Fulton key in Manly scandal

NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg says he will call Bob Fulton to explain why he accused the former Manly supremo of being a key figure in their salary cap cheating scandal.

The governing body on Monday handed down a $750,000 fine to the Sea Eagles, and wiped out a combined $660,000 from their salary cap over the next two years for alleged extra payments to players. Sea Eagles chief operating officer Neil Bare and former chief executive Joe Kelly also had their registrations suspended for

12 months.

Fulton, who was head of football of the club for almost two years, escaped sanction after making the surprise decision to end a

50-year association with the club in October.

However the rugby league immortal was furious when Greenberg accused him of being heavily involved in some of the negotiations surrounding player contracts in his recent role at the club.

It is widely believed Fulton was crucial in helping captain Daly Cherry-Evans backflip on a deal with Gold Coast in 2015 to remain at the Sea Eagles on a more lucrative contract.

Cherry-Evans’ deal is reported as one that came under the scrutiny of the NRL investigation, with suggestions only part of his value had been registered with the NRL. ‘‘I want transparency,’’ Fulton told Fairfax Media.

‘‘I want to have a conversation with whoever I need to talk to — Todd Greenberg or (COO) Nick Weeks or (Integrity Unit boss) Karyn Murphy or whoever — to set me straight on what I have done.’’ Greenberg confirmed the NRL hadn’t interviewed Fulton during the investigation, but said there was enough evidence to prove he had played a role in the rorting.

‘‘Bob worked at that club for a period of time. He was the football manager and did a lot of retention and recruitment during that period of time, so people will make their own assessments,’’ he said.

He re-iterated the fact that the integrity unit couldn’t compel Fulton to be interviewed by the integrity unit, despite being employed as a Kangaroos selector for the rugby league World Cup.

He denied the investigation needed to have spoken to Fulton and said he would personally contact the Manly icon to explain his involvement.

‘‘Bob is an immortal, first and foremost. He has enormous standing in the game. I read some of his comments and spoke briefly to him yesterday,’’ he said.

‘‘I’ll have a discussion with him today and I’d like to leave that discussion between Bob and I.’’

ARL Commission chairman Peter Beattie said legends weren’t above the game. ‘‘The reality is I’ve been a Bobby Fulton fan me whole life,’’ Beattie said.

‘‘But no one is above the game. What Todd has done, what the integrity unit has done is the right thing by the future of the game.