SYDNEY (AP) The National Rugby League has fined Manly 750,000 Australian dollars ($580,000) after finding the Sea Eagles guilty of salary cap breaches in Australia's top-flight competition.
NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg on Monday said two officials had been suspended for 12 months and Manly would be stripped of AU$330,000 ($255,000) of its salary cap entitlement for each of the 2018 and 2019 seasons after investigators discovered that 13 players were promised a combined AU$1.5 million ($1.16 million) in unsanctioned extra payments.
''The investigation found a number of cases where players were offered undisclosed benefits outside the salary cap to attract them to the club,'' Greenberg said. ''These benefits were in the form of third party agreements which were never declared to the salary cap auditor.
''In other words, Manly had a financial advantage in securing the services of players who may otherwise have gone to other clubs.''
The league has also indicated Bob Fulton, one of game's greatest players, was involved in the negotiations. Fulton, a former Manly player and coach who returned as a consultant at the club and was a selector for Australia, is no longer under contract.
Current coach Trent Barrett received an official warning from the NRL after investigators found no evidence he knew of the breaches.
Manly is considering an appeal.
