Brisbane Broncos under investigation for possible salary cap irregularities

[Canard]

A decision reached between seasons for a club takes the game into uncharted territory.

I think this is wrong, or a very minor technicality.

Didn't the Warriors get docked 4 points prior to the start (or very close to the start) of a season due to salary cap breaches?

 

[ek999]

Yeah started 2005 on -4 points from memory. Cost them a spot in the 8 too

 

[El Diablo]

i wonder if they would tank games this season if they found out soon the points would come off this year

they obviously don't think they have a hope of winning the premiership this year and that's why they want any potential pealty to be handed down asap

 

[bfoord]

i wonder if they would tank games this season if they found out soon the points would come off this year

they obviously don't think they have a hope of winning the premiership this year and that's why they want any potential pealty to be handed down asap

since there is no draft there is no point tanking games...

however, if they found out now that points would come off next year, then it would give them more incentives to do everything in their power to win the comp this year, because that would make the NRL look like fools. and everyone would be asking questions of the NRL (i.e why allow a team, that they knew to be in breech of the salary cap to go and win the title).

and i am not for one second suggesting that the Broncos will win it all this season (or are even a realistic chance)

 

[madunit]

I think Ben Ikin mentioned on Sterlo tonight that a Sydney club is going to be revealed tomorrow as having breached the cap.

He made it sound big.

Probably to deflect away from what is happening at Brisbane

 

[El Diablo]

I think Ben Ikin mentioned on Sterlo tonight that a Sydney club is going to be revealed tomorrow as having breached the cap.

He made it sound big.

Probably to deflect away from what is happening at Brisbane

http://forums.leagueunlimited.com/showthread.php?t=438554

 

[Puntastic]

I think Ben Ikin mentioned on Sterlo tonight that a Sydney club is going to be revealed tomorrow as having breached the cap.

He made it sound big.

Probably to deflect away from what is happening at Brisbane

Lussick?

 

[Diesel]

Typical deflection IMO, it'll be a nothing story

 

[insert.pause]

I think Ben Ikin mentioned on Sterlo tonight that a Sydney club is going to be revealed tomorrow as having breached the cap.

He made it sound big.

Probably to deflect away from what is happening at Brisbane

What would ikin care about the broncos? He's a cowboys director ffs.

 

[El Diablo]

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...return-to-broncos-dashed-20140814-103woj.html

Wayne Bennett's hopes of Andrew Gee's return to Broncos dashed

Date
August 14, 2014 - 10:00PM

Roy Masters
Rugby League Columnist

Strict new NRL accreditation rules mean coach Wayne Bennett will not be able to bring the highly regarded Broncos football manager, Andrew Gee, back to the club.

Gee has refused to co-operate with NRL integrity officers over an investigation into a $290,000 potential salary cap breach at the Broncos.

Bennett is understood to be furious that Gee, a former Broncos premiership player, has become the fall guy for unaccounted payments made from the Broncos Leagues Club, possibly to players for unrealised third-party deals.

A traditional rugby league man, Gee refuses to give anyone up and has repaid the money to the licensed club.

But this has not placated other NRL clubs who suspect the inquiry will reach a dead end, nor the NRL which must justify its recently resourced integrity department.

The NRL’s Chief Operating Officer, Jim Doyle, describes the salary cap probe as “ongoing” and confirmed that “any new appointments to a club must meet the relevant criteria to be registered as an NRL official.”

Gee, by resigning his posts both as football manager of the Broncos and director of their licensed club, and refusing to answer any questions from the NRL, has outstanding issues with the code and is therefore ineligible to serve as an official at any club.

Bennett has been handed unrestricted powers by club owner, News Ltd, with Lachlan Murdoch allowing him to make appointments.

However, he will be refused permission to register Gee by the NRL, should he re-appoint him as Broncos football manager.

The Broncos self-reported the potential salary cap breach to the NRL at the same time the Leagues Club volunteered the unexplained monies to ASIC as a failure of governance.

ASIC, who have bigger corporate issues to explore, have placed the investigation on hold.

Should ASIC interview Gee, it is not within their orbit to brief the NRL on findings.

The NRL investigation may involve more than $290,000, with the Herald told last month the breach could be $470,000.

Doyle said in a text message, “No conclusion re size of any fines,” implying the club would be punished, but only monetarily.

The Broncos have handed all relevant material to the NRL but it is understood to be inconclusive as to whether players actually received any of the money.

An internal inquiry by club officials has not produced any admissions, although no one is certain who is telling the truth.

The latest half-yearly Broncos financial report to the Australian Stock Exchange indicates the cost of the News Ltd commissioned audit into the alleged salary cap breach could exceed the breach itself.

In explaining a drop in gross profit from $2,729,000 to $2,262,000, the report attributes “costs incurred as part of the investigation into the previously reported allegations regarding possible salary cap irregularities.”

