NSWRL question ARLC probe

Scott Bailey | March 4, 2022

The NSWRL has questioned what power the ARL Commission has to investigate their governance after high-profile lawyer Bret Walker was enlisted to lead the probe.

A week after last Friday’s dramatic AGM, the fallout continued with ARLC chairman Peter V’landys following through on his vow to look into the matter.

Walker has previously represented the likes of former NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Cardinal George Pell, and will likely look into the lead up to last week’s election.

A bitter feud that emanated out of it saw former chairman George Peponis quit his post immediately, along with the powerful Nick Politis just hours after he was re-elected as director.

The pair fumed after being told Cronulla CEO Dino Mezzatesta could not run as a director in last week’s election, meaning Politis and Geoff Gerard were re-elected unopposed.

Mezzatesta’s eligibility was questioned leading to the NSWRL receiving legal advice he was unable to because he was a paid employee of the Sharks.

In the week since, there have been threats of a reduction in funding and clubs pulling their membership.

Regardless though, deputy chairman John Anderson questioned how the ARLC had any jurisdiction over the NSWRL.

“The NSWRL has been informed that the ARL Commission has engaged Bret Walker SC to undertake an investigation for the ARLC in relation to matters related to the internal corporate governance of the NSWRL,” Anderson said.

“It is presently unclear as to the basis on which the ARLC has requisite jurisdiction to undertake any such investigation or indeed any investigation at all in relation to the subject matter.

“The NSWRL board shall meet on Monday to consider the matter and there will be no further comment until after that meeting.”

It’s also believed the ARLC is yet to make clear contact with the remaining directors on the board of the NSWRL to quiz them over the matter.

It is unclear what any findings of Walker’s probe could result in, and whether the result of last week’s election could be overturned.

Anderson has also been a vocal defender of CEO David Trodden, who has found himself caught in the middle of the spat.

Anderson claimed last week that there had been a “targeted personal attack” on Trodden, with the CEO having since laid low and not commented publicly on the issue.