Parramatta Salary Cap Investigation

[Foordy]

Parramatta will contest some of the salary cap `breaches that led to their $525,000 fine and chairman Steve Sharp has has hit out at the NRL, saying the Eels would not be "bullied" into making governance changes via the threat of a four-point deduction next season.

The Parramatta board came together for a marathon meeting on Friday, a day after sanctions against them were handed down from League Central, and emerged admitting to cap breaches last year but resolving to fight the governing body on a range of matters.
The Eels are particularly angry about the stipulation that they conduct an independent governance review of the club and introduce any recommendations from it by next February or start next season on minus four points. They plan to have an independent review run by auditing giant PriceWaterhouseCoopers but to bring about changes on their terms, not those of head office.
"We're prepared to fight for our belief and our brand. I don't think we should be bullied for what's happened here," Sharp said on Friday night.
"We acknowledge that our salary cap was in a mess. But we know our salary cap is compliant for 2015 and we're heading in the right direction.
"I'm not sure they should be linking their requirements where they're trying to say you will have this sort of board and you will have this and that to a salary cap breach which is a process breach."
There is a belief at Parramatta that the NRL is looking to thrust two independent directors on them. The Eels tried to do that themselves last year but had a proposal for one independent director to be added to the board shot down by members.
"We'll push ahead with constitutional reform and we've got a constitutional committee at the moment to build the changes but I don't believe it's for the NRL to say how we should structure our organisation," Sharp said.
Parramatta also plan to contest a range of the infringements in the breach across the club's four salary caps, which totalled $436,000 but centred around the second-tier cap.
They intend to argue that they have been dealt harshly for fielding Taniela Lasalo for four minutes against North Queensland in a round eight game in Townsville last year. Lasalo was one of three players who took the field during the season against NRL warnings - the others were Junior Paulo and David Gower - and his brief appearance cost them a $60,000 bump in their second-tier cap total.
Sharp argues there are mitigating circumstances. "He went up (to Townsville) as the 19th player and then through circumstances with an injury in the warm-up and a concussion that Mitch Allgood had suffered the week before - he still had headaches and the doctor ruled him out- Lasalo had to sit on the bench," he said.
"And through circumstances, with injuries, with four minutes to go we were down by 40 and he had to go on and play four minutes. We copped a very, very large infringement on the salary cap for that. I understand the rules are the rules and that's how it is, and our club was in breach, but certainly not to the extent it was made out to be."
They also plan to argue that Jarryd Hayne's trip to the United States last year - which came to $15,000 including airfares and accommodation - should not have been included in the salary cap simply because he travelled separately from the rest of the team.
And they are upset that they have been punished for issues such as the purchase of a car for over market value by the club from Fuifui Moimoi during the previous Roy Spagnolo administration, having told the NRL about that themselves and self-reported on the pending cap nightmare at Parramatta soon after a Sharp-led board took power from Spagnolo in mid-2013.
Sharp also believe they have ben the victim of some "double dipping" with breaches involving some players included in more than one salary cap section.
The chairman accepted that there had been breaches last year but said his management team had inherited their salary cap problems and defended the club against not following NRL warnings around Lasalo, Paulo and Gower.
"It was either that or be short players, put 16 blokes on the field," he said.
"The consequences occurred on my watch but certainly the things that put those consequences into play were before my time."
Parramatta coach Brad Arthur said he was sure that the sanctions on the Eels would have no impact on the arrivals of big-name signings Kieran Foran and Beau Scott next season.
"I'm 100 per cent confident...they've made their decisions," Arthur told Triple M on Friday night. "I have spoken to them and they're keen to come here."

Parramatta chairman Steve Sharp says Eels won't be 'bullied' into changes by NRL

The club buy a car from one of their players for OVER market value, and don't think they should be punished.

how is that not trying to get around the cap...

They got caught doing the wrong thing ... they should man up and deal with it

 

[Morkel]

Poor Governance is the perfect description for that. The NRL warned them, and they still went ahead? Why take a player that you're not supposed to play? If you're down by 40, play with fucking 12 men. It seems the factions, the in-fighting, the old boys wanting to keep their old ways, anyone else see the Eels as mirroring the NRL?

