Sea Eagles deny rumours of ownership change and bid to lure Pearce
Andrew Webster and Glenn Jackson | October 10, 2008
THE businessman who made an audacious attempt to buy a significant stake in NRL premiers Manly this season held a secret meeting with Roosters halfback Mitchell Pearce last month about enticing him to the club.
Just days after Sea Eagles owners Max Delmege and Scott Penn were lauded for helping the club win the premiership, it has emerged that businessman Robert Melhem wants a slice of the action.
Pearce's manager Mike Newton is understood to be close to Melhem, who is friends with former captain Ben Kennedy and has been celebrating with Sea Eagles players since their grand final victory over the Storm on Sunday.
News of the meeting has infuriated the premiers as much as the Roosters, with angry Manly chief executive Grant Mayer denying the club wanted Pearce or that the club's ownership structure would be changing.
"Mitchell Pearce is not coming to this club," Mayer said. "I can guarantee this club will continue under the present ownership structure of Max Delmege and Scott Penn.
"We had an approach from a third party during the season, and he made a presentation to the board. When a club has been successful like ours has, people see it as an opportunity.
"But the ownership structure of the club is not going to change given the work they [Delmege and Penn] have done in securing the club financially."
Delmege said: "The last thing we need is for Robert Melhem to be involved. Why would we change the structure of the club now that we've been so successful? We're not interested in Mitchell Pearce. I'd know."
Pearce, who was named the Roosters' player of the year on Wednesday night, has another two years to run on his contract.
Channel Nine reported last night that Roosters coach Brad Fittler fronted Pearce about the meeting but the Herald has been told Pearce informed his coach about the meeting the following morning.
Newton emphatically denied Pearce wanted out of the club, where he shot to prominence this year, leading to his State of Origin debut for NSW in game three.
"It's categorically incorrect," Newton said. "He's happy at the club. He's totally content, totally at ease. He's happy with Freddy, happy in the environment, and happy with the group of players."
The player manager confirmed he had introduced Pearce to Melhem before Pearce's sister's 21st birthday but downplayed its significance.
"Me and Mitchell had a beer with a bloke who's a former sponsor of Manly before Mitchell attended his sister's 21st," Newton said. "I haven't spoken to [Manly football manager] Steve Gigg, I haven't spoken to Grant Mayer, I haven't spoken to Des Hasler.
"This happened six or eight weeks ago, and it's insignificant. He's not even a [current] sponsor. He has no official capacity with Manly. He's a personal friend of mine. We had a beer. It was literally one beer."
Pearce is understood to be on holidays with his father, former international Wayne Pearce, and could not be contacted, while Melhem was not immediately available for comment last night.
Delmege and Penn have widely been acknowledged as the saviours of the club after the failed merger with North Sydney under the banner of the Northern Eagles had it on the brink of collapse.
Mayer said he was angry about the revelations of Melhem's involvement because it again cast Manly as a mercenary chasing the game's elite.
"All I can say is here we go again," he said.
Meanwhile, Greg Bird's suspension from Cronulla will extend into the pre-season after his court case over an alleged assault on his girlfriend was adjourned until November 20, three days after his Sharks teammates are due to return to training.