General NRL warning to Warriors

[MarkW_old]

From stuff.co.nz

NRL warning to Warriors
24 February 2006


New Zealand Warriors' players face potential career-ending bans if they are found to be party to the club's salary cap breach, the National Rugby League warned yesterday.

As the controversy surrounding the Warriors' financial dealings with players escalates, NRL chief executive David Gallop said the organisation had the power to suspend or deregister players if an investigation found indisputable evidence that they had knowingly taken part in rorting the A$3.25 million (NZ$3.65 million) salary cap.

The NRL can take action against players culpable under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which stipulates penalties including fines, suspension or deregistration.

The Warriors already risk losing competition points before the season starts – and a significant fine – after admitting financial irregularities.

The club has till today to submit its explanation to the NRL.

Though the NRL has declined to name the player contracts involved in the Warriors scandal, it is understood the contract of Ruben Wiki had rung alarm bells at NRL and Warriors headquarters.

The Australian newspaper reported Wiki is understood to have been promised an assistant coach's job after his retirement.

There is no suggestion that Wiki knew of any impropriety on behalf of the Warriors.

The Kiwis skipper, who was on the Gold Coast with his teammates preparing for tomorrow night's trial against the Bulldogs, was reluctant to discuss the issue.

"They assured us they would sort this out and leave us to play football and we are confident they can sort everything out," Wiki said. "I haven't met them individually, but I will when we get back to New Zealand as I am sure most of the guys will, just to clear up where we all stand."

The contractual arrangements for Wiki's fellow front row veteran Steve Price, the Warriors other prime signing last season, has also attracted scrutiny by NRL salary cap auditor Ian Schubert.

It is understood Wiki and Price are on contracts worth A$400,000 and supplemented by third-party agreements – including offers of employment after their careers end – that have pushed the club over its cap limit.

Under the player benefits category in salary cap laws, clubs are not allowed to offer fulltime employment without declaring it to the NRL as part of their current contracts.

Price was reluctant to discuss details of his contract saying it was "between me and the club".

It is the second time in five years Price has found himself engulfed in a salary cap scandal. His former club, the Bulldogs, was stripped of 37 competition points and fined A$500,000 for deliberately breaching cap rules in 2002. – NZPA

 

[Wiki_old]

Oh dear god .

 

[KeepingTheFaith_old]

If a player has knowingly cheated the salary cap then damn right. If it's a misunderstanding or player manager related then it would be too harsh to take it out on the player.

I'd prefer a team of clean no names starting the comp on an equal footing than a team of dirty "stars" fighting to play catch up with the rest of the comp. But hey that's just me.

 

[David James_old]

KTF

Wouldn't it be interesting if star players did have to sit out the season and warriors started on 0 like everyone else and then made the top 4 with all new players!

 

[mattyj_old]

So what the freak does a player manager do if it is the players responsibility to know every detail of the contract and weather it puts the club he is signing for over?

Ive got no time at all for most player managers especialy Wiki`s manager who i have met of a few occasions at age groups comps in Aussie....lets just say me and Jim didnt see eye to eye.

 

[David James_old]

Thing is it is not against the reg's to be offered a job after retirement.

It only is if it is not declared and/or takes them over the cap (is my understanding).

So how does each player know if they are over the cap or not?

 

[Ronnie_7_old]

It certainly would be interesting to see a season of mostly newbies on the field. I think that a team of mostly newbies and a few old heads could give the comp. a run for their money. Most players in their first year seem to have all the confidence in the world so play without any hesitation or inhibitions.

Really the player wouldn't know if the deal they are making would put the club over the cap. So again it comes back to management and to wether or not the player was informed either by them or their manager.

 

[warriors4life_old]

this incident is turning ugly, especially for us warriors fans

 

[KeepingTheFaith_old]

Personally I don't believe that guys like Price and Wiki would deliberately do something like that. Wiki has too much respect and pride and Price has been there before without putting the Warriors in that situation. Most likely scenario is that they made the deal and then without their knowledge the Warriors management only disclosed what they wanted to disclose to the NRL. It would be near impossible to prove a player knew that their contract would definately put them over the salary cap.

Anyone who signed or resigned in 2004/2005 could potentially have something to answer for. What worries me is the allegations of funds being funneled through Cullen Investments. Surely Eric Watson would know about that and secondly, if players were recieving money from there then they would have to know it's suspicious.

As for a team of newbies with a couple of experienced heads. How bout?

1. Webb
2. Vuna
3. Ah Van
4. Toopi
5. Vatuvei
6. Ropati
7. Hohaia
8. Rapira
9. ???
10. Villasanti
11. Faumuina
12. Fai
13. Anderson

14. Guttenbeil
15. Tuakura
16. Martin
17. Mannering

Players excluded. Wiki, Price, Koopu, Luck, Rovelli, Fien, Byrne, Gatis

Disclaimer: Just want to make it clear that I'm in no way shape or form blaming any of the excluded players for our salary cap problems. They were excluded simply because they were the ones signed or resigned during our alleged breach years. While some other in my named team may have also resigned during that time, I'm not 100% sure of the details and as it's just a hypothetical situation I didn't feel the need for 100% accuracy. It's just a light hearted look at a potential team and quite frankly with everything going on right now we need something to talk bout that isn't depressing. Cheers.

 

[Ronnie_7_old]

That there looks like a good team. Except I'd put Faumuina in 13 Louis in 11 bring Tuakura up into 10, Martin into 9 have Villa on the bench, switch Mannering into 3 and put Ah Vahn onthe bench and fill in the gap with anyone of the Elite Dev. left. Someone that's a back.

 

[KeepingTheFaith_old]

That there looks like a good team. Except I'd put Faumuina in 13 Louis in 11 bring Tuakura up into 10, Martin into 9 have Villa on the bench, switch Mannering into 3 and put Ah Vahn onthe bench and fill in the gap with anyone of the Elite Dev. left. Someone that's a back.

lol is that all? Going with your team I'd bring Atkins onto the bench as he can the cover fullback allowing Webby a little bit of time at dummy half without the rigours of playing 80 mins at hooker. (Provided Webbs passing from dummy half is up to scratch).

 

[Ronnie_7_old]

LOL :lol: I just couldn't be bothered putting the numbers or names in or copying, pasting and re-typing

 

[Skinny_Ravs82]

I'm actually getting more confused with every piece of information is coming from this. Oh well.

 

[Ronnie_7_old]

KTF and I were just coming up with a team on the hyperthetical scenario that our 'senior' players or the ones that were signed or resigned during the time of the salary cap breach were suspended for the whole season. this is all hyperthetical and we're not implying that we know who is, isn't or might be involved.

 

[scottyb_old]

personally i dont think that the player's talk about their salaries amongst themselves, it would only cause jealousy and problems, so i dont think any of them would think that the wage they get is going to put the club over the limit

 

[jaws_old]

It's all Gallops fault. He created this slimey mess let him lie in it. He puts on this holy then thou look when he stares into the camera but don't be fooled. This guy is the complete corrupt package. We Warriors fans are not fooled Gallop. Stick your salary cap up your arse you scum bag. Don't toy with the WFC motherfucker.

 

[Jesbass_old]

As funny as you always are, jaws, please keep an eye on your choice of certain words.

 

[Skinny_Ravs82]

I don't see why jaws is getting so uptight. As I had said before in another thread this is really out of our control and we just have to carry on regardless. Whatever Gallop thinks or whatever anyone thinks is just their own opinion and sometimes you just can't change it.