news, latest-news

Cronulla chairman Damian Keogh has accused Canterbury of inflating the player market and called for changes to the NRL transfer system after losing Andrew Fifita and Michael Lichaa to the Bulldogs on respective deals worth $850,000 and $350,000 a season. With Manly coach Geoff Toovey also hitting out over their attempts to lure Sea Eagles fullback Peta Hiku, the Bulldogs are coming under attack from rival clubs and Keogh said they had already driven up the cost of players. Speaking ahead of Thursday's AGM, where members were told the Sharks would have gone close to breaking even in 2013 if not for $1.55 million in costs associated with the ASADA scandal, Keogh said it was unfair for fans to lose one of the club's biggest stars and most promising juniors just two weeks into the season after receiving offers from Canterbury they considered too good to refuse. "I just think that is ridiculous and the wrong way to start a year," Keogh said. "We shouldn't be starting the season and having players announce they are going to other clubs after the first or second game of the season. It is a slap in the face for the fans." Keogh said he was particularly unhappy about the departure of 20-year-old Lichaa, who the Sharks have been told was offered $1.1 million over three years by the Bulldogs. The Junior Kangaroos hooker made his NRL debut in Monday night's match against the Bulldogs but has been dropped for Saturday night's local derby with St George Illawarra at Remondis Stadium after confirming one of the NRL's worst kept secrets when he advised Cronulla officials of his signing with Canterbury. "The Bulldogs are doing a great job of creating inflation in the market at the moment," Keogh said. "There is some major inflation and the Bulldogs are the ones who are leading the charge on that at this stage." Sharks officials assured the NRL there was no truth to a report that suspended coach Shane Flanagan was behind Lichaa's axing – an act that would have breached conditions of his 12-month ban requiring him to have no direct or indirect involvement with the club. After signing Fifita and Lichaa, Canterbury are now after a fullback and Toovey was unimpressed they had targetted Hiku, as well as James Tedesco and Josh Hoffman. "They have signed everyone else from every other club, but he is a quality and talented player and we are hoping he stays here," Toovey told reporters at Manly training on Thursday. Keogh will attend a recruitment meeting on Friday but he believes clubs should not be allowed to sign opposition players until a trade period at the end of the season. "That gives more opportunity for clubs to re-sign their own players so it creates more loyalty and that is another thing the fans want," he said. "You can't just do a marketing campaign and give lip service to it. You have got to make decisions which are going to endear the competition to the fans." After also losing Tyrone Peachey to Penrith this season, Keogh questioned the value of developing junior talent. "There is certainly no protection at the moment, or no incentive or encouragement for clubs to invest heavily in that side of the game because you are not protected at all," he said. While the defections have compounded a horror start to the season for the Sharks, who have had to endure losses to the Titans and Bulldogs with skipper Paul Gallen, star five-eighth Todd Carney and Test back-rower Luke Lewis on a large casualty list, Fifita suspended and coach Shane Flanagan banned, Keogh said the club was doing well off the field. While Cronulla reported a loss of $1.63 million last year, income from sponsorship, membership and attendances at home games were all up significantly from 2012 and overall revenue rose by just over $3 million. However, total liabilities increased from $17.6 million in 2012 to $18.2 million and expenses increased by $4.8 million to $26.86 million, which included legal fees relating to the ASADA investigation and fines of $600,000 over the supplements program at the club in 2011 and $150,000 for salary cap breaches. "Overall, it was a challenging year but in a lot of our core metrics, sponsorship was at the highest it has been over the past six years, membership was the highest in terms of dollar value than it has been in the last six years, match day attendances were the highest they had been in that six years and likewise with merchandise," Keogh said.