 

[Super Freak]

So, Eels repossessed Peats car because of the salary cap dramas.

He walked 12km's from training... He has never heard of a taxi?

Parramatta's week of dramas has continued, with the Eels reportedly repossessing a club-approved car promised to hooker Nathan Peats to avoid additional salary cap penalties.

According to News Corp, Peats was entitled to a car supplied by the club under his deal approved by departed chief executive Scott Seward.

But officials reportedly took it back off the 24-year-old after learning it wasn't compliant with the Eels' salary cap.

Any further breach of the salary cap could see Parramatta docked four premiership points for next season, after the NRL fined the club $525,000 last month for large-scale salary cap infringements.

It comes as the Eels continue their desperate and very public bid to keep marquee signing Kieran Foran.

The star Kiwi playmaker's future remains up in the air due to his contract imbroglio, as Eels coach Brad Arthur moved on Thursday to assure Foran his club is a place where he can play his best football.

However, in the same way they deftly manoeuvred to prise Daly Cherry-Evans back from Gold Coast's clutches, Manly have also launched a counter-attack to keep Foran.

Sea Eagles coach Toovey revealed on Thursday he had been in talks with his five-eighth to keep him at Brookvale.

Parramatta Eels Repossess Nathan Peats Car | Triple M NRL

 

[Renegade]

ROFL

 

[broncos4life]

You couldn't make this shit up.

 

[Kaz]

So, Eels repossessed Peats car because of the salary cap dramas.

He walked 12km's from training... He has never heard of a taxi?

Or asking a team mate for a lift.

Unless they all had their cars repossessed.

 

[Nashy]

This ex CEO needs to be found and investigated. This stinks of corruption, or fraud or something.

 

[Kaz]

This ex CEO needs to be found and investigated. This stinks of corruption, or fraud or something.

The Storm want to hire him.

Parramatta Eels chief executive Scott Seward to part ways with club

He recently met with the Melbourne Storm about the vacant chief executive position when Mark Evans leaves the club to return to England.

 

[broncos4life]

The Storm want to hire him.

Parramatta Eels chief executive Scott Seward to part ways with club

He recently met with the Melbourne Storm about the vacant chief executive position when Mark Evans leaves the club to return to England.

He sounds like the storms kind of guy.

 

[Foordy]

If they've taken back a car that he is entitled to under the terms of his contract, does that mean he can get the Eels for breech of contract.

 

[Nashy]

If they've taken back a car that he is entitled to under the terms of his contract, does that mean he can get the Eels for breech of contract.

This. You would have to assume so. The way I read it, it may not be a contract situation.

 

[subsbligh]

Poor Governance is the perfect description for that. The NRL warned them, and they still went ahead? Why take a player that you're not supposed to play? If you're down by 40, play with ****ing 12 men. It seems the factions, the in-fighting, the old boys wanting to keep their old ways, anyone else see the Eels as mirroring the NRL?

Not trying to be a prick but...

I just borrowed $400,000 from your mortgage overdraft to do something I don't want to tell you about, but I put it right back so it's ok.

Nothing to see here.

Wait, what?

You don't have jurisdiction over me so I don't have to answer any more questions.

 

[subsbligh]

Oh and I just resigned my position that put me in charge of moving money around.

 

[gordjw]

Isn't that the Gee manoeuvre?

 

[GCBRONCO]

He sounds like the storms kind of guy.

AP must be getting a hard on

 

[GCBRONCO]

Isn't that the Gee manoeuvre?

No your mistaking that for playing the ball incorrectly and giving the opposition a gift 2 points to win the game manoeuvre.

 

[gordjw]

No your mistaking that for playing the ball incorrectly and giving the opposition a gift 2 points to win the game manoeuvre.

Oh it must be related to the Finch variant. (dropout out on the full, after full time, to give opponent a game winning penalty kick from right in front)

(Lol!)

 

[Ari Gold]

No your mistaking that for playing the ball incorrectly and giving the opposition a gift 2 points to win the game manoeuvre.

Wasn't it an incorrect 20m tap?