EXCLUSIVE Phil Rothfield and Nick TabakoffThe Daily Telegraph THE Parramatta Eels secretly arranged almost $500,000 in deals for failed NFL *convert Jarryd Hayne since 2013, according to new *revelations in an NRL breach notice against the club.Official documents and boardroom minutes show a trail of salary cap discrepancies in the star full-back’s third party deals with the club from 2013 to 2015, cash payments, first class overseas travel and car expenses *adding up to $465,000 — all hidden from the NRL.On an extraordinary day in which Hayne quit a US gridiron career to chase Olympic Gold with Fiji’s Rugby Sevens team, the full findings of the notice against the Eels revealed:* In a June 2015 meeting, board member Tanya Gadiel talks about the “f-word” — alleged “fraud” — in relation to one of the club’s many third party deals;* The board and senior management is actively aware in multiple meetings about many individual illegal third party deals. For example, in December 2013, *several members actively discuss the fact that the club had entered into a “side arrangement” with Hayne that was likely to be in breach of *salary cap rules;* In a June 2015 meeting, another board member Andrew Cordwell instructs the tape recorder be switched off when the group is in discussion about former Test forward Anthony Watmough and a third-party deal;* The club compiled an *undisclosed payments register in late 2013 and early 2014, which featured details of illegal commitments for multiple years; and* At one board meeting *former CEO Scott Seward compares the club’s salary cap crisis to other clubs’ past scandals, claiming it is “not the Bulldogs and it’s not the Melbourne Storm”.The revelations follow a two-month NRL forensic audit that was prompted by a Daily Telegraph series of investigations that first established systematic cheating of the salary cap at the club.Official documents and board room minutes show Hayne was secretly paid $465,000 which was officially recorded on a heads of agreement letter but never reported in the salary cap.Legitimate third-party payments to players must be done on an arm’s length basis from the club. It is a breach of the salary cap rules if a club makes a payment on behalf of third parties.There are no suggestions Hayne was aware his payments were contrary to NRL rules or that Hayne has done anything wrong.The bombshell revelations are part of the official NRL breach notice that has already cost the Parramatta Eels 12 competition points this season, forced Watmough into retirement and sent highly- rated hooker Nathan Peats to the Gold Coast Titans.The documents show Hayne was guaranteed $15,000 in 2013, $225,000 in 2014 and $225,000 in 2015. Hayne announced his NRL retirement to pursue an NFL career in October, 2014.The money was paid in various ways but a secret *recording from Parramatta board minutes obtained by the integrity unit reveal he did not fulfil some sponsorship agreements and failed to turn up to some functions that were part of his deals.Also, a car payment of $15,000 was made in 2014.There was another $15,000 in travel expenses to Seattle where Hayne flew — in first class — that was paid for by the club but not *disclosed in the salary cap.In December 2014, