NRL waiting for Jenny to speak up
Jacquelin Magnay | May 25, 2009
THE NRL has been trying to contact the woman who was punched accidentally by Cronulla chief executive Tony Zappia to determine the circumstances surrounding a $20,000 payout to her.
Today, the future of the embattled Sharks is under intense scrutiny by the NRL, which wants answers to questions about the accidental punch by Zappia which left the former employee, Jenny Hall, so badly injured she had to have four days off work.
The NRL also wants to ask the Sharks board about its finances and ability to operate, given its mounting debts of more than $12 million, its operating loss of $1.4 million last year and the recent loss of five sponsors, including the major sponsor LG Electronics.
The Sharks board is also expected to be quizzed about the circumstances of player Reni Maitua testing positive to drugs, the future of Paul Gallen's captaincy in light of racial vilification allegations raised on the field on Saturday night and the 2002 group sex scandal raised by Four Corners.
The Sharks board members have declared they will hold fresh elections before July 31 this year, once the current election is completed this week. Board members have been unable to respond to community pressure to resign because of club rules surrounding the election.
However, the club has told NRL officials that it is willing to release Jenny Hall from a confidentiality agreement so that she can tell her story.
Yesterday Hall's lawyer could not be contacted to confirm such an approach or to ascertain whether such a confidentiality agreement existed.
However, a source close to the woman claimed that while Hall believed the punch by Zappia, which severely blackened and infected her eye, was accidental, Hall was shocked and upset at Zappia's response and that he showed no compassion. She has told friends that the incident happened in a corridor near the football offices.
It is unknown whether Hall was granted sick leave or was asked to take annual leave for the initial time off.
Sources say Hall agreed the hit was an accident and Zappia was conciliatory. It is claimed that at one point he said jokingly, words along the lines of, "do you want to spank me?". Hall is believed to have immediately replied: "No I don't want to spank you."
The source said Hall's eye had become badly infected and, with her swollen face, she was embarrassed that people might think she was a victim of domestic violence.
The NRL has demanded a report from the Cronulla board on the incident. Zappia has told NRL officials that he was shadow boxing with Hall.
Last night Zappia told the Herald: "I can assure you the club has done everything it can to get Ms Hall to speak to the NRL."
"As I understand it, as of Friday, she has refused to do so," Zappia said.
"I cannot answer your questions, not because I don't want to but because I cannot by law. If I could answer them believe me I would, as your questions suggest that you have listened to conflicting [and wrong] stories surrounding the matter."
