NRL third degree the first step in Kieran Foran's quest to return to the NRL
Danny Weidler
The first significant step in Kieran Foran's quest to return to the NRL has taken place.
So far, we have seen him relocate to New Zealand and distance himself from Eddie Hayson. He has also been working hard on being a good dad to his kids and is making trips back home to have a role in their lives. But it is the NRL that is setting the agenda, not Foran nor the Warriors.
The league has given Foran a list of questions on his mental health, betting and Hayson. His partying, relationship with his ex-partner and verbal attacks on the media are other issues he will be grilled about.
How Foran answers these questions will be significant.
Expect him to be asked to supply detailed betting and banking records as part of its probe. This column has it on good authority that the police already have information from his phone. It's unclear if the NRL has that information.
If Foran provides satisfactory answers, he will get a hearing with the NRL.
If not, he will be be looking at a ban or deregistration.
Foran has long held the view he has done nothing wrong, and he's told me numerous times that he wants to front the NRL to tell his story. And it's worth remembering he left Parramatta citing mental health issues – he wasn't run out of the sport.
O'SULLIVAN'S BATTLE
The same cannot be said about Peter O'Sullivan. The NRL decided they had enough evidence to ban the Sydney Roosters recruitment officer from the game and confirmed the news during the week.
O'Sullivan is one of the best career makers in the business – now he is trying to work out how to save his own after being banned by the NRL because of his long-term association with Hayson, which didn't sit well with league bigwigs.
For many years O'Sullivan kept clear of the big-time punter and former brothel owner, but was dragged back into his orbit when Hayson promised to pay back money he owed him. This column understands the amount was in excess of $200,000.
The price of O'Sullivan being paid back the money? Hayson needed to be able to deposit and withdraw money from gambling winnings into O'Sullivan's bank account, given he couldn't have one. He has an account with a building society.
O'Sullivan played along and got burnt. It has been incorrectly reported that Hayson placed $700,000 into a betting account O'Sullivan operated over a long period. An amount in that region was placed into his bank account – as we explained, to settle a debt and for Hayson to use. It's not a great look, but it's different to the money being put into his betting account.
Those who know O'Sullivan well say Hayson never put a cent into his betting account. It's understood the Roosters are looking at their legal options. O'Sullivan is known to be badly affected by the situation. When he was first hit with the charge, the club found him sleeping in the office – he was too ashamed to go home.
O'Sullivan maintains he has done nothing wrong and has been honest with the NRL. He has been working as a courier driver because he needed something to do. Even that landed him in bother. He pulled into Caringbah Hotel after a shift to see a long-time mate. As he was about to have a sip of his beer, Hayson walked into the pub – on the night before O'Sullivan was due to front at the NRL. He bolted straight out of the pub and made sure the encounter was the first thing he told Todd Greenberg in the meeting the next day.
Greenberg saw the lighter side of that situation, but not of the entire relationship with Hayson. We asked O'Sullivan for comment but he declined the opportunity. O'Sullivan has until Tuesday to decide whether to appeal.
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...est-to-return-to-the-nrl-20161029-gsdrnp.html
