WESTERN Force chairman Geoff Stooke says the franchise is in sound financial shape despite experiencing difficulties with major sponsor Firepower.

Players at the Perth-based Super 14 side have been contacting their managers to ensure their contracts are sound, following the Herald's story yesterday that Firepower had not paid the club thousands of dollars for their jersey sponsorship, and owed some of the club's high-profile players money as part of their third-party contracts.

Firepower payments formed a substantial part of Giteau's three-year, $4.5 million contract, while most of the other Firepower-linked players, including Drew Mitchell, Ryan Cross and Cameron Shepherd, are owed more than $100,000 each. Scott Staniforth is also owed money.

Stooke said Western Force had declared a profit of $1m at the end of December 2007 and the club was financially robust enough to weather the problems relating to Firepower.

"We are not in financial difficulties, there is the matter to resolve, that being the Firepower issue, but the health of the club is not contingent on that, we have a broad portfolio of sponsors in our club,"

Stooke said.

He added he was not planning to step aside as chairman and his position had not been discussed. The club's last board meeting was held on May 19.