Cronulla Sharks coach Shane Flanagan is facing deregistration from the NRL for continuing to have dealings with the club during his 12-month ban in 2014.
The NRL today notified the Sharks boss of their intention to deregister him following an Integrity Unit investigation, while also announcing handing down a breach notice proposing a combined $800,000 fine for the club.
Following the drug scandal which rocked the NRL in 2013, Flanagan was banned from coaching in the NRL for 12 months. One of the terms of his suspension was not being able to communicate with the Sharks.
The NRL, however, have found evidence supporting a preliminary finding that Flanagan continued to have dealings with the club during the period when he was suspended.
The original suspension was handed down as a year with three months suspended, while the club were originally fined $1 million with $400,000 suspended.
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The fine proposed by today’s breach notice includes that original suspended amount, as well as an additional $400,000.
“One of the conditions imposed by the NRL was that “the club must not allow Mr Flanagan to be concerned directly or indirectly with the club” while suspended,” an NRL statement today read.
“As part of the current investigation into the Sharks salary cap, documents have been uncovered that support the preliminary finding that Mr Flanagan had dealings with the club in relation to recruitment and retention of players.”
It’s understood the suspension this time would be indefinite, rather than for another 12 months, because of the fact the last suspension was breached.
Even though the suspension is not yet confirmed by the NRL, Flanagan will be banned from dealing or coaching at the club effective immediately, pending further results and a response.
“While the findings are preliminary and no final determination will be made until the response he provides has been properly considered, he will not be permitted to coach or act in any official capacity at the club pending a final determination,” said the statement.
If the ban is upheld, the Sharks will have to move on from Flanagan and source a new coach ahead of the 2019 season and beyond.
The Sharks, who have until January to respond to the sanctions, held a press conference on Wednesday afternoon. CEO Barry Russell said it was disappointing for the club, but they would appeal the severity of the penalty.
“This is a very disappointing day for our club,” said Russell.
“My thoughts go out to Shane and his family. From my point of view, it’s paramount we provide him with the wellbeing and support for Shane. As you could imagine, he is extremely upset and disappointed.
“The fine is subject to an appeal, which will be undertaken over the next few weeks. We have until January 31 to lodge an appeal. $800,000 is a substantial amount and we will be appealing that.
“I’ve been informed that there has been an enormous amount of communication between the club and Shane. As CEO of the club, we have to accept the responsibility that we broke the rules and we are paying for that right now.
“It’s sad for our fans, our players, that we are dealing with this. From my point of view, I’m going to do whatever it takes to get through this matter and clear this. The integrity and governance of this club needs to be first class. Our fans and members don’t deserve this.
“In the interim, we have John Morris and Jim Dymock to oversee the coaching of the club. We are determined to be successful next year.
The club have said it will be up to Flanagan to determine whether he appeals his suspension, with the Sharks only set to appeal the severity of the fine. He also said Jim Dymock and John Morris would take over the coaching.
“That is for Shane to determine. We received letters with a summary of correspondence and accusations of what we breached this morning. We will receive a large number of files in the coming days to review, then it will be up to Shane to decide whether he appeals his breach,” said Russell.
In the same statement by the NRL, the Wests Tigers have been issued a breach notice. CEO Justin Pascoe has been notified by the NRL that there is also an intention to cancel his registration after an undisclosed agreement was made to pay Robbie Farah as an ambassador when he finishes his career.
The NRL believed this should have been put on the salary cap of the Tigers, who, in addition to potentially losing their CEO, will have a $750,000 fine and $639,000 – the value of the ambassador’s agreement – added to their 2019 salary cap.
The Tigers have vigorously denied any wrongdoing, and have also been given until the end of January to respond to the proposed punishments.
Ian_
Roar Rookie
I'm inclined to think the $800k fine for the Sharks was lenient. To me the $400k suspended fine was held over from the original breach if they broke the rules again, and the fine for the new offence should have been a multiple of that, eg 2x-5x.
AngryEagle47
Roar Rookie
you must drive a heap , any successful CEO understands and knows the product they represent, the NRL is a basket case on and off the field , the problem with the status is in your answer, as for Origin , the CEO DID ZERO ! Big deal the gate was high same could be said regarding the NRLs biggest finals crowd , nothing to do with CEO , You might have a membership to your club ( doubt that) because of the NRL CEO but I don’t
Reg Reagan
Roar Rookie
@ Don "I’d happily see the Tigers side of the merged entity punted" I wouldn't. My mother followed the Balmain Tigers for many years as did one of my closest friends growing up and that club has had a rich and proud history and deserved a better fate then they received. The fact remains that this side of the joint venture is broke and the Western Suburbs Magpies are carrying the dead weight of Balmain on their backs. Perhaps, if the Magpies were looking to go it alone the Balmain side of the West Tigers might put their hand up for relocation to Perth? The NRL and News Corp (aka "FIX Sports") could assist the Tigers financially with the move to protect their joint vested interest in expanding the national competition to the Australian west coast. The "West Coast Wildcats" does have a ring to it.
