The NRL has determined to cancel the accreditation of one high-profile player agent, sanctioned another and initiated disciplinary proceedings against two more.
Gavin Orr, who runs Pacific Sports Management with his brother Chris and whose clients include dozens of high-profile NRL players, has been to determined to have his accreditation cancelled for conduct involving "knowingly aiding a breach of the NRL's salary cap rules," the NRL stated.
Orr is seeking to appeal the finding and will remain eligible to represent NRL players during this process. PSM has clients across most clubs including big names such as Daly Cherry-Evans, Payne Haas, Jason Taumalolo and Ryan Matterson.
Another agent, Isaac Moses, has been issued a notice which requires Moses to show cause why his accreditation should not be suspended or cancelled for "counselling or assisting a person to not co-operate fully with the NRL Integrity and Compliance Unit," according to the NRL.
Moses disputes the allegations and no determination will be made by the NRL until the new year once Moses has had an opportunity to respond to the notice. The Moses stable of clients includes Cameron Smith, Aaron Woods, David Klemmer and coaches including Stephen Kearney and Anthony Seibold.
Antoun Zibara has been fined and placed on probation for "knowingly submitting several NRL player contracts which had not been witnessed in accordance with the NRL Rules", according to the NRL statement.
Zibara remains accredited and authorised to represent NRL players.
Lastly, the NRL has issued a notice to Mario Tartak alleging a breach of his obligations in failing to notify the Agent Accreditation Scheme of bankruptcy proceedings. Tartak’s accreditation was suspended and subsequently reinstated in November 2019 following the resolution of those proceedings.
The current disciplinary process, which concerns Tartak’s disclosure obligations, is ongoing and no determination will be made by the NRL until Tartak has responded to the breach notice and the NRL has considered that response, the NRL stated.
Tartak's clients include Damien Cook, Moses Suli and Manase Fainu.
"Our integrity unit has conducted extensive investigations over a number of months which has resulted in disciplinary proceedings against four player agents," NRL chief operating officer Nick Weeks said.
This year was the first season the NRL has had the power to sanction player agents, according to Weeks.
"The reform of the rules relating to player agents at the end of last year has allowed the NRL to hold player agents accountable in the same way as players and club officials," he said.
