http://smh.com.au/news/League/Punters-take-a-bite-out-of-Dogs/2004/12/15/1102787148127.html
The fallout from the Bulldogs' involvement in the salary-cap scandal two years ago is continuing to haunt the rugby league club.
The Federal Court yesterday ratified an out-of-court settlement in which the Bulldogs agreed to pay a group of disgruntled punters $200,000. The club also agreed to pay their opponents' legal costs, estimated to be around $600,000.
The Bulldogs, who were leading the 2002 National Rugby League competition, were stripped of all competition points and ended up with the wooden spoon after the Herald revealed that the club had breached the salary cap.
Claiming that the club had engaged in deceptive and misleading conduct, weekend punters Robert Petrusevski and Robert Spirkovski, along with 59 others, sued the Bulldogs alleging the club had breached the Trade Practices Act.
Counsel for the punters, Vera Culkoff, previously told the Federal Court that the claims included bets on the Bulldogs making the top four, winning the minor premiership, winning the grand final and betting on other teams to win the wooden spoon.
The matter was set down for hearing in February next year. However, early last month the two parties attended a formal mediation presided over by former judge Andrew Rogers, QC.
Federal Court judge Roger Gyles yesterday approved the settlement, saying he was satisfied that the compromise between the parties was reasonable.
The court heard yesterday that once $50,000 was removed from the $200,000 to pay lawyers Clinch Neville Long, the rest of the money would be divided between two groups of punters.
The first group, who outlayed between $10 and $500, will get a complete refund of their bet. The second group of punters who bet larger amounts will receive $500 plus 30 per cent of the total amount they outlayed.
The largest punter involved in the case was bookmaker Colin Tidy, who is understood to have wagered $170,000. Mr Tidy did not wish to comment on yesterday's settlement.
Matthew Hourn, a solicitor with Clinch Neville Long, said yesterday the result was an excellent one for his clients.
He said all members of the class action would receive "a substantial return of their wagers" and that half of the group would receive a full refund of the wagers outlaid.
The fallout from the Bulldogs' involvement in the salary-cap scandal two years ago is continuing to haunt the rugby league club.
The Federal Court yesterday ratified an out-of-court settlement in which the Bulldogs agreed to pay a group of disgruntled punters $200,000. The club also agreed to pay their opponents' legal costs, estimated to be around $600,000.
The Bulldogs, who were leading the 2002 National Rugby League competition, were stripped of all competition points and ended up with the wooden spoon after the Herald revealed that the club had breached the salary cap.
Claiming that the club had engaged in deceptive and misleading conduct, weekend punters Robert Petrusevski and Robert Spirkovski, along with 59 others, sued the Bulldogs alleging the club had breached the Trade Practices Act.
Counsel for the punters, Vera Culkoff, previously told the Federal Court that the claims included bets on the Bulldogs making the top four, winning the minor premiership, winning the grand final and betting on other teams to win the wooden spoon.
The matter was set down for hearing in February next year. However, early last month the two parties attended a formal mediation presided over by former judge Andrew Rogers, QC.
Federal Court judge Roger Gyles yesterday approved the settlement, saying he was satisfied that the compromise between the parties was reasonable.
The court heard yesterday that once $50,000 was removed from the $200,000 to pay lawyers Clinch Neville Long, the rest of the money would be divided between two groups of punters.
The first group, who outlayed between $10 and $500, will get a complete refund of their bet. The second group of punters who bet larger amounts will receive $500 plus 30 per cent of the total amount they outlayed.
The largest punter involved in the case was bookmaker Colin Tidy, who is understood to have wagered $170,000. Mr Tidy did not wish to comment on yesterday's settlement.
Matthew Hourn, a solicitor with Clinch Neville Long, said yesterday the result was an excellent one for his clients.
He said all members of the class action would receive "a substantial return of their wagers" and that half of the group would receive a full refund of the wagers outlaid.
