It's time for EVERYBODY to wake up

When I posted my latest blog last night about constitutional reform, I did so, as I have done so often on this topic, almost on an apologetic basis. I always end up saying things like "I know not all of you are interested in this..." or "sorry for this being dull" and then I add "BUT guys, come on, this is kinda important". 

And I posted that blog last night, basically in defeat. After trying to communicate to everyone how important this issue is for the last five years - to members, supporters, to board members past and present by writing blogs, personal lobbying, getting up at AGM meetings, running for the board and participating in election campaigns - I was in the midst of giving up. I was almost certain that the NRL and the club were going to mash out some stupid compromise and we'd end up with a half-arsed reform with stupid minor changes like triennial elections, when nothing short of a complete restructure is required. And so I threw up the document I'd been compiling and I'd pretty much decided that was going to be it for me. Just maybe, someone with more influence than me would read that document and maybe someone would take notice.

And for me, then maybe I could move on, knowing I'd given it a pretty decent shot but it was probably all out of my hands and I could focus my contributions to the club via the site and the coterie. Because quite frankly, I've spent the last six months just becoming more disillusioned, more negative, more angry and it's been ruining my love of the footy and the club. 

Then, of course, we land in the crap again. And I get angry again. And I'm not just angry at the club for all of the mismanagement that has been going on for close to a decade now, but I'm finding myself getting angry at our supporters too. I'm sooooooo sick of the victim mentality that this club has. The NRL has it in for us, the media has it in for us, past board members have it in for us. It's a mentality that somehow seems to be just consistently permeate throughout the club (and it's the thing I like most about Brad Arthur, he doesn't play the victim, he demands accountability) no matter what changes get made.

So what I would like is for everyone to consider the recent history of Parramatta and so I spent a bunch of time, Googling tonight to present you with this chronology of how we are, where we are today.

---------------------------------------

On March, 2014, Adrian Proscenko reports that: "There are fears Jarryd Hayne could walk out on Parramatta due to a series of third-party payments not being honoured, leaving him out of pocket to the tune of up to $200,000.

 http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/jarryd-hayne-could-fly-after-being-left-out-of-pocket-at-parramatta-20140329-zqobj.html#ixzz3z6zprOli 
In July, 2015, in the SMH Kate McClymont wrote this piece about secret payments, Eddie Obied and Roy Spagnolo conflicts of interest, which almost certainly provides context to the above article:

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/parramatta-eels/jarryd-hayne-eddie-obeid-jnr-the-parramatta-eels-and-the-murky-world-of-secret-player-payments-20150722-giib8b.html

The Hayne tweet comes in October 2014.

I think we can surmise this is what went down:

Hayne had six figure TPA agreements in place with Roy Spagnolo's "associates". When 3P lost basically all board influence in 2013 and ultimately after the various politicking that took place and leading up to the membership tampering in 2013, the Spagnolo-sourced TPAs went South, leaving the Eels with a massive TPA blackhole. 

Around this time, Bill Moss has gotten heavily involved with the club. In July 2014, the Eels announce the Premiership Club. In May, the political forces at work stop Moss from joining the board as an independent director.

http://www.parraeels.com.au/news/2014/07/02/eels_announce_the_premiership_club.html

It appears Moss, via his son's Black Citrus organisation, has stepped in and picked up a fair whack of Jarryd Hayne's TPAs. Also worth noting that the Eels subsequently paid Hayne another $50k after he left the club which is mentioned in the McClymont piece.

Through general incompetence/neglect/stupidity, that TPA is registered via ScoreCube who provides the Jnr League with an app. The same arrangement appears to help us land Anthony Watmough.

Between Jan when this piece is published:

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/parramatta-eels/bill-moss-reveals-plans-to-bring-big-end-of-town-to-parramatta-eels-20150122-12w37b.html

And March 2015, Moss has fallen out with the club over the structure of the Premiership Club.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/sin-bin/sin-bin-former-macquarie-bank-heavy-hitter-bill-moss-turns-away-from-parramatta-eels-20150320-1m4ge1.html

It's worth noting that this all happens in the midst of the Parramatta election cycle between December 2014 and May 2015. The PDRL election is cancelled after Roy Spagnolo fights his ineligibility to stand and despite the ParraFirst ticket winning (disclosure - I was involved with that campaign), the legs soon start to fall-off. In May, we get hit with a salary cap breach:

"“I don’t think this is about cheating. This is about mismanagement," says Dave Smith.

In June, it is revealed that Kieran Foran was signed with an extraordinary get-out clause which subsequently results in his entire deal being re-negotiated for more money and for fewer years. Then Scott Seward leaves the club for "family reasons" before more erratic contracts come to light primarily an extraordinary $650k offer that was supposedly made to Will Hopoate before being pulled as part of one might suggest has been a review of contracts signed during this period. The club brings on Ian Schubert to try and work through its cap issues, while we're bickering with the NRL over who is going to do a governance review. That finally gets agreed upon and in late 2015, PWC comes back with over 130 recommendations including sweeping constitutional reforms. The Eels board appear to resist these suggestions. And that puts us to where we are today, with a broader review of salary cap issues dating back two years.

