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CRONULLA boss Barry Russell says the current salary cap probe into the Sharks is not related to 2018 players. Rolling league coverage.
CRONULLA boss Barry Russell has moved to clear the current Sharks squad, saying the club’s salary cap probe does not relate to 2018 players. Russell reported salary cap irregularities to league head office after taking over the Sharks’ CEO job earlier this year, with the NRL launching an integrity unit investigation.
He says the undisclosed third party agreements relate to 2015 and the player involved is no longer at the Shire. “The issues or discrepancies that I disclosed do not relate to any of the current playing squad — as I said, it relates to issues some years ago,” Russell said. “I’m working with the NRL very closely, I have been for months, I’ve provided full disclosure, I’ve allowed the integrity unit to come in and download information from our server and any other information or hardware they required. “We have nothing to hide. I want to get to the bottom of any issues or discrepancies, which I believe we’re doing. The investigation is ongoing and we will continue to co-operate with the NRL.” NRL CEO Todd Greenberg on Wednesday said that the Sharks were this year $500,000 below the salary cap and denied their participation in the 2018 finals would come into question. The potential salary cap infringements came to light after Russell launched a full governance review when he took over six months ago. Sharks CEO Opens up He found a potentially illegal third party deal in 2015 after going through the club’s books and alerted the NRL. The club won its maiden premiership the following year and he said he couldn’t speculate on whether further problems could be uncovered by a forensic probe. While bullish about the Sharks’ chances of remaining competitive this year, he expected the matter to linger throughout the finals. “I envisage this investigation will go through till the off-season,” Russell said. “I haven’t got a timeline — there is a lot of data to work through, so that does take time. “Our club is being fully co-operative but our priority at the moment is for our playing squad to just remain strong, focused on the final series. “And I believe we have every chance to really give this competition a good shake. The squad’s trained well, this is not affecting them.”
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MAUMALO RE-SIGNS WITH WARRIORS
Winger Ken Maumalo has capped a serious turnaround this season by re-signing with the Warriors until the end of 2023.
The big unit has blossomed into one of the best metre eaters in the NRL and has all but eliminated the handling problems that dogged his early days in the top grade.
It’s wonderful for us knowing we have Ken signed for another four seasons after this,” said Warriors coach Stephen Kearney.
“He has shown tremendous progress this season with his consistency and attitude. Together with David he gives us so much value at both ends of the field and has plenty of improvement in him.”
Maumalo made his Test debut for New Zealand against England in Denver earlier this year and has been a constant on the left flank for the Warriors.
“I’m so grateful to my family and to everyone at the club for the way they’ve supported me throughout my career so far,” said Maumalo.
“It’s a huge privilege to be able to play for the Vodafone Warriors. I owe them so much for giving me the opportunity and showing faith in me.
“I feel a lot better about playing in the NRL now. I’m more relaxed and I am enjoying my footy. That’s the most important thing.”
PERFECT TIMING FOR YOUNG STARLING
By Fiona Bollen
KNIGHTS debutant Tom Starling’s toil through reserve grade has finally earned him a spot in the NRL
Coach Nathan Brown said the season-ending injury to regular hooker Slade Griffin opened the way for Starling, who received clearance from the NRL to play this morning.
The 20-year-old will take his place on the bench for Newcastle’s final lineup for 2018 and it’s through his ability to punch above his weight.
Brown said any initial doubts he had when he first saw Starling were eliminated the moment he saw him play.
“He’s tough as nails. Quite courageous when I first saw him. I questioned his size straight away and as soon as he played in reserve grade he finds a way to compete very well,” he said.
“He’s earned it, whether he should have got one earlier, there’s a possibility.
“But we felt this week was a really good time to give him a shot.”
Newcastle needed approval to play Starling because he is a member of their development squad, but given the raft of injuries that have hit the side, they applied to have the specialist hooker given dispensation.
This Saturday’s home game against the Dragons marks Old Boys day for the Novocastrians, a day where they honour players of the past.
Brown said it was a fitting day for Starling to make his debut, having come the Central Coast and played all his junior footy in the Knights’ system.
“He’s earned his opportunity and we thought fitting with final home game, Old Boys day, he’s a local kid and hooker is the spot, with Slade’s situation, that we’re looking at going forward,” Brown said,
“It gives us a recognised dummy-half on the bench to come on and support Danny.”
GREENBERG PRESS CONFERENCE KEY POINTS:
– The Sharks came forward to the NRL to admit their guilt.
– All clubs are cap compliant in 2018.
– Cronulla are over half-a-million under the cap in 2018.
– The Cronulla saga dates back a few years, but isn’t near the enormity of the Storm or Eels cases.
– It was not a systematic approach by the club.
– The NRL is currently midway through its investigation.
GREENBERG:
“We’ve got a relatively modest investigative unit that will work on these issues and cleary this an important one.
“We will fast-track that the best way we can but we will not fast-track it and do a poor job.
“We always encourage clubs to come forward… and the Sharks have done the right thing coming forward when they saw some irregularities.”
Greenberg confirmed the NRL would likely speak with former Sharks CEO Lyall Gorman.
“As we delve into the details there will be a number of people we need to come forward and speak openly and honestly and truthfully about their time at the club.”
GREENBERG:
“It is not a systematic approach like we saw at Parramatta,” he said.
“Punishments, as an example, to the Manly club have affected the roster and they will have implications on that roster next year.
“As the cap has gone up and grants to the club has gone up the imposition of fines have not kept pace and I have been asked to look at that.
“Every single salary cap roster is clear for 2018… and the Sharks are significantly below the salary cap – and I’m talking more than half-a-million dollars.”
GREENBERG:
“I would describe it as there are some concerns that have been raised by the club and brought forward to us,” he said.
“What we’ve done is take those concerns and begin an investigation.
“What I can tell you is the scale of it is not like we’ve seen previously.”
GREENBERG CONTINUED:
“This is not on the scale of previous clubs under investigation like Manly, the Eels or further back like the Storm,” he said.
“The work we’re doing goes back historically a number of years.
“I can’t tell you the timeframe (for the investigation). I know people want us to move quickly and it is a high priority but we need to do it properly.”
TODD GREENBERG ON CRONULLA SHARKS SALARY CAP SAGA
“I want to make two things very clear. Firstly, it was the Sharks who self-reported to the NRL,” Greenberg said.
“Secondly, and most importantly, on the information available to us, every club in the NRL – and that includes the Sharks – are cap compliant for 2018.
“In fact the Sharks are significantly under.”