Cronulla chairman's future in the balance
BRAD WALTER AND KATE MCCLYMONT
July 28, 2010
AFTER overseeing the departure of chief executive Richard Fisk, the resignation of coach Ricky Stuart and the retirement of captain Trent Barrett, Cronulla chairman Damian Irvine's future at the club is now under threat.
Irvine, who admitted to
The Sun-Herald last weekend that he used the pseudonym ''Beeker Shark'' to pen attacks on the club's previous administration in internet chat forums, has upset some directors with his management style since being elected to the board 13 months ago.
There are also concerns over his strident support of newly appointed Cronulla Leagues Club general manager Deborah Feening, who is being investigated over irregularities in the books at the Marconi Club, where she was chief executive until earlier this year. Investigations are also continuing as to why Feening had the proceeds of the first prize in Marconi's Art Union raffle, which she ran, paid directly into her bank account.
Among the other key allegations Irvine has fallen out with directors over are:
- His failure to consult the board before accepting Stuart's resignation last Monday;
- An approach to former Dragons coach Nathan Brown to replace Stuart earlier this year;
- An attempt to sack Barrett as captain after falling out with the NSW Origin skipper over the chairman's presence in the dressing room;
- Appointing David Peachey as a Sharks ambassador in negotiations to play home games in New Zealand.
- revelations that he was ''Beeker Shark''.
Sharks directors were also unimpressed to learn that Irvine had negotiated a deal with Stuart's manager, John Fordham, to give the story of the coach's resignation exclusively to a newspaper that had been critical of him.
Irvine said the next day he was disappointed the Cronulla players had learnt of Stuart's departure in the media but the former Test mentor revealed in his Sunday newspaper column how the deal was done. Cronulla directors were also kept in the dark until the following day.
There was speculation last night that Irvine may be asked to stand down at a meeting of the club's football and leagues club boards, a move that would leave Feening on shaky ground.
Marconi management have lodged a complaint about Ms Feening's handling of the Art Union to the Fairfield police. Feening's daughter-in-law, Katie Maher, was the winner of a boat valued at $36,990 when the lottery was drawn in October last year. But the sum of $24,500 was transferred directly from the boat dealer to Feening.
Feening told the Herald that while her daughter-in-law did win first prize, the money was paid directly to her in relation to money she had loaned her son. ''The prize was drawn in front of 2000 people by a high school principal,'' she said.
Irvine told the Herald last week that the allegations against Feening had nothing to do with her role at the Sharks and that she had assured him nothing was amiss. He said Feening had been ''very silly" in the way she handled the Art Union. "I have had a word to her about that," Irvine said.
