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South Sydney are about to celebrate the greatest signing coup in the club's history courtesy of a billionaire West Australian businessman.
Mining magnate Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest has emerged as the mystery man behind Souths' bid for NRL superstar Greg Inglis after frustrated Brisbane Broncos bosses withdrew their offer.
The Sunday Telegraph reported Forrest recently joined forces with Russell Crowe and Anthony Mundine to try to pull off the unbelievable coup.
"We have worked long and hard on these negotiations, as have the other parties," Broncos CEO Bruno Cullen said.
"But with training under way and no sign of the matter being resolved in a manner that would benefit the Broncos and their playing roster, it is time for the club to move on."
That leaves Souths in pole position to sign Inglis, although there could be late bids from other clubs with money to spare in the salary cap.
Forrest has offered Inglis more than $100,000 a year to act as an ambassador for Generation One, his public awareness campaign designed to encourage employers across the country to offer jobs to indigenous people.
The deal is exempt from the salary cap as third-party employment but is conditional on the Test and Origin champion playing for the Rabbitohs.
Other clubs, including Parramatta, Canterbury-Bankstown, the Warriors and Canberra Raiders could also enter a bidding war, but it's understood the Souths deal is over the line.
Forrest is one of Australia's most connected entrepreneurs. He has regular contact with James Packer, the Murdoch family, politicians and other leading corporate types.
It is believed he was introduced to the Rabbitohs through part-owner Peter Holmes a Court, an old Perth boy who still has an extensive network of contacts in the west.
Inglis spent Saturday with his fiancee in Brisbane, having originally been given a 24-hour deadline to sign with the Broncos. The ultimatum was delivered to his agent Alan Gainey as the Test centre weighed up the huge deal with Forrest on top of more than $300,000 Souths can pay him.
The Broncos deal fell over because of an unpaid $113,000 legal bill that has to be settled with the Melbourne Storm before he can be granted a release.
Brisbane refused to pay the bill because it would have put them over the salary cap, but Souths claim they can squeeze in Inglis on a back-ended deal.
How this could be achieved without having to shed another star player is the biggest talking point among rival clubs.
They are preparing to challenge NRL boss David Gallop and demand answers from salary cap auditor Ian Schubert if the deal goes ahead.
Mundine's role in the negotiations is also under the spotlight. The Sunday Telegraph reported he offered to pay the legal bill to get the clearance from the Storm, but the NRL ruled that any payment would still have to be included in the salary cap.
"It's clearly a payment that is going to get him to that club," Gallop said.
It's also believed Mundine has changed tack and offered to pay all legal expenses in a court action against Melbourne Storm over the disputed bill.
"Choc doesn't like seeing any of his brothers getting dudded," said a close friend of Inglis.
"He's vowed to back him to hilt."
What made matters more complicated for Inglis was the prospect of challenging the Storm over the legal fees if he played in Brisbane. That would have meant a News Limited employee suing a News Limited-owned club.
There was irony in Inglis returning to Brisbane to be with his fiancee because the Test centre only gained a release from the Storm on compassionate grounds after Sally Robinson was transferred to Queensland by her employers.
It's those original terms of release that has left the Storm club bewildered by a potential move to Sydney.
"We're just as confused as the rest of the marketplace," Storm CEO Ron Gauci said.
"It was on compassionate grounds (that the Storm offered to release Inglis.
"All of these admissions were agreed upon, and supposedly they're now reneging on those agreements.
"It's very confusing."
Source
Mining magnate Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest has emerged as the mystery man behind Souths' bid for NRL superstar Greg Inglis after frustrated Brisbane Broncos bosses withdrew their offer.
The Sunday Telegraph reported Forrest recently joined forces with Russell Crowe and Anthony Mundine to try to pull off the unbelievable coup.
"We have worked long and hard on these negotiations, as have the other parties," Broncos CEO Bruno Cullen said.
"But with training under way and no sign of the matter being resolved in a manner that would benefit the Broncos and their playing roster, it is time for the club to move on."
That leaves Souths in pole position to sign Inglis, although there could be late bids from other clubs with money to spare in the salary cap.
Forrest has offered Inglis more than $100,000 a year to act as an ambassador for Generation One, his public awareness campaign designed to encourage employers across the country to offer jobs to indigenous people.
The deal is exempt from the salary cap as third-party employment but is conditional on the Test and Origin champion playing for the Rabbitohs.
Other clubs, including Parramatta, Canterbury-Bankstown, the Warriors and Canberra Raiders could also enter a bidding war, but it's understood the Souths deal is over the line.
Forrest is one of Australia's most connected entrepreneurs. He has regular contact with James Packer, the Murdoch family, politicians and other leading corporate types.
It is believed he was introduced to the Rabbitohs through part-owner Peter Holmes a Court, an old Perth boy who still has an extensive network of contacts in the west.
Inglis spent Saturday with his fiancee in Brisbane, having originally been given a 24-hour deadline to sign with the Broncos. The ultimatum was delivered to his agent Alan Gainey as the Test centre weighed up the huge deal with Forrest on top of more than $300,000 Souths can pay him.
The Broncos deal fell over because of an unpaid $113,000 legal bill that has to be settled with the Melbourne Storm before he can be granted a release.
Brisbane refused to pay the bill because it would have put them over the salary cap, but Souths claim they can squeeze in Inglis on a back-ended deal.
How this could be achieved without having to shed another star player is the biggest talking point among rival clubs.
They are preparing to challenge NRL boss David Gallop and demand answers from salary cap auditor Ian Schubert if the deal goes ahead.
Mundine's role in the negotiations is also under the spotlight. The Sunday Telegraph reported he offered to pay the legal bill to get the clearance from the Storm, but the NRL ruled that any payment would still have to be included in the salary cap.
"It's clearly a payment that is going to get him to that club," Gallop said.
It's also believed Mundine has changed tack and offered to pay all legal expenses in a court action against Melbourne Storm over the disputed bill.
"Choc doesn't like seeing any of his brothers getting dudded," said a close friend of Inglis.
"He's vowed to back him to hilt."
What made matters more complicated for Inglis was the prospect of challenging the Storm over the legal fees if he played in Brisbane. That would have meant a News Limited employee suing a News Limited-owned club.
There was irony in Inglis returning to Brisbane to be with his fiancee because the Test centre only gained a release from the Storm on compassionate grounds after Sally Robinson was transferred to Queensland by her employers.
It's those original terms of release that has left the Storm club bewildered by a potential move to Sydney.
"We're just as confused as the rest of the marketplace," Storm CEO Ron Gauci said.
"It was on compassionate grounds (that the Storm offered to release Inglis.
"All of these admissions were agreed upon, and supposedly they're now reneging on those agreements.
"It's very confusing."
Source
