The sale of the Auckland Warriors rugby league club has been completed against a backdrop of mounting opposition from players and creditors.
Cullen Investments, Auckland businessman Eric Watson's private investment company, and the New Zealand Rugby League have purchased the club's operating licence for $400,000 from former owners Tainui.
That has left players as free agents, causing their managers to raise a united voice in opposition through the players' association in Australia.
Players' agent Simon Burgess said managers were committed to putting forward a united front in virtually blacklisting the club if their clients' contracts were not honoured.
"To ask them to take less, be it 5 or 50 per cent, would be compromising their situation," Burgess said.
"The players are united as one and not one of them will buckle unless he receives everything he is entitled to. All they're asking is for their contracts to be honoured."
Meanwhile, creditors in Auckland have also been left out of pocket, raising their ire.
"What they've done is to strip the assets and leave creditors with little recourse," said a source within the Auckland Rugby League, who are one of the major creditors.
"Effectively that has left us burned to a crisp along with everyone else, such as former internationals, club staff and players.
"You just have to wonder if that was the right thing to do, especially when one of the major creditors is an affiliate of the national body that's gone and done this."
It also understood that one of the key points of the Yes Group's proposals was to set aside $500,000 for repaying creditors as well as picking up all players' contracts.
"They had given an undertaking to pick up players' and staff contracts, as well as repay money that was owed, but whether the full board of the NZRL saw those documents is debatable," the souce said.
It is understood that only two players, Stacey Jones and Robert Mears, have been offered upgraded contracts.
The others are being offered significantly lower contracts with a major performance-based bonus component.
The new board for the Warriors was announced following the confirmation of the sale, and it comprises Watson, Matthew Ridge, Mark Hotchin, Bernie Wood and Bill McEntee.
"There was a short window to complete all the outstanding conditions of the sale and I am delighted to say we have achieved a satisfactory conclusion," Watson said in a brief statement on his latest acquisition.
The new owners were expected to meet club staff and players soon, amid impending Inland Revenue Department action for an unpaid tax bill of $500,000.
- NZPA
Rugby League: Unrest still at Warriors' HQ
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