First look at the famous Kerry Packer-signed contracts to lure Gene Miles and Wally Lewis to Manly

It’s one of the greatest sliding doors moments in rugby league history - Kerry Packer almost luring two Queensland icons to Manly. Now the official contract can be shown for the first time.

Kerry Packer signed off on contracts for Gene Miles and Wally Lewis.

This is the famous Kerry Packer-signed rugby league contract that was to deliver one of Queensland’s greatest players to the Manly Sea Eagles.

Maroons champion Gene Miles and Queensland teammate Wally Lewis met with billionaire businessman Packer on September 9, 1986, and agreed to controversially quit the Queensland Rugby League to play for Manly in the NSWRL.

Miles was to take up a two-year deal worth $110,000 with Packer’s television station TCN Channel 9 Pty Ltd.

He also signed a second agreement with Manly worth $74,000 a season for 1987 and 1988 that involved Manly secretary Doug Daley.

The combined deals were worth $129,000 a year, which was massive money in the late 1980s and well before the salary cap had been introduced.

Packer’s involvement in negotiations came through his strong friendship with then Manly coach Bob “Bozo” Fulton.

“This was a present for ‘Bozo’,” Miles said. “Mr Packer was his best ally back in those days. “Whatever ‘Bozo’ wanted, he usually got. If a club could find a generous man like Mr Packer, then the world was your oyster.”

The Kerry Packer-signed contract.

Gene Miles and Kerry Packer’s signatures.

Packer’s contact said Miles would be “hereinafter be called ‘The Performer’”.

The contract added: “This agreement is conditional upon ‘The Performer’ playing first grade rugby league for the Manly-Warringah Rugby League Football Club in Sydney in the 1987 and 1988 seasons and upon his being released by the Queensland Rugby Football League in respect of all contractual obligations owed by him to the Queensland Rugby Football League in respect of the said 1987 and 1988 seasons.”

It was signed by Packer, Miles and a witness “on behalf of TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd by Kerry Packer, its chairman”.

Packer flew Miles and Lewis first class from Brisbane to his Australian Consolidated Press office in Park St, Sydney.

“It was the most intimidating day of my life,” Miles said. “He had the big size-15 shoes up on his desk, puffing on a big Benson & Hedges dart (cigarette).

“I went into the meeting and he said: ‘How much do you want to come and play for Manly?’

“I said: ‘It doesn’t happen that way, Mr Packer, you make me an offer’.

PACKER, MILES, MANLY: CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL ORIGINAL CONTRACT

“He said: ‘How much do you want?’

“I mumbled $100,000 and he said, ‘You’ve got it. Send the other bloke (Lewis) in.’

“‘The King’ asked for $150,000, which he got. Doug Daley was there, too.

“When he assembled both of us on the other side of his desk, he said Wally was on $150,000 but he said he got me too cheap so here’s $125,000. It was actually $130,000.

“He said: ‘Welcome to Manly, sign here’. The contract’s got big KP’s signature on it.

“There were services to be done for the TCN, which probably weren’t going to be done anyway but it was a great experience.

“There were two contracts. One was a NSWRL contract, which was registered with the NSWRL, and we signed a separate one with TCN, which Mr Packer owned.”

Gene Miles (L) and Wally Lewis were a whisker away from joining Manly. Picture: Brisbane Sun

Packer’s contract said Miles would “act as a television compere, presenter and journalist if required”.

It also said: “During the term of this agreement, ‘The Performer’ agrees to provide his services in a professional and competent manner.”

Manly officials wanted to keep private the value of Miles’ contract because he would have earned more than it top players, and the team went on to win the 1987 grand final.

“The Sea Eagles had some great players there at the time and the money he was going to pay us was well above anybody there, apparently, so we had to divide it up into two,” Miles said.

“That was Manly’s greatest concern. Somebody was going to get their nose out of joint.

“In 1987, they won the grand final, so with or without Lewis and Miles they still had a very strong side.”

Manly’s NSWRL contract was between “Doug Joseph Daley and Gene William Miles”.

Aside from the $74,000 deal, Miles was to be paid an additional $200 for a win or draw and $100 for a loss.

It stated Miles would be paid a “playing fee for the 1987 Rugby League Football season the sum of $74,000; for the 1988 season the sum of $74,000”.

Broncos great Gene Miles.

Ultimately, Miles and Lewis remained in Brisbane.

Now 64, Miles had signed a loyalty contract the previous year that said players could not shift to Sydney if the QRL matched the offer of a NSWRL club, which the QRL did.

Miles returned to Queensland and showed his contract offer to Senator Ron McAuliffe, the QRL president.

“I handed it over to Senator McAuliffe and he summoned us into a meeting,” Miles said. “I think they had 30 days to match the offer.

“They did a Save Our Stars fundraiser back in Queensland to keep the representative stars back here.

“They got to $100,000, which was great money back then playing in the comp up here.

“They got close enough in contract value and I thought, ‘I’ll hang here’.

“Thirty-thousand dollars was a shitload of money back in those days but we could stay here in our own home rather than relocate to Sydney.”

Miles still refers to Packer as Mr Packer.

Media tycoon Kerry Packer.

“He was an intimidating man and I was a country lad from Townsville,” Miles said.

“To think I was sitting in his office, one-on-one, it was surreal.

“Being paid $130,000 a year to play in a top side. Wow. I had the greatest respect for him and Doug Daley.”

After remaining at Wynnum-Manly, Miles never spoke to Packer again.

“I didn’t hear from the great man after that,” he said. “One of the attractions of going to Manly was our club in Brisbane, Wynnum, was having financial troubles. They couldn’t afford to keep us.”

Miles now wishes he had made the big move to Sydney.

“If I had one regret in my career, it’s that I didn’t go down when at the peak of my powers,” Miles said.

“If I had my time over, I’d be a Sea Eagle for sure.

“But hindsight is always great.”