NRL to hand down Sea Eagles salary cap punishment on Monday
THE NRL will reveal on Monday what punishments the Sea Eagles face over salary cap rorts dating back three years. The penalties will be severe but it isn’t all bad news for Manly fans. PLUS WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS AND LOWLIGHTS.
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THERE is one bit of good news for Manly Sea Eagles fans today. The team will not lose competition points for 2018 because they are now salary cap compliant.
Had they have signed Mitchell Pearce for $800,000-a-year they would have been over the cap and faced a fine and the loss of competition points.
The NRL will hold a press conference at midday Monday to announce their verdict after months of deliberations. The Sea Eagles will be informed of the penalty shortly beforehand.
The Daily Telegraph understands the NRL has uncovered serious breaches after being tipped off by the police strike force that investigated match-fixing for 18 months.
They found no betting rorts but suspicious payments to players going back three years.
The Manly case is not as bad as the Parramatta Eels, Melbourne Storm, Canterbury Bulldogs but at the very next level down.
We’re told they can expect a fine of up around $500,000.
They will also have to play the remainder of this season $500,000 under the cap.
PUNTING? THAT’S A GAME FOR MUGS
NO wonder sports betting is the fastest growing form of gambling in this country.
The bookies love it because it’s so ridiculously hard to tip a winner and they’re collecting the cash every weekend.
There are massive form reversals every week. If it was horse racing you’d call in the stewards.
Last week Manly scored nine tries to nil and flogged Parramatta 54-nil.
Six days later they are flogged seven tries to one against a team that hadn’t won a game, the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Hands up if you tipped the Wests Tigers and Warriors to finish 15th and 16th.
The Warriors have had to go to Perth, back to Auckland then to Canberra yet they’re unbeaten.
And their coach Stephen Kearney was supposed to be getting sacked after eight weeks.
The Wests Tigers beat the Roosters, Melbourne Storm and then held the Broncos tryless. And got blatantly robbed at the end. What a team.
And the poor old Canberra Raiders. They’ve lost by a combined total of five points in three games to sit on the bottom of the ladder. They could easily he won all three.
HIGHLIGHT
Winx. An unsuitable slow pace, three wide, yet still cruises to her 24th straight victory.
LOWLIGHT
Cheats wearing the baggy green. How dare they. What an insult to all those before them who played hard but fair. Steve Smith must stand down immediately. Send over George Bailey as a temporary skipper for the remainder of the tour.
LOWLIGHT II
Ashley Klein’s shocking refereeing blunder that robbed the Wests Tigers on Friday night. Lucky the cricketers are in strife and the Manly salary cap verdict will be revealed today otherwise Klein would still be dominating the sporting news cycle.
SPOTTED
New independent commissioner Peter V’landys discussing the Sydney stadiums issues with NSW opposition leader Luke Foley at Rosehill on Saturday. We hear V’landys is actually a fan of football at suburban grounds rather than big empty stadiums.
SHOOSH
Which Manly Sea Eagles star is on the verge quitting the NRL to join an English Super League club? Expect an announcement by Wednesday? At least it will ease salary cap pressure.
OOPS
Which dope at the NRL decided to play our Storm-Cowboys grand final replay in Melbourne on the same night as the AFL season launch. How embarrassing - 90,000 at the MCG and 12,000 at the NRL.
FOX LEAGUE
Catch you Monday on NRL 360 with Ben Ikin and Paul Kent to discuss a highly controversial round three of the premiership. Manly Sea Eagles coach Trent Barrett will be live in the studio.