WestsSupporter
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Just saw something on Foxsport News about player-managers being banned over the Melbourne salary cap scandal.
Three Melbourne Storm Player-Mangers Banned
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Three NRL player managers banned over roles in Melbourne Storm salary cap scandal
Josh Massoud
The Daily Telegraph
April 26, 2012 12:00AM
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THREE of the game's biggest player managers - Isaac Moses, David Riolo and George Mimis - have been sensationally banned over their roles in the Melbourne Storm salary cap scandal.
The trio has been suspended from representing hundreds of stars for the next six months after being found guilty of contributing to the systematic rort, which led to Melbourne being stripped of two premierships in 2010.
A fourth manager, Allan Gainey, received an official caution after pleading guilty to the Player Agent Accreditation Committee (PAA).
The quartet act for several of the 13 players the NRL's independent audit named as receiving illicit inducements, including Cameron Smith (Moses), Greg Inglis (Gainey), Billy Slater (Mimis) and Ryan Hoffman (Riolo).
The Daily Telegraph can reveal they were informed of the punishments on Tuesday night, following a landmark meeting of the committee's seven-man board.
The decision has since been kept top-secret, with leading NRL officials unaware of the development when contacted last night. An official announcement will be made today, but sources close to the suspended agents warned they could apply for NSW Supreme Court injuctions immediately.
The exiled trio used the same barrister - Alan Sullivan QC - to plead their innocence, and do not understand why Gainey can still operate after admitting knowledge about secret inducements to Inglis. Along with Smith and Slater, the Test centre also received "side letters" promising payments in excess of his registered contract.
The autographs of both Gainey and Moses appeared on letters given to Inglis and Smith respectively, but Mimis's signature was absent from Slater's letter.
The PAA issued "show cause" notices over a year ago, but did not interview the agents until February.
There are also private concerns the committee failed to address conflict of interest concerns given two members - Wayne Beavis and Andrew Purcell - are rival managers.
Mimis was the lone agent to return calls last night and confirmed his lawyers had been told of the PAA's verdict.
"As has been the case from the very start, I'll be vigorously defending my innocence and reputation," Mimis said.
The bans will prevent all three agents from negotiating NRL contracts until after this year's grand final, but have no impact on their other business operations.
Mimis is the managing director of SFX Sports and commands one of the game's heaviest stables, with Wayne Bennett, Des Hasler, Darren Lockyer and Danny Buderus all on his books.
Perhaps more crucially, however, is the fact that Mimis has been overseeing talks between Canterbury and Manly over Kieran Foran.
Riolo and Moses jointly front Titan Management, which represents elite players such as Paul Gallen, Michael Jennings and Todd Carney.
Their bans could also impact on negotiations surrounding off-contract stars Tony Williams, Steve Turner and Anthony Minichiello. Neither Moses, Riolo nor Gainey returned calls, and PAA chief executive Neil Cadigan did not return calls.
Josh Massoud
The Daily Telegraph
April 26, 2012 12:00AM
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\
THREE of the game's biggest player managers - Isaac Moses, David Riolo and George Mimis - have been sensationally banned over their roles in the Melbourne Storm salary cap scandal.
The trio has been suspended from representing hundreds of stars for the next six months after being found guilty of contributing to the systematic rort, which led to Melbourne being stripped of two premierships in 2010.
A fourth manager, Allan Gainey, received an official caution after pleading guilty to the Player Agent Accreditation Committee (PAA).
The quartet act for several of the 13 players the NRL's independent audit named as receiving illicit inducements, including Cameron Smith (Moses), Greg Inglis (Gainey), Billy Slater (Mimis) and Ryan Hoffman (Riolo).
The Daily Telegraph can reveal they were informed of the punishments on Tuesday night, following a landmark meeting of the committee's seven-man board.
The decision has since been kept top-secret, with leading NRL officials unaware of the development when contacted last night. An official announcement will be made today, but sources close to the suspended agents warned they could apply for NSW Supreme Court injuctions immediately.
The exiled trio used the same barrister - Alan Sullivan QC - to plead their innocence, and do not understand why Gainey can still operate after admitting knowledge about secret inducements to Inglis. Along with Smith and Slater, the Test centre also received "side letters" promising payments in excess of his registered contract.
The autographs of both Gainey and Moses appeared on letters given to Inglis and Smith respectively, but Mimis's signature was absent from Slater's letter.
The PAA issued "show cause" notices over a year ago, but did not interview the agents until February.
There are also private concerns the committee failed to address conflict of interest concerns given two members - Wayne Beavis and Andrew Purcell - are rival managers.
Mimis was the lone agent to return calls last night and confirmed his lawyers had been told of the PAA's verdict.
"As has been the case from the very start, I'll be vigorously defending my innocence and reputation," Mimis said.
The bans will prevent all three agents from negotiating NRL contracts until after this year's grand final, but have no impact on their other business operations.
Mimis is the managing director of SFX Sports and commands one of the game's heaviest stables, with Wayne Bennett, Des Hasler, Darren Lockyer and Danny Buderus all on his books.
Perhaps more crucially, however, is the fact that Mimis has been overseeing talks between Canterbury and Manly over Kieran Foran.
Riolo and Moses jointly front Titan Management, which represents elite players such as Paul Gallen, Michael Jennings and Todd Carney.
Their bans could also impact on negotiations surrounding off-contract stars Tony Williams, Steve Turner and Anthony Minichiello. Neither Moses, Riolo nor Gainey returned calls, and PAA chief executive Neil Cadigan did not return calls.
innsaneink
Well-known member
Pffft six months, that'll teach em
Tiger_Watto
New member
I'd hate to lose Foran & Williams to rah rah…
This still could cause a fairly decent impact -
If the ban goes into effect today, that means they cannot "officially" be involved in negotiations with any player until the 26th october 2011 - which leaves just 5 days before the official calendar start to season 2013…
Cheap T-Rex Anyone? :mrgreen:
If the ban goes into effect today, that means they cannot "officially" be involved in negotiations with any player until the 26th october 2011 - which leaves just 5 days before the official calendar start to season 2013…
Cheap T-Rex Anyone? :mrgreen:
@Sabre said:
Neil Cadigan found a free boat in his driveway methinks.
Tommy Magpie
Active member
Life bans are appropriate. Get rid of them.
Marshall_magic
New member
This was one of the biggest black eyes the game has ever suffered and we suspend 3 agents for 6 months? What a joke.
Marshall_magic
New member
@Tone said:
The salary cap is not a legal restriction and as such the ATO can not punish players for breaking it. What the ATO can do however is punish players who have earned extra money and not paid tax on it. Cameron Smith could get $10 million paid to him as part of a cap rort and if he pays tax on it, the ATO would not do anything about it. As far as they're concerned he hasn't done anything wrong (which from a legal stand point he wouldn't have).
happy_tiger
Well-known member
Surprised they have given out the names of the 4 players that the variances involved
Maybe it was revealed at some stage , but never knew which players were involved
Maybe it was revealed at some stage , but never knew which players were involved
