Manly players were warned against socialising with ex-brothel owner Eddie Hayson and porn baron Con Ange

MANLY players were warned by club officials to stop socialising with ex-brothel owner Eddie Hayson and porn baron Con Ange.

SENIOR Manly officials warned players to stop socialising with ex-brothel baron Eddie Hayson and porn shop tsar Con Ange.

The warnings came as the club grew increasingly concerned about the company they were keeping and the amount of money they were gambling in a range of non-rugby league related sports.

The concerns dated as far back as two years ago with Manly hierarchy so perturbed by the association of some of its players that they met with the then NRL head of football Todd Greenberg to discuss the company some players were keeping.

Club officials grew increasingly concerned with the growing friendships between several players including Kieran Foran, Brett Stewart, Glenn Stewart, David Williams and Anthony Watmough and Hayson and Con Ange in recent years.

Hayson has strenuously denied fixing matches while there is no suggestion Ange or the players mentioned have played any part in rigging results.

Ange made headlines last year when he was ambushed outside his Crows Nest home last month by “cheap standover men” while his house was later firebombed. Police believe the firebombing related to his porn shop business, rather than anything to do with match fixing.

The concerns over the company Manly some players were keeping resulted in a drastic shift in dressing room access at the club this year.

There is no access to the dressing room on match day unless you are on an official pre-approved list. Boxer Kali Meehan guards the players’ locker room during games.

The Sea Eagles have lashed out at allegations two of their matches from last year were fixed.

High stakes gambling — on sports other than rugby league — has been rife within the ranks of Sea Eagles players in recent years.

One player was spotted wagering $14,000 on a horse race at Hotel Steyn in Manly recently while a former NRL player has told of watching a Manly player bet $10,000 and $15,000 at a time on various racing meets.

Former Manly player Glenn Stewart, who played for South Sydney in their round 16 clash against his former club which is one of two games under investigation by police, also had his betting patterns questioned last year.

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It was reported that Stewart placed bets of up to $8000 on credit at the TAB in Forestville last year.

The Daily Telegraph revealed there had been a $75,000 betting splurge on a TAB account belonging to Foran last month. In an online frenzy the account was making bets of up to $15,000 on the greyhounds in Dapto, Albion Park and Sandown.

It then switched to the South African gallops an attempt to win back some of the thousands lost.

Manly — via a statement — said they were “bitterly disappointed” that the club’s reputation had been “unfairly tarnished”.

“The Sea Eagles fully support the strong stance by NRL CEO Todd Greenberg that any player found guilty of match fixing be banned for life,” the statement read.

“We will continue to support our players one hundred per cent and give them the presumption of innocence particularly against unfair mainstream and social media innuendo.”

The Sea Eagles said they had not been contacted by the police or the NSW Organised Crime Squad regarding the match fixing allegations.

Originally published as Manly players were warned against socialising with ex-brothel owner Eddie Hayson and porn baron Con Ange