League: Warriors on slippery slope

The heading on an email received in these offices from an Australian newspaper colleague said it all.

"Those Cheating Warriors", it announced, and the awful truth is that no amount of transtasman sporting bravado can put the salary cap controversy in any other light.

From the highest league offices to the seats in the stands, the Warriors must now be seen as cheats.

NRL chief executive David Gallop, who has been cautious in not releasing details of the problems yet, gave what bordered on official confirmation yesterday that the Warriors had set out to swindle - although he avoided directly using such a word.

When asked by the Herald if this was a case of cheating, Gallop replied: "It is certainly a possibility that we're in the territory of that ... of a breach of that sort of nature."

Gallop did nothing to dispel speculation that the breach could cost $500,000, maybe $1 million. He did not give any indication of numbers "except to say they are significant".

Former Warriors chief executive Mick Watson, the man who ruled the Warriors with an iron hand during the time the breaches occurred, has indicated through an Australian newspaper that he would help investigations. But the NRL has shown a notable lack of interest in talking to him.

The NRL will be in a position to shoot the messenger on Monday, when the Warriors are expected to go to Sydney to present their response to an auditor's findings. The deadline for responding to the NRL was extended from last night because the Warriors squad has been on the Gold Coast for a trial game.

The C word is a millstone that is firmly around the Warriors neck now. Fans of league, and sports fans in general, must simply shake their heads at a club which, having already failed to deliver on so much promise and many advantages, has somehow managed to sink this low.

When asked if the NRL had no alternative but to come down hard, Gallop said: "In any enforcement area where detection is not easy, the risk of cheating has to be high."

There's that C word yet again.

Gallop did not rule out that consideration could be given to laying criminal charges, although he said the NRL was simply looking at the breaches in terms of its own rules. He did not believe the Warriors could have alerted the public earlier.

Gallop offered the Warriors massive hope for the future, saying: "They can be one of the jewels in the crown of rugby league."

But the most consistent theme to emerge is that the Warriors are in for the high jump - that a loss of competition points prior to the 2006 season, which begins in two weeks, looks inevitable.

Furthermore, their image has sunk to such a point that even claims of underhand Aussie tactics would not only be pointless, but embarrassing. It is we, on this side of the Tasman, who are having to hang our heads in shame.

Problems first surfaced quietly in November, when the NRL's salary cap auditor Ian Schubert looked over the books and indicated he wanted to come back for more, which he did last week.

"I expect he had reasons for wanting to come back," said Gallop, although he was adamant that it was too early in November to use words like "suspicions".

The saga has gone way past suspicion now, and there is apparently no hope of leniency for the sake of the game here.

Gallop said: "We made it clear for a number of years that if breaches are of such a magnitude and nature then competition points are in jeopardy.

"I can't comment on whether the current management are responsible ...

"I think the success of the competition in recent years has been founded on unpredictable results and an even playing field, so breaches of the salary cap strike at the very heart of the integrity and fairness of the competition.

"But out of these types of situations there are often opportunities to set yourself up for a very bright future if it is handled properly.

"I certainly hope so ... If you look at the national team and the number of New Zealand born players in the NRL competition, there is no reason why the Warriors can't be one of the jewels in the crown.

"I think one of the encouraging signs in recent times has been the acknowledgment by the Warriors of the need to foster good relations with the Auckland and New Zealand rugby leagues. If those three entities can develop sound relationships, then the sky is almost the limit for the Warriors."

But back to the dark clouds.

Canberra are furious that Ruben Wiki, a legend in their club, may have been lured by an illegal deal they could not hope to match.

Gallop confirmed that individual players might even face bans if they knowingly participated in breaking the rules.

This must surely be a longshot, but Gallop said: "It is certainly open to us under the collective bargaining agreement we negotiated with the players' association last year.

"I expect all the players to be on the lookout for anything that may embroil them in any type of salary cap investigation. It's too early to say if players are in danger here."


Gutted Butch says prayers for his boys

The Mad Butcher, Peter Leitch, is "devastated" and admits to saying a few prayers that the club will be all right.

"It's been very sad, to be fair. It's a major blow, I mean, people like me, we sleep, eat rugby league."

He had spoken to Stacey Jones in France and said he was also gutted.

"He felt for the club because he still loves the club, you see. I've just come back from spending time with Stacey in France - I went over to watch his first game and, you know, he said to me, 'Wish the boys well for me, Butch' and then when he heard this was on he rang me."

Leitch called on fans to stay loyal "because it's our team, no matter what. It's not the boys' fault, this is a management thing."

While sure the club will pull through, he said: "I don't say many prayers but I've said a couple in the last couple of days, I can tell you. It's a shock, you know. I didn't realise we were in this position. It's, you know, sort of left me sort of lost for words a little bit.

"But the reality is as a fan all I can do is rally around my team now, the team need me more than ever 'cause who knows what will happen so the team are going to need people like me to rally around them."

The sadness was that the club had been in a positive mode and was doing a lot of good in the community.

Main sponsor Vodafone is sticking with the Warriors. Spokeswoman Leigh Owens yesterday reaffirmed the commitment and said it was business as usual.

"We trust the current management to work through the issues in a professional, transparent manner. We remain an unconditional supporter of the Vodafone Warriors Club."

- Catherine Masters