Dogs at war: Canterbury under fire over leagues club power play

Former administrator Gary McIntyre, the central figure in the club’s salary cap scandal, has blasted an attempt by the Bulldogs to increase their presence on the rich Canterbury League Club board.

The Bulldogs have the balance of power at the licensed club at Belmore, which has more than 60,000 members and provides more than $5 million a year in funding to the NRL team.

But as well as appointing four of its seven directors, the Bulldogs have backed the election of football club chief executive Aaron Warburton as one of Canterbury League Club’s three independent board members.

Rival candidate McIntyre said that went against an undertaking given to members 35 years ago.

“I was chairman at the time, and I was concerned someone might take control of our leagues club in 1991,” he said.

“I asked the members to accept [the Bulldogs appointing] four out of seven [directors] to protect the football club. But I said the football club have undertaken that they will not put any more on the board.

“It’s a matter of honour and I believe this is dishonouring that undertaking.”

McIntyre said he had spoken with Warburton and Bulldogs general manager of football Phil Gould to outline his position on Monday.

The Bulldogs already control the leagues club via a guaranteed majority on its board, with that contingent soon to include Adam Driussi, the football club chairman.

Driussi defended the Bulldogs’ move on Thursday.

“The football club is nominating a ticket at the League Club elections — as we are fully entitled to do, and as has happened on numerous occasions throughout the history of this club,” he said.

“The Canterbury League Club is our closest and most important partner. We believe this ticket strengthens that relationship further and helps ensure both organisations continue to move in the same direction.”

As well as Warburton, the Bulldogs ticket includes Canterbury League Club president Peter Winchester and Wally Mehanna, the CEO of the Canterbury Bankstown Chamber of Commerce.

Overlooked was Andrew Mortimer, the son of four-time premiership winner Steve Mortimer and a sitting leagues club director, who has subsequently withdrawn.

McIntyre is running on a rival ticket alongside Elias Coorey, the son of late club powerbroker George Coorey, who was forced out in 2020 over allegations over inappropriate behaviour towards women, and Coorey ally Bill Diakos.

The long-time former club boss returned to the Canterbury League Club board in 2022, two decades after resigning over his role in the Bulldogs’ $1 million salary cap rorts, but was disqualified at the following biennial poll in 2024 after failing to declare a two-year ban as a director imposed on him in 2002.

Gould, who coached Canterbury to grand final glory in 1988 and has overseen a resurgence since coming back to Belmore in 2021, told this masthead: “Everything we have built over the past four years has been built on stability – stability in the boardroom, in the front office, and on the field. The results speak for themselves.

“This club endured the most turbulent period in its history when outside agitators repeatedly tried to manipulate elections and install themselves in positions of power. That instability cost us years and hurt everyone connected with this club. We will not go back there.

“Our focus remains firmly on building something lasting, and we will continue to distance ourselves from anyone who seeks to destabilise what we are creating.”

McIntyre said he supported the Bulldogs maintaining their influence at Canterbury League Club. But he said he was concerned that a greater representation could raise questions about the football club having an automatic majority on the board of the registered club.

“I don’t want the rule to go down the chute,” he said. “But by them doing this they have broken a commitment.”

Voting in the club elections will take place on Friday and Saturday.