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Home / Sport / League / Warriors

Rugby League: New Zealand Warriors hit back at NRL tampering claims

David Skipwith
By David Skipwith
Reporter·NZ Herald·
18 Feb, 2019 02:30 AM4 mins to read

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Reports out of Sydney overnight suggest the Warriors could face scrutiny over their big money attempt to lure Dylan Brown to the club

The Warriors vehemently deny they intentionally breached the NRL's anti-tampering rules and have proof a player agent's clerical error led them to believe they were free to negotiate with Parramatta young gun Dylan Brown.

Reports out of Sydney overnight suggest the Warriors could face scrutiny over their big money attempt to lure the Auckland-born 18-year-old back across the Tasman as a long-term replacement for former star halfback Shaun Johnson.

Parramatta reportedly complained to the NRL after controversial Warriors recruitment guru Peter O'Sullivan last November tabled a $3 million dollar six-year deal for 2020 to 2025, to Brown and his manager Gavin Orr.

The Sydney Morning Herald obtained a copy of the Warriors' offer which they report would have been the richest deal for a player yet to feature in the NRL.

Brown's base salary would have amounted to NZ$2.8 million, with the Warriors also offering an additional NZ$60,000 to cover his relocation costs.

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The contract offer also reportedly states the Warriors would include Brown as a fulltime member of their NRL squad for this season if he was to gain a release from Parramatta.

The Eels claim the Auckland-based outfit broke the rules given the former Australian Schoolboy star is contracted until the end of the 2020 season.

It's understood Brown is currently on a two-year development deal with Parramatta worth around $60,000 per season, but the Eels are desperate to keep him and plan on upgrading his contract.

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The game's anti-tampering regulations prevent clubs from opening talks with players from rival clubs before November 1 of the year before the contract expires.

If the NRL find the Warriors breached those rules it could hand down sanctions to the club and O'Sullivan, whose name was reportedly on the contract offer.

However, the NRL are yet to raise any red flags with the Warriors, and the club insist they did not deliberately try to entice Brown to break his contract, after Orr incorrectly advised them his client had an option in his favour to leave the Eels.

The Warriors are adamant they have no case to answer and have email records that show Orr admitting his mistake and O'Sullivan promptly responding to withdraw their offer.

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"We made an offer to Brown on the understanding he was off contract at the end of 2019, which we're entitled to do," said Warriors CEO Cameron George.

"Brown's manager later clarified that he had a variation in his Parramatta contract that meant he was committed until 2020 and once we knew that we withdrew our offer.

"We did exactly what we were expected to do and there was a clear error made [by Brown's management]."

The club are left fuming over the suggestion they looked to flaunt NRL regulations and have not ruled out filing a complaint of their own after their contract offer was leaked to the media.

"It's disappointing that such confidential information has been provided to the press," said George.

"That's the most disappointing aspect of this whole matter, which we may or may not follow up at a later date."

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George was also upset at suggestions O'Sullivan - who has a chequered past - had acted inappropriately on this occasion.

O'Sullivan, whose talent spotting ability uncovered Warriors captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, and the likes of Greg Inglis and Israel Folau, joined the club last year after the NRL approved his return to the game following his deregistration in 2016.

O'Sullivan was deregistered while working at the Sydney Roosters due to his association with high profile Australian gambling identity and former brothel owner Eddie Hayson.

"I have the utmost faith in Peter O'Sullivan and his processes," said George.

"Ever since he arrived at the Warriors he has been absolutely professional and added so much value to our organisation and I find it offensive that anyone would even suggest that he's done the wrong thing in this instance."

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