Manly NRL boss is hit with death threat against him, his wife, daughter and even the family dog – but it had nothing to do with footy

Manly chief executive Tony Mestrov has revealed he and his family were the target of a death threat, including his wife, daughter and even their family dog.

The message was delivered via social media under a pseudonym early last year when Mestrov took up the position of CEO at Greyhound Racing NSW.

What made the threat particularly alarming was the fact that the perpetrator knew where Mestrov lived.

Mestrov took immediate action to improve security measures at his Northern Beaches residence. This included the installation of surveillance cameras and the deployment of a security guard to regularly monitor his home.

Mestrov, a former first-class rugby league player with a history at both Manly and South Sydney, decided to leave his role at Greyhound Racing NSW not long after the harrowing incident, eventually taking on the role of CEO of Sea Eagles.

Mestrov (pictured right during his time at Greyhound Racing NSW) was forced to increase security at his home on Sydney's northern beaches

Mestrov worked with police to identify the person responsible for the threat. Although the individual was not arrested, she received a stern warning that a repeat of such threats would result in legal charges being filed against her.

“There is nothing worse in life than receiving a death threat against you and your family,” Mestrov said News Corp.

'You feel helpless.

'It was on Facebook and she threatened my life, the life of my wife, daughter and dog and knew where we lived. We are all for freedom of speech, but we should not threaten people's lives, especially if your family is involved.

'It was extremely disturbing. It's terrible when things creep into your personal life. Your family is number one, so it was a shock for me to cross that line. It's not a nice thing to happen.

The woman who threatened Mestrov (pictured being tackled during his playing career) was not charged for her actions, but received a stern warning from police

Mestrov said there were many anti-greyhound on social media that was quite fierce and aggressive at times.

'There are many people who support the industry, but also many people who are against the industry. The death threat came from an anti-greyhound activist,” he said.

'My wife, daughter and my golden retriever – can you believe it – were threatened. She put my address on social media.

'She was a keyboard warrior who changed her name, but police eventually discovered her identity and address.

'The police sent her a letter and she was also spoken to and it never happened again. She was told that if there were any further threats, she would be charged. It stopped immediately. It was quite rigorous.”