Rugby League: NRL wants answers from Warriors on board politics

By PETER JESSUP

The National Rugby League has insisted on a "please explain" from the Auckland Warriors over boardroom changes and Tainui's intentions over their two-thirds shareholding.

The ownership issue will come to the fore again this week, with the other one-third shareholders, Graham Lowe and Malcolm Boyle, yesterday declaring they would either buy the club or pull out altogether.

"We need to understand the ramifications of what's going on," said NRL chief executive David Moffet.

The Warriors chief executive, Trevor McKewen, had supplied an initial report, Moffet said, which had raised other questions. He expected those to be answered today.

Moffet declined to give specifics on what was requested, saying it was the club's right to change directors and the report was between the club and the NRL.

But it is clear that the Australian governing body will want assurances that Tainui are financially viable, given the dissolution of tribal investment arm MDC.

It will also want a commitment on the tribe's intentions in relation to its two-thirds shareholding and may well have asked for a likely scenario should Tainui sell.

Any sale situation will be clouded by the fact that the one-third owners are on the outer after being dumped from the board by the Tainui majority.

Lowe maintained yesterday that he still had three or four parties interested in taking up the Tainui share.

"We've asked them two questions. Will they sell? Are they holding on? If they want to sell we'll look at whether it is viable. If they keep it, we're out of here, there's no future with them," he said. "We'll put the shares on the market, we'll walk away."

Tainui would be given the opportunity to buy the club outright.

Another former director, former Tainui financial adviser Jeff Green, also maintained he was interested in buying the Tainui shares and said he would have no problem accepting an accommodation with Lowe and Boyle.

The tribe knew he and his partners were willing buyers but he could not get a straight answer on their intentions.

"They keep saying yes, no, yes, no. It's an unhealthy situation for the club and the players," he said.

Both Green and Lowe conceded there would be difficulty fixing a price, and that would probably have to be done by a third party.

Both expected the price would have come down because of poor performances on the field, but recognised long-term value if the side could be turned around.

"I don't expect a fire-sale," said Green.

When Sunday newspapers ran a story 10 days ago claiming sale was imminent, Tainui chairman Niwa Nuri responded with a press release declaring the tribe believed the club to be a long-term investment, but qualified that - and probably confused the issue - by saying it would sell a portion of its shareholding some time in the future.

"We have said consistently since purchasing the Warriors some 18 months ago that when the time was right we would offer a portion of the club to interested parties within the New Zealand rugby league or business communities," Nuri said in the statement.

Queries to directors yesterday about tribal intentions on its shareholding were answered by reference back to that press release.

Television's 60 Minutes programme has been preparing a documentary on the club and its ownership wrangle and requested an interview with Moffet. He declined.

"It's none of my business at this time, provided they continue to meet the requirements of the club agreement," he said yesterday.

That document requires each of the 14 NRL franchises to meet targets on financial backing, sponsorship, stadium facilities, gate attendances, performance on the field and junior development.

Asked if the Wariors were up to scratch in all areas, Moffet responded: "They are at present."