The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) announced on Tuesday, January 13 that the Central Coast Mariners club participation agreement had been forfeited, with the league assuming interim control of the club while it undertakes a process to secure a long-term owner.
The decision followed a series of developments in late December 2025, during which a proposed acquisition of the Mariners by Damon Hanlin fell through.
Mr Hanlin has since responded publicly, outlining his involvement with the club in the months leading up to the APL’s intervention and his position following the league’s decision.
Funding and proposed takeover
Mr Hanlin said he began funding the Mariners in September 2025, acting as a financial stabiliser during a period of uncertainty. He said that in October 2025 he executed a binding contract of sale to acquire full ownership of the club.
“That contract was genuine, enforceable and active,” Mr Hanlin said. “I was a willing, ready and financially capable buyer.”
According to his statement, Mr Hanlin claims to have injected more than $2 million into the club over approximately six months. He said the funding covered player wages and staff entitlements, operational and matchday costs, sponsorship commitments, payments to creditors, and the engagement of personnel.
Football operations
During the same period, the Mariners underwent a number of football and operational changes.
The club signed Nathanael Blair and Ali Auglah, while former Sydney Olympic coach Labinot Haliti was appointed to a football leadership role.
Mr Hanlin said the investment was aimed at strengthening the squad and football program.
“We recruited an excellent playing group and invested heavily in improving the club’s football operations,” he said.
“To see that effort undone in this way is a crying shame for the players, staff and supporters.”
Those developments came during a broader transition at the club, including the departure of head coach Mark Jackson shortly before the start of the 2025–26 A-League season.
Approval process and communication
Mr Hanlin said that while his ownership application was under consideration, it did not result in a formal outcome from the APL.
“No written determination was ever issued – no approval, no rejection, no conditional approval,” he said.
He also said communication during the latter stages of the process lacked certainty.
“We were left funding the club’s survival with no clarity, no timeline and no engagement,” he said.
APL timeline
The APL has said that as part of its ownership approval process it sought further information from Mr Hanlin relating to legal and compliance matters connected to his prior business activities.
On December 22, the league said it had not received the requested information from Mr Hanlin, “despite outstanding requests.”
The APL said it was informed on December 27 that the proposed asset sale agreement with Mr Hanlin had been terminated.
“We understand that Mr Hanlin was aware of this termination,” APL chair Stephen Conroy said.
On December 29, the APL said it was advised of the intention to hand back the club’s participation licence, leading to the forfeiture of the agreement and the league’s assumption of interim control.
Responding to the sequence of events outlined by the league, Mr Hanlin strongly criticised the process.
“What has occurred with the Central Coast Mariners represents one of the most opaque, damaging and disappointing governance failures I have witnessed in Australian sport,” Mr Hanlin said.
“To remove a licence without consulting a contracted buyer who was actively funding and improving the club is extraordinary.”
Mr Conroy has rejected suggestions the process was mishandled, saying the league applies strict standards when assessing prospective owners.
“The APL takes the process of considering new owners very seriously and as such follows a rigorous process, and we don’t apologise for that,” he said.
Financial exposure and outstanding issues raised
In his statement, Mr Hanlin said he is now seeking clarity on a number of outstanding issues following the abrupt end to the proposed takeover, including how funding and investment he says was provided in good faith – including his own – will be recognised, and how existing creditors of the club will be treated as the APL oversees the interim period.
The APL has said it will oversee the club during the interim period and has reiterated that it applies a rigorous process when assessing prospective owners, while not commenting publicly on individual bidders or internal approval processes.
The league has confirmed it will continue to manage the club while a long-term ownership solution is pursued.
Media reports have indicated that other potential investors may be considering interest in the Mariners, including overseas groups linked to Queens Park Rangers, a London-based club owned by an international investment group, though no formal bids have been confirmed.
