The crisis engulfing the A-League club deepened on Wednesday afternoon with the news that owner , assistant Clayton Zane, goalkeeper coach Neil Young and strength and conditioning coach Andrew Packer.
The man seemingly at the centre of the controversy, coach Phil Stubbins, reportedly held an emergency meeting with Tinkler in Brisbane, where he was backed to continue in his role, despite his side's Round 15, 7-0 loss to Adelaide United.
Now The World Game can reveal that late on Wednesday afternoon club captain Kew Jaliens, attacking defender David Carney, stalwart Joel Griffiths and veteran midfielder Billy Celeski were informed their services are no longer required.
A fifth player, believed to be defender Adrian Madaschi, was also let go, All, except for Carney, were off contract at the end of the season.
PFA chief Adam Vivian, who met with the entire playing group earlier in the day, confirmed that “several players” had been told that their contracts would be paid out and they were free to go immediately.
In the case of Carney, though, there is some uncertainty because he has been culled for "disciplinary reasons".
“Some players have been approached and offered mutual termination,” said Vivian. “The club can’t, in legal terms, unilaterally terminate a contract. The players don’t have an obligation to accept it.
“It’s a difficult situation for any player, especially coming so close to the closure of the transfer window and the fact there are not so many jobs in the A-league.
"The players involved need to make some smart football decisions here and decide what’s best for them, and whether to accept a termination and get on with football elsewhere.
"The last thing we want to see is for a player to be fit but without a contract and unemployable due to the fact the window is closing.
"It's important they get sound advice at this stage. The nature of football is short term and precarious and these developments show just how precarious it is.”
Griffiths, Carney, Jaliens, Madaschi and Celeski were viewed by Stubbins and Tinkler as divisive presences within the playing group and have been held responsible for spearheading the campaign to have Stubbins replaced – a move Tinkler rejected out of hand as he instead chose to back the coach.
It’s understood that at least some of the players who have been offered severance deals have been advised by their representatives to accept the offers and move on.
Another source closely connected to the club said of the proposed player sackings: “The culture is wrong at the club and a lot of things need to be cleaned up. That’s what the coach and the owner are trying to accomplish.”
Vivian added: “We have a big job ahead of us not only in players going through transition but also a broader playing group watching this happen to fellow professionals.”
Sources close to the situation claimed Celeski was involved in a heated confrontation with Stubbins at halftime of the Adelaide match and later at the team's hotel, as was reported by the Newcastle Herald. It is understood the pair had to be separated.
The players were said to be contemplating strike action at a scheduled training session on Wednesday, before Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) intervened.
Vivian also confirmed to TWG the players were set to train in the morning, only for the session to be .
A much bigger storm threatens to overwhelm the club, with Football Federation Australia setting Tinkler a deadline - believed to be 31 January - to settle the club's outstanding debts, or risk losing the licence back to the governing body.
Those debts include $140,000 owed to Northern NSW Football. There is also the matter of the club needing to find a new chief executive to replace Robbie Middleby, who resigned on 8 January.