Hugh Jarse
Roar Rookie
So, is this then the new blackest day in Australian sport? Or is it just the second blackest day? Kate, Jason please enlighten us.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
I more read that it shows his arrogance that not only did he break the rules, but left a paper trail to prove it.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
How to Farah and his manager know if it's not allowed. The deal itself is fine providing it's reported properly by the club to consider all cap implications - that part is outside of Farah and his management's oversight.
Matt H
Roar Guru
That's a good way to run a competition. "Here are the rules boys, just ignore the ones you don't like".
Matt H
Roar Guru
He was warned what would happen, he did it anyway, and now the NRL are following through by doing exactly what they said they would.
Gus O
Roar Rookie
The NRL showed contempt for the Sharks by dragging the investigation and uncertainty out to impact the club for two seasons. How was this fair to the Sharks players, staff, juniors and supporters who had no involvement or knowledge at all? Wow, five full pages of communication... yep, sure seems fair to ban a bloke for life. What will the penalties be for the executives and administrators of the banks who have broken real laws and ripped off the public? Will they be anywhere near this harsh? You say “fair”, I say get a sense of perspective.
Gus O
Roar Rookie
Is this the tension between footy clubs and “professional” sport administration? Plenty of industry sectors want the commercial benefits but dont want to pay the cost of associated regulations/governance/administration that are attached to the increased revenue. Just as plenty of footy players want the higher salary but dont accept that the pay packet requires them to be a professional athlete. Wow, the Souths team gave up booze for a couple of months the year they won the comp... reported as though this is a remarkable sacrifice for “professional” athletes. The footy codes in Australia need to complete the transition to being professional athletes. Sports administrators need to get over themselves, they do not own the game. Supporters and fans own the game, and what we want is fair and consistent application of the rules of the game. Every year we see reports of numerous clubs breaching the salary cap rules. Sometimes there is a fine, sometimes points are stripped, sometimes premierships are stripped - but it seems like the punishment is a lottery, there doesnt seem to be any consistency from NRL HQ. I reckon Cronulla suffered enough and the neverending delays in judgement cost the club two full years of disfunction. There was no end in sight, and Cronulla had to make best efforts to muddle through a bad situation. Now the NRL wants to reopen this neverending story to punish Cronulla some more and ban the coach from the game, without any regard for the principle that “justice delayed is justice denied” and the NRL HQs role in the delays. The level of punishment is totally at the discretion of the self important NRL HQ administrators and it looks way, way over the top to me.
Tom G
Guest
Barrett must have baulked when he saw the state of their furniture. Good for the Sharks for going with Dymock and Morris
In Brief
Guest
Apply the same level of scrutiny to our pollies and business leaders and half of them would be doing time...maybe not such a bad thing but in my mind the NRL is the only one following the rules.
In brief
Guest
Nearly as big an over reaction as the mad Monday blow up. I wonder who is advising the NRL - they sure know how to shoot themselves in the foot - with both barrels. And no, for the record, I don't respect petty man made rules and regulations.
Rob
Guest
Tend to think any results achieved during or after Dank’s being employed as a sports science supplements consultant is questionable. I’m wondering what penalty say a Storm, Warriors, Titans, Cowboys or other non Sydney based club would have received? Probably removal of Premiership would be the minimum punishment received IMO.
Reg Reagan
Roar Rookie
@ Tom G “If talk is accurate there is a second and even worse punishment headed to the Sharks… Trent Barrett” John Morris and Jim Dymock have just been announced as co-coaches of the Sharks for 2019. So talk was not accurate but your tagline was funny! LOL
Reg Reagan
Roar Rookie
@ “spruce goose” I don’t know how you got confused about AE47 being a Sharks fan. The 47 in his profile gives away that he has to either follow the Sea Eagles or the Eels, surely? Btw, he is a Sea Eagles supporter. Too bad you didn’t end your post after your first two sentences. But you didn’t. As a “Guru” do you think it is fair game to attack or even reference someone’s family on this site? Remember you are setting an example for others to follow and I think we all know how that can end. Why do I always have to be the one to remind you “Guru’s” that if you want to wear the badge then you need to set a higher example to be worthy of that title. Attack me if you want, I can take it. I dish out plenty so I expect to receive some flack but let’s keep family members out of the argument, OK? I won’t be warning you again. Btw, your reference didn’t even make any sense in the context of your argument or my comment about tribalism. In fact, your last two posts here have been very confused. You might want to try thinking BEFORE you post a comment.
Peter Piper
Guest
And as for Origin, this was the CEO that achieved the highest gate for an Origin game ever.
Peter Piper
Guest
and that matters why ?, When I go to the garage, I don't care if the manager doesn't know what an exhaust pipe is just as long as he has engineers that do. The CEOs job is to manage the business not to micro manage the sport.
AngryEagle47
Roar Rookie
Which piper am I talking to ? David Smith didnt know who Andrew Johns was and had no idea when it came to State Of Origin
Peter Piper
Guest
I agree that the Tigers penalty looks excessive, maybe its a diversionary tactic but a bad one if it is. However, if we ever had a bad leader it was Mr. Crime and Punishment aka the hanging judge aka Mr David Gallop himself. A shocking man who isn't fit to manage a chuck raffle in my view. The best CEO we ever had was Dave Smith but his face never fit so he was punted. As for Cronulla, many people will be thinking that they finally got some justice at last.