In defence of Waldron
Australia's most hated man ~ courtesy of News Ltd.
Oh yeah, he did it all on his own
This might be the first (and only) Australian blog post written in defence of embattled former Melbourne Storm CEO Brian Waldron, the man accused of being ‘the architect’ of the NRL club’s salary cap rorts. The man who has been painted (by News Ltd) as the villain, a crook, a rat, a cheat and a fraud. The man who was sacked from his job at a different club in a different code of the game as soon as this news broke. The man vilified in the Herald Sun, which just happens to be owned by News Ltd who just happen to be the owners of Melbourne Storm and who desperately needed to find a scapegoat and to point the finger elsewhere.
In short, Brian Waldron is probably this country’s most despised man at this point in time. And, of course, it’s all come about by that wonderful vehicle of justice known as trial-by-media. But ask yourself this:
What concrete evidence exists that Waldron has broken any laws or that he acted alone without the knowledge or consent of the Melbourne Storm board? Okay, it seems pretty obvious that he was involved in schemes to pay players more than the $4.1 million per year permitted under NRL rules, but of the $1.7 million in extra payments only $1 million of that took place during Waldron’s time as Storm’s CEO from 2006 to 2009. That’s only $250,000 over-the-limit per year, a rather piddling amount I would suggest. The remaining $700,000 are ‘projected’ over-payments for the 2010 season but, as Waldron left the Storm last year, how is he responsible for that?
This sounds very much to me like a few people on the board of Melbourne Storm (er, namely News Ltd staff or directors) are trying to deflect all blame onto Waldron. But wait a minute, aren’t the Directors the ones who are legally obliged to conduct a corporation’s affairs in an honourable manner? How could (and why would) a CEO - who in reality is just an employee - be solely responsible for these goings on? Surely the board knew of and condoned the scheme. Wasn’t Waldron just doing his job with the approval of Melbourne Storm’s board of directors? I would think so.
I smell a rat and it’s not only Waldron. Seriously, this man’s life and career have been ruined. Who would employ him now?
I hope he sues the likes of Hartigan, Gallop, the NRL and the Herald Sun for defamation. It’d be one of the biggest cases in history.
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News Ltd. also just happen to own half of the National Rugby League AND half of Foxtel where most of the NRL games are broadcast. I agree with you Ray that they seem to be protesting too much and I also fail to understand the statements by their Mr. Hartigan that he sees nothing wrong with players signing two different contracts showing different values and that he would not expect them to question just what was going on. Surely Rugby League players are not as thick as that! The Rugby Union sure got rid of Waldron in hurry though and your mates at St Kilda were very quick in saying that he didn’t leave any baggage behind there. I am surprised that Eddie everywhere hasn’t had go as well as he seems to be a self appointed expert on all things to do with football, irrespective of the code, but it is early days yet. This will be a massive exercise in backside covering by the senior execs at News Ltd. and I suspect that in the end Waldron will be the patsy who takes the blame.
This is interesting, Herb:
http://www.theage.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/nrl-head-refused-salary-cap-meeting-20100427-tq26.html
Especially this bit:
It looks like pay back for Waldron jumping ship.
Looks like that to me as well Ray. He might just know where some “bodies are buried” as they say. Interesting that Gallop was also in the full time employ of News Ltd prior to his taking the job at the NRL which just happens to be half owned by the same company. This was all part of the “reconciliation” between the NRL and the News Ltd owned Superleague competition some years back. It would appear however that Rupert Murdoch’s minions still are very much in control of what is promoted in the Northern States as the “peoples game”. As a further attempt at window dressing the NRL have just appointed an independent commission, like the AFL commission, to oversee the whole operation and unsurprisingly I think that News Ltd. has multiple representation on that body as well! Rupert Murdoch sure does like looking after his investments and I think Brian Waldron will almost certainly pay the price for jumping ship to the more financially viable rival code of Rugby Union.
I agree. The whole thing stinks.
Herb and Ray,
I also find this but of hubris or spin interesting, from the same article I think:
http://www.theage.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/news-ltd-chief-hartigan-lashes-out-at-the-chief-rat-20100427-tq4f.html
quote : ‘He (Hartigan) also said Mr Waldron should take any claims he has to the police.’
I believe the matter is a civil matter, until either taxation office or corporations laws are breached, yet Hartigan invites Waldron to take any claims he has to police. This is clearly an attempt to misdirect the public’s focus.
My understanding is that it’s unlikely that there will any criminal breaches of law in this case.
How can we expect CEOs to stand up to the board, when they can apparently be so conveniently scape goated.
I think you’re right, Billy. It’s not a police matter. More and more this is looking like a News Ltd standover tactic. What surprises me is how News Ltd and the NRL have crapped in their own nest … and not realised it!