NSW Liberal MP for Manly Mike Baird has called for the Sea Eagles to be awarded the 2007 premiership, after the Melbourne Storm were stripped of the title.
The Storm were also stripped of their 2009 premiership and fined a total of $1.6 million after being found guilty of massive, long-term salary cap breaches.
But while Melbourne lost the titles, NRL chief executive David Gallop said neither of the losing grand finalists, Manly and Parramatta, would assume those titles.
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Baird, who is opposition treasurer, called for Manly to be awarded the 2007 gong and the financial rewards that would have come with it.
'Financial upside'
"If you win a premiership there is obviously a lot of upside financially and if we'd won that premiership, which it appears we should have now, then there is no doubt that the funds that flowed could have gone to developing Brookvale (Oval)," he told reporters on Thursday.
"And we'd be calling on those funds, should they become available."
The $1.1 million the Storm earned in prizemoney will be distributed evenly between the other 15 NRL clubs.
Baird described the news as "incredible" and "sad" for all fans of rugby league."
"I think all of us who love sport, and I love my sport, love every part of rugby league," he said.
"It is sad news. I think all of us believe when you get on the field ... it's a fair contest and it is really disappointing."
