Hartigan, News trying to block Storm legal action against NRL
Posted: Thu May 13, 2010 11:35 am
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 5865873680
He should be removed from any dealings with the Storm and should allow the 'independent' directors to take whatever action they feel is warranted.
Clearly - there is more behind this whole scandal - and the fact that Gallop, Hartigan and Maccourt are all involved is highly suspicious.
I say this to the independent directors of the Melbourne Storm: Do what is right for the Storm, its players and its fans. Its not your job to act in the interests of the NRL or News Limited. Ignore Hartigan's bullying tactics. He is concerned only with protecting himself, News Ltd and the damage to the rest of the NRL.
However, if there is unlawful or unethical practices going on between News and the NRL it must be uncovered. If the Storm have been dealt an unfair punishment which is found to be unlawful - then it must be reversed.
I'm sick to death with the mess News Limited has got itself into. It's stuffed up Rugby League once, and now its doing it all over again.
Can you believe scumbag Hartigan? The more I hear from this guy, the more I hate him. This whole conflict of interest, and his close personal friendship with Gallop is disgraceful.INDEPENDENT Melbourne Storm directors are preparing to mount a legal challenge for the disgraced club to reclaim its premiership titles but owners News Limited intend to strongly oppose the action.
Stripped of the 2007 and 2009 premierships, all competition points this season and fined $500,000, Melbourne legal firm Arnold Bloch Liebler has confirmed independent Storm directors want to challenge the manner in which the NRL decided on the penalties.
Melbourne chairman Dr Rob Moodie yesterday advised the club owners News Limited that the independent Storm directors want the NRL to review the penalties handed out for rorting the salary cap.
News Limited chairman Mr John Hartigan released a statement at 10.15am today strongly opposing any such challenge.
“We acknowledge their views and we disagree with them,” Mr Hartigan said.
“News recognises that the penalties are unprecedented. We know how devastating this has been for the fans, players, staff and sponsors of the Storm.
“But, we don’t believe a legal challenge to the NRL’s procedures is the answer. On the contrary, it could further damage the Storm,” Hartigan said.
“A legal challenge like the one being contemplated will be time consuming, expensive and a distraction from the real issues when everyone associated with the club should be focussed on rebuilding the Storm.
“It is important to remember that certain people at the Storm orchestrated complex fraud and deception to conceal huge extra payments to some of the club’s players that put the Storm well over the salary cap for five years.
“However justified or well intentioned a legal challenge might be in the minds of the independent directors or others, it won’t change what’s already happened and it won’t absolve those that have done the wrong thing.
“Right now, we have two top priorities. We want to get to the bottom of what went on and who was responsible. Equally, and more importantly for the long term, we have started work on rebuilding the Storm so that it has a clean slate, new management and a credible plan to restore its reputation.
“To that end, the board of the Storm should be concentrating on how the club can field a team next season that is within the salary cap. “I call on Rob Moodie and the other independent directors to focus on these priorities,” he said.
Mr Hartigan said the forensic audit of the club’s financial affairs by the accounting firm Deloitte was well underway and a full report was expected in June.
“We are determined to get to the bottom of what went on and hold those responsible to account,” he said.
Lawyers who've examined the case say there are significant doubts over the speed, lack of process and severity of the sanctions imposed on the Storm for their salary cap manipulation.
The revelations heap further pressure on NRL CEO David Gallop, who has come in for almost as much criticism as the Storm since the scandal first broke.
The legal eagles say that an independent judicial panel should have been entrusted with considering the case against the Storm, Melbourne given time to prepare a defence against the charges and - only then - should a punishment have been issued.
The spotlight is also on a meeting between Gallop and a News Ltd representative outlining the case against Melbourne and canvassing likely penalties.
He should be removed from any dealings with the Storm and should allow the 'independent' directors to take whatever action they feel is warranted.
Clearly - there is more behind this whole scandal - and the fact that Gallop, Hartigan and Maccourt are all involved is highly suspicious.
I say this to the independent directors of the Melbourne Storm: Do what is right for the Storm, its players and its fans. Its not your job to act in the interests of the NRL or News Limited. Ignore Hartigan's bullying tactics. He is concerned only with protecting himself, News Ltd and the damage to the rest of the NRL.
However, if there is unlawful or unethical practices going on between News and the NRL it must be uncovered. If the Storm have been dealt an unfair punishment which is found to be unlawful - then it must be reversed.
I'm sick to death with the mess News Limited has got itself into. It's stuffed up Rugby League once, and now its doing it all over again.