----------------------------------------


I challenge anyone to look at the above scenario and tell me that the way Parramatta is structured, with the pressures that come with bi-annual elections and the make-up of our boards, is not the root cause of all of this drama.

What I would like people to consider is the knock-on effect that takes place here. All of these problems we're dealing with start when Spagnolo loses the election, TPAs go belly-up and the club goes into catch-up mode. The club is then about to go into another election period with the possibility that it's star player is going to walk-out over those TPAs. We then end up in a series of problems caused by cutting corners, over-desperation to wrap up contracts - all of which take place in the election cycle. Now, we're in a position where it's being suggested that we didn't reveal conflicts and it's hard to imagine that does not have anything to do with the possible reputation damage that would have come with coming clean on all the past cockups given that the possible responsible administrator was appointed by the current board.

EVERY SINGLE DECISION MADE AT PARRAMATTA IS MADE AFTER THE QUESTION IS ASKED: "WILL THIS IMPACT OUR CHANCES OF GETTING RE-ELECTED?"

Whether it's coaches getting sacked/CEOs getting sacked, even players being signed - every single thing at the club is impacted by the election issue. And I know this first hand, because I've been a part of campaigns and I've seen everything that goes into being elected to the boards. And how much consideration goes into appearances and what gets written about, etc.

And at this point, I ask you: How much longer are we prepared to let this go on for? Right now, I can guarantee the thinking within certain people at the club is "if we can just have a good season, then all of this gets forgotten". Never mind, the four points, the biggest problem for the club going into the 2016 season is the organisational pressure cooker because the club NEEDS to be successful for decision makers to retain their position. Brad Arthur seems to do a pretty amazing job of shielding his players from this, but this is not the atmosphere that you need to breed success.

And that's why EVERYONE should care about the boring parts of running a football club. That's why everyone should care about the club structure and constitution. That's why everyone should pressure the club to live by the core tenants of good governance - transparency, accountability and risk mitigation. Every supporter should care that our football club has a kick-arse strategy behind it and is making improvements as a business, because we will never have sustainable success on the field until that happens. None of that changes because we sign some players.

This may be the world's longest blog, but I'm not going to apologise for it. I'm sure I've just pissed off a whole bunch of people, but I'm not going to apologise for that either. Some of you may even take offence. So be it.
There is the well coined phrase that insanity is "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". Well, we have had close to a decade of constant organisational turmoil and have done nothing about fixing it. That IS insane and it's time WE ALL demanded better. Until the NRL organisation is decoupled from the madness and restrictions of the Leagues Club election process nothing will ever change and nothing will get better. Until we get accountability and transparency from our administrators nothing will get better. This is not the time to play the victim again, it's the time to use all of this to FINALLY make the organisational changes that the club has so obviously and desperately needed.

Link to my consitutional reform election document. 

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  • Wake up? I haven't even gone to bed yet!

    As you say - the main problem - in many ways the ONLY problem - is the bi annual elections. The administration is permanently in election mode - permanently like a government in its final year leading up to an election. Because of this it is inevitable, and not at all surprising, that practically every decision is made with a view to what collateral damage will be incurred at election time - the administration can't really be blamed for this mind set - they really have no other choice.

    I like to cling to the old adage of "Rome wasn't built in a day" and basically hope for the best.

    My question to you is this Phil, and it's a serious one - as a member of the club, season ticket holder etc, WHAT can I do to force the reforms we all want? The answer as i see it is little, if anything, more than try and vote sensibly, rationally, and well informed at election time - seriously mate, what else can we do? 

    • I don't blame the administrators for the situation, I blame them for not doing anything about it. I blame the 3P group for going into the first election promising to shift football operations back to the PDRL and then winning control of the Leagues Club and forgetting about that initial promise. I blame the current board for promising constitutional reform in two elections and then conveniently forgetting about it and even when pushed to the brink by the NRL not standing up to solving the issue by proposing a complete review and overhaul.

      What can you do? You can demand the club does something about. You can make clear to the board that anyone who is not inline with making these changes happen, WILL NOT GET YOUR VOTE regardless of every other issue. We use the electoral pressures that are currently the problem as a solution. Because I guarantee that if the board realises that this is something that will cost them any chance of winning the next election then they will do something about it.

      You must be demanding. I cannot believe how easily members have allowed the fact they they were blatantly lied to on this issue. I refuse to give my support to anyone who goes to the election promising one thing, and then does basically the exact oppositie. I can not accept how forgiving the NRL membership is of the fact that they had all of their voting rights simply taken away, with no apology and no explanation. How is this acceptable?

