The lawyer representing sacked Cronulla doctor Dave Givney claims the threat of legal action was not the catalyst for the NRL club overturning the decision of the previous Sharks board to remove four staff in the early days of the drugs scandal.
On a dramatic day at the besieged club, the Sharks moved to make peace with those who had taken the fall in the immediate aftermath of the ASADA investigation into the club, just hours before interim chief executive Bruno Cullen quit his role with Cronulla.
It was not yet clear whether Cullen's resignation was related to the decision of the new board.
The Sharks on Monday immediately reinstated trainer Mark Noakes and reached a settlement with Givney and physiotherapist Konrad Schultz, while ex-football manager Darren Mooney is in talks about a return to the club.
Schultz and Givney have both been invited to re-apply for their positions, which are currently filled.
The board also retracted statements made by the club which might have caused damage to the reputations of the four men and offered a full apology for any such damage and the effect on their families.
Lawyer Sam Macedone, who represented Givney and Schultz, claimed both men were keen to rejoin the club, but dismissed claims the fear of legal action had caused a re-think by the new board.
"I honestly don't think that the threat of litigation had anything to do with it," Macedone told AAP.
"It was really a situation where the board in the end made a decision to review the evidence that they had and to review the whole situation - which they did.
"And they came to the conclusion that the previous board had made a mistake."
Asked about the possibility of Givney and Schultz going back to the club, Macedone said:
"I think they're both interested in going back because they have a very long association with the club.
"Particularly the doctor over 25 years. When they retire I think they'd like to retire on their terms."
In its statement, the Sharks board claimed that changes to the club's structure had altered positions that could be offered to Mooney.
But the sudden departure of Cullen may open the door for Mooney to slip in, with general manager of football Steve Noyce possibly sliding over to fill the chief executive role.
The new board was installed on a mandate to review the sackings of the four staff, who had been removed following an independent report by Trish Kavanagh.
Kavanagh was investigating Sharks management's handling of the supplement program undertaken by the club in 2011, the period of time which is the centre of an ASADA investigation.
Nine current players are set to begin interviews with ASADA on Thursday.
The Sharks were adamant the review undertaken by the club had nothing to do with that investigation.
"On conclusion of the review the board has determined that the actions which we have taken in respect of these staff are in the best interests of the club and we believe we have the support of our members in doing so," the statement read.
"The staff in question categorically deny any circumstances of wrong doing on their part or to their knowledge."
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