Today is to be D-Day for Shane Flanagan, though the decision on the embattled Cronulla coach’s future could only be made public tomorrow.
Flanagan’s fate was to be decided at Rugby League Headquarters on Tuesday, with NRL CEO Todd Greenberg to put forward to the ARL Commission proposed sanctions against the Sharks coach for defying his 2014 ban from the NRL.
Greenberg has said any proposed punishment had to be approved by the ARLC board at their meeting in Sydney.
Flanagan is facing allegations of contacting Sharks officials about player recruitment during his year-long suspension in 2014 for his role in the infamous peptides scandal.
He is also under heavy scrutiny for salary cap discrepancies that have surfaced since he returned to the club.
Sharks Football Club CEO Barry Russell self-reported an undeclared third-party player payment, a relatively minor indiscretion believed to be worth about $50,000, to the NRL in June.
But, as part of the NRL’s ongoing salary cap probe, emails scanned from the Sharks’ internet server were reportedly found showing Flanagan had communicated with the club during his 2014 suspension.
It has been reported that as well as emails, text messages were found with Flanagan communicating with senior staff on issues relating to the 2015 season, when he was set to return.
Flanagan is about to enter the final year of his contract with Cronulla. But, if Flanagan is to be deregistered, it is likely the Sharks would look to hire a long-term replacement immediately.
Sharks assistants John Morris and Jim Dymock could be considered along with former Cronulla assistant Steve Price, now coaching in the English Super League.
While Morris and Dymock have no NRL coaching experience, Price coached Cronulla’s bitter rivals St George Illawarra for the 2012 and 2013 seasons after the departure of Wayne Bennett before he was dismissed early in the 2014 campaign.
Another Australian-born Super League coach, Justin Holbrook, could also be in the mix.
Though there are conflicting reports as to whether former Manly coach and Sharks five-eighth Trent Barrett would be considered.
As well as any potential punishment for salary cap cheating, the Sharks could also face financial penalties regarding Flanagan.
When the Sharks were fined $1million for the peptides scandal, the NRL suspended $400,000 of it on the condition Flanagan had no contact with the club.
The latest dramas have come at a particularly uncomfortable time for Cronulla. The club has just laid off 10 non-football staff and its stadium rights and jerseys remain sponsorless.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported four companies were deep in negotiations with the club, with Sharks officials hopeful the adverse publicity won’t scare them off.
Three Cronulla directors – Paul McCarthy, Craig Ayrie and Paul O’Neile – have also resigned from the club in the last two months.