      We are supporters of the club, but that doesn't mean you blindly lend your support to whoever currently has the gig, it doesn't mean that you forgive these kinds of sins because we all just want to be positive and support the people we associate with our club. 

      And a lot of that comes down to accountability. The only response to every failure above has been finger pointing. And that's from EVERY board for the past 10 years. And so when you don't have a culture of accountability people literally believe they can get away with anything to the point where they will be so bold as to pull stunts like election tampering. Members are forever treated like mushrooms. We still don't know the real reasons Scott Seward left and we were very obviously lied to on that. We don't know anything about the review. Transparency enforces accountability. We have neither.

      Indeed, your question, has made me think that we need to give serious consideration to putting forward a motion at the next AGM which should be coming up in May of forcing a review with regard to decoupling the NRL board and the Leagues Club board and what would be the best way to do it (together with NRL members getting voting rights back). That would give the members the chance to specifically voice their approval/desire to see this addressed and in the event that got knocked back, I'll  get back in my box and let the issue go. But to my mind, the members have already said at the last two elections that this is something that needs to happen.

      • Without reading the entire blog and your response.

        It appears you were used and you are angry. You need to speak to people who are down to earth and not think every idea will come to fruition. Sounds like weeks if not months were spent helping the current fools.

        Once they got to power they decided whats best for them.

        This is not uncommon, political intrests pulling power and retaining seats. You are just 1 victim SON.

        Every Member is currently a victim, And if you were a smart cookie you would do well to steer clear of the bad apples and find passionate members to run for the board. People with skill and love.

        The current board are a joke, the board was retained because the 2 other factions fucked it up for many voters.

        I would have voted a clean sweep of 7 members who had experience and passion and had good backround knowledge of football club boards.

        PS

        No amount of money would let me vote an EX EEL to be on any board.

        Lesson Learnt

        Footballers are Footballers in other WORDS 90% havent got a 2 brain cells to put together hence making a living playing the game.

        When will the folks at Parra ever get it through there thick heads we need all 7 kicked out now.

        Sharp is just another puppet for another bunch of fools running the club.

        If you really want to win you make the effort, Buy the votes make it count and stick to promises.

    • Are bi annual elections the norm for all clubs or is it exclusively a parra thing?

  • Phil, I understand your frustration, it's hard to understand how or why so many people can be complacent or ignorant on a issue that you personally feel deeply about. I struggle with this daily, I can't understand people being ill informed about the decisions our government makes (both sides depending who is in power). Issues like tax reform, foreign ownership, free trade deals, deregulation of university's, the demise of the public health system, the cost of housing and industrial relation reforms for example. If the mass of people don't care enough about the issues that shape their and their family's life to demand change or good governance good luck with getting them to care about changing the governance of a footy club.

    In saying that I respect your determination and passion. As individuals it's hard to make a change but as a collective we can change the world.
  • **Standing, Applauding**

  • EVERY SINGLE DECISION MADE BY <INSERT LOCAL, STATE OR FEDERAL GOVT> IS MADE AFTER THE QUESTION IS ASKED: "WILL THIS IMPACT OUR CHANCES OF GETTING (RE-)ELECTED?"

    Phil, this is the way of the world in Australia. You could also add the old WIIFM scenario as well. As members (voters) we will always be expecting and demanding better. Call me a cynic but I have come to the conclusion that most people who run for 'public office' go in with a idealistic viewpoint that is quickly eroded to get the most out of the position they hold for themselves and not their 'constituents'.

    Good luck as without reform I will not be able to assist via voting as my rights were rescinded with the declaration of persona non grata of PDRLFC members and the inane requirements to attend the leagues club in person in order to join.

    • Spot on Badger.
      It's always a case of what's in it for me in positions of power and influence - cause if it wasn't, their actions would reek of selflessness.
      Name me one modern day leader, in any political body, who has put the people ahead of his/her own ambitions or job?
      The silence will be deafening.
  • Phil I was at the 2015 Season Launch. I know you were there too. During his presentation, Steve Sharp spoke about constitutional reform. I recall a working party had been established which included Leagues Club CEO Bevan Paul and if I recall correctly, the Clubs legal representatives. Are you suggesting that this working group has either gone no where or been mothballed? We should have heard about significant progress by now. 

    You are 100% correct when you state that the Executives believe a winning football team will see them returned to office regardless of what is happening in the head office. We who care about this club need to be more critical than that. 

    Ultimately, for us fans it comes down to two things - accountability and transparency. 

    • Chris, yes, the working party was quietly disbanded and as far as I'm aware no recommendations at all were acting on, nor was it ever announced that this would be the case. Chris Jurd who is a member of this site and was on the commite has confirmed that.

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