It is understood the independent investigation by accounting firm Deloittes and lawyers Allens has cost the Broncos football club upwards of $250,000.

However, payments to players outside the salary cap are rarely recorded in club books.

Most are payments from sponsors, some declared as legitimate third-party payments,while others are not declared, particularly if they are provided by entities already associated with the club.

Should the Broncos have a new “money tree” to replace miner Ken Talbot, killed in a plane crash in 2010, 10 weeks before he was to give evidence in court to a corruption inquiry, the benefactor could be providing incentives to attract top players to Brisbane.

NRL clubs, such as the Raiders and Storm, are monitoring the Broncos investigation closely, following rumours Canberra fullback Anthony Milford will be registered in Brisbane’s salary cap for $450,000, yet be paid $1.3 million.

The Storm was stripped of the 2007 premiership for a breach of less than $500,000.

 

[insert.pause]

Roy still pushing his Storm agenda on behalf of his mate bellamy, honestly his articles should come with a disclaimer.

Apparently Roy thinks an asx listed company is going to answer wholly to Bennett, the board and ceo is now redundant, stupid old coot.

 

[some11]

Good.

Gee was pretty shit at his job anyway.

 

[insert.pause]

Will be reported tomorrow that the Broncos won't lose points but will likely cop a fine, the NRL findings are expected to be handed down this week.

Cue Roy masters article complaining about the storm punishments...

 

[insert.pause]

Exclusive: Salary cap probe clears Brisbane Broncos’ for finals tilt
PHIL ROTHFIELD AND PETER BADEL EXCLUSIVE THE COURIER-MAIL SEPTEMBER 03, 2014 12:00AM

A MYSTERY $300,000 repayment has saved the Brisbane Broncos from the salary cap scandal that threatened to terminate their finals campaign.

The Broncos have been cleared to play in next week’s playoffs after an NRL integrity unit investigation failed to detect any alleged improper payments to some of the club’s biggest names.

The NRL is expected to officially announce the outcome of its probe before the end of this week.

The Broncos are still facing a hefty fine for reporting $450,000 in salary-cap irregularities but are unlikely to be docked competition points — effectively keeping their season alive.

There were fears a points sanction would dump Brisbane from the finals race, but they are now free to qualify for the top-eight by beating Melbourne this Friday night.

At the heart of the NRL investigation were a series of transactions, totalling $300,000, which went missing from Broncos Leagues Club accounts, triggering a separate internal audit.

Former Brisbane operations chief Andrew Gee, who resigned in May, was being investigated by Broncos Leagues over the six-figure void.

But despite months of forensic financial investigations, NRL auditors could not trace the missing money to the accounts of Broncos players.

Gee refused to assist with the NRL probe and was not compelled to because he had resigned as a Broncos employee.

The 25-year club legend, who quit when The Courier-Mail exposed the cap investigation, has since repaid the money and resigned a director of Broncos Leagues, which is still being investigated by ASIC over the scandal.

“It (the missing funds) was repaid before the end of the last financial year,” confirmed Broncos Leagues club chairman Bruno Cullen.

He would not comment further.

It is unknown where Gee, unemployed at the time, procured the money to repay Broncos Leagues. He did not return calls to The Courier-Mail on Tuesday.

At the time of his resignation, Gee said: “I have nothing to say ... I have moved on.”

Now that the money has been repaid, the NRL says it has nothing to act on.

Six Broncos players — Corey Parker, Ben Barba, Corey Oates, Martin Kennedy, Jarrod Wallace and incoming recruit Anthony Milford — were interviewed by NRL auditors.

Gee was responsible for negotiating and signing off on all their contracts.

Financial searches of player-manager records also failed to uncover cash payments.

Whatever happened to the Leagues Club cash that Gee allegedly used remains a mystery.

The other mystery is how Gee managed to raise $300,000 to pay back the Leagues Club.

“Andrew Gee will go to his grave with that information,” said one source.

NRL integrity-unit boss Jim Doyle wants the Broncos probe completed this week to ensure no club goes into the finals under suspicion of rorting the salary cap.

“We’re getting close to finalising it,” Doyle confirmed.

The Gold Coast Titans and Parramatta Eels remain under investigation for suspected salary cap issues.


http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...-for-finals-tilt/story-fnp0lyn3-1227045459141

 

[The Chello]

It seems to me that more questions have been raised regarding the issue then the issue being resolved. The media have their own agenda but the fans are the ones who are kept in the dark....

 

[I Bleed Maroon]

So the whole thing was a storm in a teacup. Big surprise.

Time to get on with it.

 

[El Diablo]

did Gee ever talk?

if not we'll never know the truth

 

[insert.pause]

did Gee ever talk?

if not we'll never know the truth

Nope.

 

[El Diablo]

and he somehow pulled $300k out of his arse to pay back

stinks of a cover up

 

[insert.pause]

and he somehow pulled $300k out of his arse to pay back

stinks of a cover up

Unless he never spent it?