Greenberg vows to get tough on NRL cheats

[Nergal]

 

Fed up by the flurry of black eyes to the game, NRL boss Todd Greenberg is threatening even heavier penalties after deregistering a club coach and CEO, and imposing $1.55 million in fines on another dark day for rugby league.

Greenberg made no apologies for issuing Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan and Wests Tigers boss Justin Pascoe with the league's intention to remove them from the league for serious rule violations.

Flanagan received his breach notice for "constant and consistent" communication with Sharks officials while suspended in 2014, with Pascoe speared over "misleading" the NRL around salary-cap issues involving club great Robbie Farah.

Greenberg said the Tigers should have declared a $639,000 payment to Farah for serving as a club ambassador once he retired.

"I can't tell you how frustrating it is to be here again proposing penalties for breaches of the game's rules," Greenberg said.

"You will recall that in 2016 we imposed a $1 million fine and other sanctions on Parramatta for breaches of the salary cap.

"Last year we fined Manly $750,000 and imposed salary-cap penalties for the same thing.

"Across these two matters, we removed the registrations of seven club officials.

"So it is extremely disappointing that clubs are looking to gain an unfair advantage by deliberately flouting the game's rules.

"I've not reached these preliminary findings lightly. We understand the impact this will have on Mr Flanagan and on the Sharks as they prepare for the 2019 season, but we cannot stand by and allow the game's rules to be broken."

Greenberg said it was clear that hefty financial penalties were not deterring clubs from rorting the salary cap and issued a firm warning to all 16 chief executives.