NRL
John Ribot and the Melbourne Storm in contract furore over Cam Smith
By Matt Marshall
December 03, 2008
EXPLOSIVE allegations have emerged that Melbourne secretly commissioned John Ribot to broker Cameron Smith's new contract to elude the salary cap.
In a development sure to attract interest from NRL auditor Ian Schubert, Smith's former manager Jim Banaghan alleges Storm CEO Brian Waldron instructed him to deal exclusively with Ribot earlier this year.
It is not a breach of NRL policy for Ribot to negotiate with Banaghan but he cannot do so on Melbourne's behalf - otherwise any third-party deals he sanctions must fall under the salary cap.
On Tuesday night, Waldron responded to the claims by revealing Ribot, the club's foundation chief executive, remains a club consultant.
However Waldron denied any illegal dealings had taken place to secure the Australia hooker's proposed third-party deals.
Smith is expected to sign a new multi-year deal to remain at the Storm on a contract close to $600,000 per season.
The Test hooker parted ways with Banaghan in September with the manager's dealings with Ribot allegedly taking place during the 2008 NRL season.
Smith briefly represented himself before recently employing the services of Isaac Moses as his new manager.
Ribot, the architect of Super League and the Storm's foundation chairman, is set to be confirmed as a QRL director and is vying for
an ARL board position. Ribot could not be contacted for comment.