that phones were handed in on Monday as the code’s integrity units investigates alleged cap irregularities during 2015 and 2017.
Sharks CEO Barry Russell initially reported the possible breaches when he turned up some suspicious and historic payments during a club-instigated governance review.
At the time, it was thought the breach could be more than $250,000.
When the cap drama first surfaced, NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg said coach Shane Flanagan, former CEO Lyall Gorman and ex-chairman Damian Keogh would be asked to front the code’s governing body.
The NRL has continued to grapple with salary cap issues in recent years. Both the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles and the Parramatta Eels have been under intensified investigation in recent years, despite the heavy penalties handed down to the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs and the Melbourne Storm for their breaches in the previous decade.
The news continues a tumultuous few years for the Sharks, who were penalised for a supplements program employed by club staff which affected a number of high profile players.
The Cronulla Sharks ended their long wait for a first premiership by defeating the Melbourne Storm in the 2016 NRL grand final.
KenoathCarnt
Roar Rookie
Bunch of cheats should be stripped of everything.
antbytes
Roar Rookie
How much is any player worth ? Clubs pay what they think they'll be getting. The quality of the player depends on many things; fitness, dedication, luck etc. The money is an arbitrary value that one club has. Another club may value the same player differently. What we have is a system where we are comparing apples and oranges. The NRL needs to rate players according to their experience. e.g. A current test player is rated as a 10. Origin = 9, NRL = 8, etc. A club is allowed a maximum of 150 points (+ or minus ?) on their 30 man roster. Each year a player is with a club his rating is reduced by 1 point for that club but should he be on the market he is worth his full value to any other club. As far as monetary value goes... NRL should keep an eye on it but there are always in-house deals we will never know about. With a points system everyone knows a player's value and 'salary cap' issues become transparent to all; players, management, supporters.
Dogs Boddy
Roar Rookie
But I just woke up the angry mob.
BA Sports
Roar Guru
The Sharks released a statement last night saying nobodies telephone records were confiscated. More "journalism" causing more damage to the NRL. Feel free to stand up and protect the inegrity of the game Todd...
Tom G
Guest
I guess Toddy got tired of picking on the Eels, Manly and needed to find another cheat villain of the year. Sorry Sharks it looks like it's your turn in the barrel. I believe that ALL sides are cheating the cap because it is what they do and "cracking down" when they get an informant is the NRL's ham fisted way of managing a ridiculously rortable system. I'll believe that there is some merit to the system when all sides are treated equally and the auditors finally make that short trip to Bondi Junction.
Dogs Boddy
Roar Rookie
Ok, pitchforks it is then. I'll go wake up the angry mob.
Conan of Cooma
Roar Rookie
More fake news from the Terrorgraph. I bet it didn't even happen.
Greg
Guest
Look in the mirror to find out
Jay C
Guest
Yeah, I found that so strange when this first broke. They cheat the cap in 2015, and then, the year they happen to finally win the comp, they are within the cap, then they start cheating it again when they're trying to go back to back?
The Barry
Roar Guru
Pfffft...I don’t have time to wait for things like investigation, evidence and confirmation, I’ve got torches to burn. If the Telegrph says it, it must be so. The Sharks rorted the cap and Klemmer is signing with the Knights.
Dogs Boddy
Roar Rookie
Hmmmm Ok if you want to kick out a team that has gone over the cap then you really should start with Melbourne, who really set the benchmark. Then just work your way down the list. Should be 1-2 teams left at the end of the day, will be a great comp in 2019. This is an ongoing investigation, lets wait and see what the outcome is before we sharpen up our pitchforks shall we.
Peter Piper
Guest
What you on about ? Who's this Ronnie Marldon ?
Greg
Guest
Haha Ronnie M/Marldon and all your other psuedonyms, it still hurts doesn't it?
Peter Piper
Guest
The biggest bunch of cheats in the comp. They should have been kicked out years ago. They should be investigated for 2016 as well.
14-12
Guest
Jernalism