The season from hell just got worse off the field for the Sharks with the club hit with a $150,000 salary cap breach the most by any NRL club in a raft of fines handed down by the league.
The NRL has completed its audit and meted out punishments of $503,407 across seven clubs. The Sharks, who have been battling allegations of performance-enhancing drug use at the club, were hit with the biggest bill. Canberra ($144,393), Newcastle ($88,749), Manly ($85,000), Gold Coast ($16,217) and last-placed Parramatta ($4,700) were also fined.
The clubs have five days to challenge the fines, but the Knights have already stated they won't be doing so.
"The breach relates to the interpretation of an individual playing contract," Knight chief executive Matt Gidley said. "Our club has had extensive discussions over a long period of time to ensure future breaches in similar circumstances do not arise."
The Knights said both parties were confident further issues with the salary cap would not come up and that they supported the NRL's review of the cap.
The fines were imposed for a range of breaches across the top 25 squads, second-tier cap and NYC limits, with the penalties reviewed by the ARLC audit and risk committee and supported by the commission.
The salary cap plays an incredibly important role in the competition and all clubs need to be accountable for staying within the limits of the Cap, NRL chief operating officer Jim Doyle said. This closeness of the competition over many years is tied directly to the fair and consistent enforcement of the salary cap rules and the effectiveness of the annual audit process.
The fact that we are looking to review the cap going forward does not in any way alter the importance of clubs complying with the rules as they stand presently.
Canberra boss Don Furner said his club would appeal the severity of the fine.
We were aware of our overspend in both first tier and second tier salary caps however we will be lodging an appeal in the size of the fines and we're confident in that appeal, Don Furner said. This overspend related to representative bonuses, and payments to players outside the top 25 to cover long term injuries. In 2012 we had to activate a number of clauses in younger player's contracts, as we needed to fill the positions left vacant by long term injuries to our top squad.
Breaches of the lower-tier cap related to a number of allowances to our second tier players. We will be lodging an appeal this afternoon based on the fines issued to us.
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