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WHETHER a kiss on the cheek constitutes an iron-clad agreement could be a catalyst for more boardroom upheaval at the Cronulla Sharks.
Tonights general meeting for members is likely to be tinged with controversy after businesswoman Madeline Tynan claimed that the new chairman, Damian Irvine, had agreed to allow her and members of her ticket onto the new Sharks board.
While Tynan said last night she was still undecided about whether to attend the meeting, claiming it would be stacked with Irvine supporters, she said members of her ticket would potentially be creating more off-field turbulence for the Sharks.
Tynan, the director, dealer principal and marketing manager of her familys Sutherland Shire car dealerships, was adamant Irvine reneged on an agreement to allow her and six of her supporters to join the board when he announced last week that banking executive Denise Aldous and businesswoman Jenny Reynolds would replace former chairman Barry Pierce and Graham Gillard as directors of the strife-torn club.
As part of the agreement Tynan said was reached, current board members Irvine, Rick Surace and Paul Walker would have retained their positions, but all other directors would have resigned.
There was definitely a deal done, Tynan said of a meeting last month, which was also attended by former club boss Peter Gow. There was a handshake and even a kiss on the cheek. We met for three-and-a-half hours and two days later he went back on his word. Its just very disappointing. The gentleman with me [Craig Borg, a lawyer who is a former Sharks player], he got a handshake and I got a handshake and a kiss on the cheek. In business to me, thats a deal. Ive always taken people on face value and if a handshakes done you should be good to your word. I just find it really hard to swallow.
But while Irvine did not deny he had agreed to a deal, he said Tynan did not fulfil her side after the meeting and was unwilling to compromise during it.
Madeline was one of a dozen people I talked to about their interest in the board, Irvine said. Upheavals the last thing we need. I sat down with a basic idea to compromise, rather than have votes of no confidence or anything else like that. After talking to her and seeing what she had to offer, I thought long and hard about it and I canvassed a lot of people, including sponsors. Madeline also didnt provide things that she gave an undertaking she would a resume and due diligence for the people she was putting forward. They were just names to me.
I had to take this to the current board it was not my decision to make. But she never provided that information. After much investigation it was all a bit one way.
It wasnt respectful in the way it was being undertaken.
Describing himself as a member just on the other side of the fence now, Irvine said the decisions he had made had been in good faith and in a genuine attempt to rebuild the club.
We need stability, he said.
The club has lurched from one off-field drama to another this season, which has been the catalyst for the boardroom changes. Former chief executive Tony Zappia was forced to resign over his handling of an incident that involved a female employee being given a black eye, while the club was heavily implicated in a Four Corners expose of group sex in rugby league.
Asked whether she would attend tonights meeting, called because of the substantial changes at boardroom level since a May 28 election, Tynan said: Its to be decided. I just dont know whether to put my team through that our club is being run by the head of the supporters group, so it [the general meeting] will be stacked with supporters group people.
Elsewhere, Parramatta are free to sign their former star, Timana Tahu, after he was released from his Australian Rugby Union contract yesterday.
While Eels boss Paul Osborne said he had not spoken with Tahu following the ARUs decision, it is anticipated Tahu would be paraded as a Parramatta player before the Eels clash with Newcastle at Parramatta Stadium on Sunday.
Also, the Newcastle board has deferred a decision on a replacement for Roosters-bound coach Brian Smith until its next meeting in September.
After a meeting last night, the directors opted against asking Smith to step aside immediately and installing assistant Rick Stone in a caretaker role. Stone is favourite to take charge next season, although the Knights are also expected to consider Melbourne assistant Michael Maguire, Sharks assistant Shane Flanagan and former NRL coaches Steve Folkes and Graham Murray.
I had to take this to the current board it was not my decision to make. But she never provided that information. After much investigation it was all a bit one way.
It wasnt respectful in the way it was being undertaken.
Describing himself as a member just on the other side of the fence now, Irvine said the decisions he had made had been in good faith and in a genuine attempt to rebuild the club.
We need stability, he said.
The club has lurched from one off-field drama to another this season, which has been the catalyst for the boardroom changes. Former chief executive Tony Zappia was forced to resign over his handling of an incident that involved a female employee being given a black eye, while the club was heavily implicated in a Four Corners expose of group sex in rugby league.
Asked whether she would attend tonights meeting, called because of the substantial changes at boardroom level since a May 28 election, Tynan said: Its to be decided. I just dont know whether to put my team through that our club is being run by the head of the supporters group, so it [the general meeting] will be stacked with supporters group people.
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Local hottie and businesswoman Madeline Tynan.
Photo: Ben Rushton
