Greg Inglis and Cameron Smith's agents face NRL inquest
* EXCLUSIVE by Dean Ritchie
* From: The Daily Telegraph
* July 20, 2010 12:00AM
A SIX-man accreditation committee will debate whether the agents for Melbourne superstars Greg Inglis and Cameron Smith be deregistered by the NRL.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal that Allan Gainey - who manages Inglis - and Isaac Moses - who represents Smith - could be removed as accredited NRL agents as early as next month.
The Player Agents Accreditation Committee is seeking further information from the NRL about the Melbourne Storm salary cap fiasco before making a final decision on Gainey and Moses.
Ironically, Gainey is on the accreditation committee, a representative from the Player Managers Executive.
He would have to abstain if the matter goes to a vote.
There is also growing conflict among the player agents with some already attempting to steal players from rival managers caught up in the Storm fiasco.
A Deloitte investigation found Gainey and Moses signed two contracts for their clients Inglis and Smith.
One was an official NRL contract, the second a "side" contract with a different - and inflated - amount of money.
The accreditation committee is expected to discuss the pair's actions at its next meeting on August 19 in Sydney.
Gainey was angry yesterday when contacted by The Daily Telegraph, saying he had sought legal advice over the matter and had conclusive documentation to clear his name.
Publicly, he only said: "I've got no comment whatsoever."
One source linked to the NRL said the evidence against the two agents was "compelling".
But Moses said yesterday: "I've got no comment. We have been cleared by Deloitte. Everything is fine."
If the managers are found to have acted inappropriately, they will be given a chance to explain their behaviour to the committee.
The committee is Gainey, Martin Meredith, David Garnsey, Geoff Bellew, Jamie Barrington, Bruce Wallace and Peter Tracey.
Another leading agent, George Mimis, did not sign a "side" contract for his client, Storm star Billy Slater.
If deregistered, the NRL will refuse to register a contract negotiated by the agent.
The managers however snuck around the rule recently with Willie Mason's one-year contract at North Queensland.
With his manager Greg Keenan not accredited, Mason had his deal negotiated through a third party who was registered by the NRL.
"That was ridiculous and it shouldn't happen again," said the NRL source.
Gainey is currently negotiating a deal for Inglis at Brisbane.
Asked about managers trying to pinch players from other agents, one said: "There are some scummy agents out there trying to bad-mouth other managers.
"Don't try it with me."