Former Manly supremo Bob Fulton says he's offended by ARL Commission chairman Peter Beattie's comments about his alleged role in their salary cap cheating scandal.
Beattie on Tuesday jumped to the defence of NRL boss Todd Greenberg, who came under criticism from Fulton for failing interview him during the nine-month investigation into the rort.
"I've been a Bob Fulton fan my whole life," Beattie said on Tuesday.
"But no one is above the game. What Todd has done, what the integrity unit has done, is the right thing by the future of the game."
Fulton fired back later on Tuesday by providing a statement to the Nine Network.
"In my 52 years in the game I have never put myself above the game. I find Peter's comments uneducated and offensive to say the least," Fulton said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Greenberg promised to reach out to Fulton to explain why he accused the Sea Eagles legend of being a key figure in their salary cap cheating.
The governing body on Monday handed down a $750,000 fine to the Sea Eagles, and wiped out a combined $660,000 from their salary cap over the next two years for alleged extra payments to players.
Sea Eagles chief operating officer Neil Bare and former chief executive Joe Kelly also had their registrations suspended for 12 months.
Fulton, who was head of football of the club for almost two years, escaped sanction after making the surprise decision to end a 50-year association with the club in October.
It is widely believed Fulton was crucial in helping captain Daly Cherry-Evans backflip on a deal with Gold Coast in 2015 to remain at the Sea Eagles on a more lucrative, eight-year contract.
Cherry-Evans' deal is reported as one that came under the scrutiny of the NRL investigation, with suggestions only part of his value had been registered with the NRL.
"Bob worked at that club for a period of time. He was the football manager and did a lot of retention and recruitment during that period of time," Greenberg said.
He denied the investigation needed to have spoken to Fulton.
"Bob is an immortal, first and foremost. He has enormous standing in the game. I read some of his comments and spoke briefly to him yesterday," Greenberg said.
"I'll have a discussion with him today and I'd like to leave that discussion between Bob and I."
