Star player agent’s Indigenous sporting charity under investigation
Matt Rose is the man behind some of the most successful sportsmen in Australia, including NRL players Latrell Mitchell, Cody Walker and Jack Wighton, and boxing champion Tim Tszyu. But his management of an Indigenous not-for-profit organisation is under the spotlight.
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A star player agent is being investigated over the alleged “reckless management” of an Indigenous sporting charity.
Matt Rose is the man behind some of the most successful sportsmen in Australia, including NRL players Latrell Mitchell, Cody Walker and Jack Wighton and boxing champion Tim Tszyu.
The brother of former NRL star George Rose became an overnight sensation as high-profile sporting figures signed to his agency, No Limit Management.
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He was juggling a growing profile in the sporting world with a demanding role as a director at the Barwon Aboriginal Corporation, a not-for-profit that supports Indigenous sporting programs in NSW.
The 41-year-old’s management of that organisation has come under scrutiny and prompted an investigation by the Aboriginal corporations watchdog.
No criminal charges have been laid.
On September 7, 10 days after Tszyu’s TKO victory over Jeff Horn in Queensland, a police officer and the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC) turned up at Rose’s home. ORIC’s search warrant outlined the allegation against Rose — that he failed to exercise his duties in good faith and acted recklessly as director.
The ORIC asked for his laptop and documents and Rose willingly complied.
The intervention comes after Barwon Aboriginal Corporation was charged by the ORIC for failing to submit its financial reports since 2018-19.
According to sources with knowledge of the investigation, the probe is also looking at the crossover between the Barwon Aboriginal Corporation and No Limit.
Barwon, of which Rose is a director, awarded a contract to No Limit, of which Rose is the CEO, to carry out its programs in rural and remote communities over the past two years.
Barwon Aboriginal Corporation, which has four members, receives government grants to roll out Aboriginal rugby league events and the knockout health challenges.
An advocate for promoting Indigenous Australians in sport, it is understood that Rose has also poured thousands of dollars of his own money into the not-for-profit.
A spokesman for No Limit Management denied the allegations and looked forward to the result of the examination.
Walker and Mitchell have played in rugby league knockout carnivals over the years. Barwon Aboriginal Corp has helped roll out some of the events.
Supporters of Rose hinted at a smear campaign generated by rivals in the industry.
“He doesn’t deserve this,” a close friend and former sports manager said.
“There are people out there who are jealous he has done so well in a short period of time.
“He looks after everyone around him and this is a smear campaign driven by people who are put out by his success.”
ORIC does not confirm or comment on investigations. Rose’s meteoric rise from schoolteacher to highly regarded promoter has seen him challenge the industry’s status quo.
He signed a deal with Fox Sports to show several fight cards and his Star of the Ring series became the highest-rating boxing shows in the pay television channel’s history.
Last year he signed on as promoter for Tszyu, the son of Australian boxing great Kostya Tszyu.