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Rugby newcomers Melbourne Rebels to stand down Brian Waldron
- Bret Harris
- From: The Australian
- April 23, 2010 12:00AM
BRIAN Waldron's future at the Melbourne Rebels is over after he was described as appearing to be "the architect" of Melbourne Storm's salary cap rort.
The Rebels have refused to comment on what will happen to their CEO, but it is understood he will be stood down today. With matters being referred to police, Waldron - who would have been made to sign statutory declarations promising to adhere to NRL rules - faces far more serious problems than losing his job.
Rebels consultant Pat Wilson, a former ARU high performance manager, is expected to be installed as acting CEO today.
The NRL yesterday stripped the Storm of two titles and three minor premierships for cheating the salary cap during a period in which Waldron was chief executive of the club. Waldron quit the Storm in January to join the Rebels, who will enter an expanded Super 15 competition next year.
News Limited chairman and chief executive John Hartigan yesterday said Waldron was at the centre of the scandal engulfing the Storm. News Limited (publisher of The Australian) is the owner of the Storm, pouring millions of dollars into the club since 1998.
"While it is early days, he appears to be the architect of the whole shooting match," Hartigan said. "In my view if we are to be honest as a company and as a sport we should look further than just rugby league. We don't want people like that in sport in Australia. It is entirely up to the Rebels."
Rebels chairman Harold Mitchell would not comment on Waldron, except to say: "It's a matter for the NRL."
But the Rebels board includes some of the most powerful and influential figures in the Australian corporate world.
Waldron's presence would be damaging to the image of the new franchise, especially when they are still in the market for players and sponsorship.
Storm chairman Rob Moodie yesterday said Waldron had apologised to him. "I haven't spoken to him today," Moodie said.
But when pressed to reveal what was said when he did speak to him, Moodie said: "He apologised."
Asked whether Waldron should remain at the Rebels, Moodie said: "It depends on what the investigation shows, but it is essentially up to the Rebels to decide that."
Waldron's foray into the two rugby codes followed a period as chief executive of the St Kilda AFL club from 2001 to 2004.
While Waldron is a Rebels employee, the ARU will watch events closely. A spokesman for the ARU said the body had no idea about the Storm controversy until yesterday's presss conference.
"We haven't had any direct dialogue with the NRL or News Limited so we can't comment on the details of any allegations they might level at any individuals," he said.
A leading Australian rugby union administrator, who did not wish to be named, called on the ARU to appoint an officer to audit player contracts.
While there is no salary cap in Super rugby, there are concerns over the potential abuse of third-party endorsements, which are used to induce players to change teams.
"The ARU needs to take control of third-party payments," the official said. "They have to draw a line in the sand at some point."
"It would be the best money they have ever spent to employ someone to look into every transaction."
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1225857167777
Apparently the St Kilda books are going to be gone over with a fine tooth comb by the AFL as well
Well played by the Rebels to make THIS the story in the morning papers as opposed to the alternative. Gives me a bit of hope about them![]()
Rebels act swiftly in asking Waldron to clear his desk
JOSH RAKIC AND CAROLINE WILSON
April 23, 2010
THE Melbourne Rebels this morning will announce the immediate departure of Brian Waldron as chief executive as the AFL prepares to re-open investigations into alleged salary-cap evasion at St Kilda under Waldron's stewardship from late 2001 to 2004.
The Rebels board - which is chaired by Australia's largest media buyer, Harold Mitchell - met within hours of David Gallop's press conference and acted swiftly in asking Waldron to stand aside.
Waldron, the Melbourne Storm CEO of five years, stands accused of being the mastermind behind the NRL club's $1.7 million salary-cap rort. The Herald understands he has agreed to stand down from the Rebels.
The board is expected to meet again this morning before holding a press conference about noon. The Rebels last night made sure of their legal position before announcing Waldron's departure as CEO after just six weeks in control of the fledgling Super 15 franchise.
Mitchell refused to comment, other than to say he did not expect the NRL controversy to affect his franchise's reputation. Coach Rod Macqueen said he had not been in contact with Waldron since claims of his involvement in the Storm's scandal were aired by News Ltd CEO John Hartigan.
''Obviously it's a bit of a shock to everyone, I don't think just us,'' Macqueen said. ''It'll be interesting see what comes out of it over the next couple of weeks. I haven't had any discussions with Brian Waldron. I'm sure he's pretty shocked about everything. I haven't seem him.
''As far as we're concerned it's a rugby league matter and it certainly hasn't got anything to do with rugby union or the Rebels. From our point of view, it's business as usual.''
Former Waratahs and Manly rugby league chief executive Pat Wilson is favoured to replace Waldron at the Rebels.
Meanwhile, the AFL will investigate St Kilda players' contracts during Waldron's three-year stewardship of the club. The Herald understands investigator Ken Wood interviewed Waldron in 2003 over the Saints' departed ruckman Peter Everitt, who demanded more than $100,000 from his former club as he tried to recover money from his old contract.
Everitt welcomed a review of the matter, last night instructing lawyers to contact the AFL in an effort to retrieve the missing money.
''The deal with me was I had a back-ended deal - they couldn't afford to pay me much money in my first year so they upped my salary each year and the big one was the fourth year and they got rid of me - so when I left to Hawthorn they should have paid the difference, which they never did,'' Everitt said.
His wife, Sheree, added: ''Now that we think about it, unlike all Spida's other deals his dealings with Brian were never at the footy club. They were always in a coffee shop or something, and one time we met him at a Christmas party. Not until something like this happens do you stop and think about things like that.''
Wood, now on leave, and football operations boss Adrian Anderson are expected to approach the Saints in a bid to clear any possible discrepancies which might have taken place during Waldron's time as CEO.
The former Melbourne Storm boss worked at St Kilda with acting Storm CEO Matt Hanson, who was yesterday sacked by the NRL club after being found to be involved in the salary-cap rort.
smh.com.au
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
like i said in the other thread, its a necessary step, not only will he attract continued negative press in the coming months and potentially years, he also has a tarnished image in the Victorian corporate world
Harold Mitchell made it clear that when he started this franchise he wanted to avoid the 'scandals' that rugby league carries
Fox news article advises that Waldrom has resigned his post.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...002381,00.html
Storm lost all their sponsors as well.... Skins ME Bank etc
hARDLY WORTH GOING ON
The Daily Telegraph has been told one of the major sponsors who terminated their deals with the Melbourne Storm yesterday - ME Bank and super fund HostPlus - made contact with the Rebels yesterday.
Article: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nr...-1225857622619