National Rugby League side St. George Illawarra "could be just days away from being officially sold" after the Gordon family "tabled an offer that will finally take the famous club off the market," according to Adrian Proszenko of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. While the WIN Corporation walked away from the negotiating table last month, company Owner Bruce Gordon and his son Andrew "have put a deal on the table on behalf of the family rather than the firm." The bid, subject to NRL approval, will result in Illawarra’s 50% stake of the joint venture being sold. A figure of A$10M "has long been bandied about as the number required to make the sale a reality," although it is understood the value of the deal "is structured in a way that takes into account" the almost A$6M ($4.5M) the club owes to the NRL. The ownership transition will be the "final act" of long-serving CEO Peter Doust, who will finish his tenure at the end of the season. The final negotiations "are at a delicate stage, but there appears no major impediment" to the deal being finalized (SMH, 5/9).
