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THREE of the game's biggest player managers - Isaac Moses, David Riolo and George Mimis - have been sensationally banned over their roles in the Melbourne Storm salary cap scandal.
The trio has been suspended from representing hundreds of stars for the next six months after being found guilty of contributing to the systematic rort, which led to Melbourne being stripped of two premierships in 2010.
A fourth manager, Allan Gainey, received an official caution after pleading guilty to the Player Agent Accreditation Committee (PAA).
The quartet act for several of the 13 players the NRL's independent audit named as receiving illicit inducements, including Cameron Smith (Moses), Greg Inglis (Gainey), Billy Slater (Mimis) and Ryan Hoffman (Riolo).
The Daily Telegraph can reveal they were informed of the punishments on Tuesday night, following a landmark meeting of the committee's seven-man board.
The decision has since been kept top-secret, with leading NRL officials unaware of the development when contacted last night. An official announcement will be made today, but sources close to the suspended agents warned they could apply for NSW Supreme Court injuctions immediately.
The exiled trio used the same barrister - Alan Sullivan QC - to plead their innocence, and do not understand why Gainey can still operate after admitting knowledge about secret inducements to Inglis. Along with Smith and Slater, the Test centre also received "side letters" promising payments in excess of his registered contract.
The autographs of both Gainey and Moses appeared on letters given to Inglis and Smith respectively, but Mimis's signature was absent from Slater's letter.
The PAA issued "show cause" notices over a year ago, but did not interview the agents until February.
There are also private concerns the committee failed to address conflict of interest concerns given two members - Wayne Beavis and Andrew Purcell - are rival managers.
Mimis was the lone agent to return calls last night and confirmed his lawyers had been told of the PAA's verdict.
"As has been the case from the very start, I'll be vigorously defending my innocence and reputation," Mimis said.
The bans will prevent all three agents from negotiating NRL contracts until after this year's grand final, but have no impact on their other business operations.
Mimis is the managing director of SFX Sports and commands one of the game's heaviest stables, with Wayne Bennett, Des Hasler, Darren Lockyer and Danny Buderus all on his books.
Perhaps more crucially, however, is the fact that Mimis has been overseeing talks between Canterbury and Manly over Kieran Foran.
Riolo and Moses jointly front Titan Management, which represents elite players such as Paul Gallen, Michael Jennings and Todd Carney.
Their bans could also impact on negotiations surrounding off-contract stars Tony Williams, Steve Turner and Anthony Minichiello. Neither Moses, Riolo nor Gainey returned calls, and PAA chief executive Neil Cadigan did not return calls.
THREE of the game's biggest player managers - Isaac Moses, David Riolo and George Mimis - have been sensationally banned over their roles in the Melbourne Storm salary cap scandal.
The trio has been suspended from representing hundreds of stars for the next six months after being found guilty of contributing to the systematic rort, which led to Melbourne being stripped of two premierships in 2010.
A fourth manager, Allan Gainey, received an official caution after pleading guilty to the Player Agent Accreditation Committee (PAA).
The quartet act for several of the 13 players the NRL's independent audit named as receiving illicit inducements, including Cameron Smith (Moses), Greg Inglis (Gainey), Billy Slater (Mimis) and Ryan Hoffman (Riolo).
The Daily Telegraph can reveal they were informed of the punishments on Tuesday night, following a landmark meeting of the committee's seven-man board.
The decision has since been kept top-secret, with leading NRL officials unaware of the development when contacted last night. An official announcement will be made today, but sources close to the suspended agents warned they could apply for NSW Supreme Court injuctions immediately.
The exiled trio used the same barrister - Alan Sullivan QC - to plead their innocence, and do not understand why Gainey can still operate after admitting knowledge about secret inducements to Inglis. Along with Smith and Slater, the Test centre also received "side letters" promising payments in excess of his registered contract.
The autographs of both Gainey and Moses appeared on letters given to Inglis and Smith respectively, but Mimis's signature was absent from Slater's letter.
The PAA issued "show cause" notices over a year ago, but did not interview the agents until February.
There are also private concerns the committee failed to address conflict of interest concerns given two members - Wayne Beavis and Andrew Purcell - are rival managers.
Mimis was the lone agent to return calls last night and confirmed his lawyers had been told of the PAA's verdict.
"As has been the case from the very start, I'll be vigorously defending my innocence and reputation," Mimis said.
The bans will prevent all three agents from negotiating NRL contracts until after this year's grand final, but have no impact on their other business operations.
Mimis is the managing director of SFX Sports and commands one of the game's heaviest stables, with Wayne Bennett, Des Hasler, Darren Lockyer and Danny Buderus all on his books.
Perhaps more crucially, however, is the fact that Mimis has been overseeing talks between Canterbury and Manly over Kieran Foran.
Riolo and Moses jointly front Titan Management, which represents elite players such as Paul Gallen, Michael Jennings and Todd Carney.
Their bans could also impact on negotiations surrounding off-contract stars Tony Williams, Steve Turner and Anthony Minichiello. Neither Moses, Riolo nor Gainey returned calls, and PAA chief executive Neil Cadigan did not return calls.
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