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28-05-08, 04:26 AM
Souths plan to play pokie card to members
By Paul Kent and Josh Massoud
May 28, 2008 12:00am
PETER Holmes a Court's sole legacy is in serious jeopardy with South Sydney Leagues Club members set to reintroduce poker machines to the troubled club.
As the Rabbitohs reel from one PR disaster to the next, leagues club chairman Bill Alexiou-Hucker yesterday confirmed members will receive a proposal supporting poker machines at July's annual general meeting.
The shock development came on another trying, during which:
RABBITOHS officials were forced to deny they had siphoned $2 million in federal funding via the club's charity arm, Souths Cares; and
RABBITOHS sponsorship chief Chris Green was dumped.
Holmes a Court's bold plan to operate a leagues club without poker machine revenue will still be put to members.
But it is now in doubt after it emerged he will not be driving the proposal because the football club had withdrawn its management bid last month.
The withdrawal, coming on the back of across-the-board cost-cutting at Souths football club, underlines concerns the Rabbitohs were in financial strife.
A $300,000 annual management fee the football club had agreed to pay the leagues club was believed to be the main reason why the Rabbitohs had backed out.
The deal was struck last year in a Memorandum of Understanding, later rescinded when proposed changes were tied up in government red tape. Holmes a Court wanted legislation enacted to abolish the club's sign-in desk, but activated a get-out from the MoU when he didn't alert State Parliament in time.
"From there on the football club board looked at the terms, how things were going financially at the football club, and they decided while they would onwardly support the leagues club they wanted to focus on football club matters," Mr Alexiou-Hucker said.
Leagues club members will now vote for the proposal at the AGM in early July. Board members were confident it would pass with Mr Holmes a Court's formal backing, but the outcome was not so certain now.
"We were always going to the members to let the members decide," Mr Alexiou-Hucker said.
"Because of what is happening with the football club it is not going to stop us. We have been working on a business model to put to members without poker machines. But I am now starting to think we will have to go to them with a proposal with poker machines and we will have to let the members decide which way to go."
Rabbitohs officials last night angrily denied claims from former patriarch George Piggins that South Cares had not accounted for $2 million in public funding.
Souths Cares general manager John Hutchinson said the program had only received $32,500 in funding, and further hand-outs depended on its individual performance.
By Paul Kent and Josh Massoud
May 28, 2008 12:00am
PETER Holmes a Court's sole legacy is in serious jeopardy with South Sydney Leagues Club members set to reintroduce poker machines to the troubled club.
As the Rabbitohs reel from one PR disaster to the next, leagues club chairman Bill Alexiou-Hucker yesterday confirmed members will receive a proposal supporting poker machines at July's annual general meeting.
The shock development came on another trying, during which:
RABBITOHS officials were forced to deny they had siphoned $2 million in federal funding via the club's charity arm, Souths Cares; and
RABBITOHS sponsorship chief Chris Green was dumped.
Holmes a Court's bold plan to operate a leagues club without poker machine revenue will still be put to members.
But it is now in doubt after it emerged he will not be driving the proposal because the football club had withdrawn its management bid last month.
The withdrawal, coming on the back of across-the-board cost-cutting at Souths football club, underlines concerns the Rabbitohs were in financial strife.
A $300,000 annual management fee the football club had agreed to pay the leagues club was believed to be the main reason why the Rabbitohs had backed out.
The deal was struck last year in a Memorandum of Understanding, later rescinded when proposed changes were tied up in government red tape. Holmes a Court wanted legislation enacted to abolish the club's sign-in desk, but activated a get-out from the MoU when he didn't alert State Parliament in time.
"From there on the football club board looked at the terms, how things were going financially at the football club, and they decided while they would onwardly support the leagues club they wanted to focus on football club matters," Mr Alexiou-Hucker said.
Leagues club members will now vote for the proposal at the AGM in early July. Board members were confident it would pass with Mr Holmes a Court's formal backing, but the outcome was not so certain now.
"We were always going to the members to let the members decide," Mr Alexiou-Hucker said.
"Because of what is happening with the football club it is not going to stop us. We have been working on a business model to put to members without poker machines. But I am now starting to think we will have to go to them with a proposal with poker machines and we will have to let the members decide which way to go."
Rabbitohs officials last night angrily denied claims from former patriarch George Piggins that South Cares had not accounted for $2 million in public funding.
Souths Cares general manager John Hutchinson said the program had only received $32,500 in funding, and further hand-outs depended on its individual performance.