Gold Coast Titans salary cap rort: Scott Prince saga sees club slapped with $300,000 fine
GOLD Coast Titans have been fined $300,000 and docked four NRL competition points for salary cap breaches relating to former player Scott Prince.
While no longer a player, Prince has been sacked from his role as an NRL One Community Ambassador over the drama.
The points penalty has been suspended for the next two years.
The salary cap investigation also cleared the Brisbane Broncos of any wrongdoing.
However, the NRL said the Broncos “investigation was impeded because it was not possible to obtain information from the Broncos Leagues Club and others from the Broncos who have left the game.”
Four other clubs - the Sea Eagles, Knights, Roosters and Tigers - were also fined over minor breaches, with combined penalties reaching less than $90,000.
Gold Coast’s issue dated back to payments made to former skipper Prince that were “substantially more than the contract lodged with the NRL by a previous Titans administration.”

Scott Prince during his time at the Titans.Source: News Limited
The NRL found the previous administration and Prince never disclosed the difference in remuneration, which was only unearthed by the new management.
The NRL said it was unlikely to allow officials involved in the Titans previous administration, and those from the Broncos who did not co-operate with the investigation, to be registered in the NRL in the future.
“Given the evidence currently before us, there are former officials from both clubs who are unlikely to be registered to be involved in the NRL in the future,” said general manager of integrity, Nick Weeks.

The Titans’ salary cap breach relates to Scott Prince.Source: News Limited
The Titans had $75,000 of its fine and four competition point penalty suspended because the club, under new management led by CEO Graham Annesley, self-reported their problems and fully co-operated with the investigation.
The investigation found no evidence of systemic rorting of the salary cap at the club.
The suspended fine and points will be applied if there are any further salary cap breaches by the Titans over the next two years.
Weeks said the Titans penalty was no reflection on the current administration, which had worked with the NRL to resolve the matter.

Graham Annesley’s administration self-reported the issues.Source: News Corp Australia
Meanwhile the NRL has issued fines to four other clubs for lesser breaches totalling less than $90,000.
Those issues include:
• Sea Eagles ($6,000 – overspend breach)
• Knights ($35,519 – overspend breach)
• Roosters ($40,000 – comprised of $20,000 fine and $20,000 suspended for two years. The penalty relates to a lack of substantive notes of negotiation)
• Tigers ($9,326 – NYC overspend)
“I am satisfied that clubs are generally attempting to meet their salary cap duties,” Weeks said.
“But all clubs are on notice that we have drawn a line in the sand.
“If clubs breach the salary cap in the future they will face heavy penalties, including the loss of competition points.”
The Broncos issued a short statement on their website after the NRL ruling was announced.
“The Brisbane Broncos today welcomed the NRL’s determination that the club has been cleared of any salary cap breach,” the statement said.
“The Broncos self reported this matter to the NRL earlier this year in an act of transparency, and always had faith the club would be found to have no case to answer.
“The NRL have vindicated that faith with today’s ruling and the club now considers the matter closed.”
Replies
who cares? kick em out of the comp
This is already posted.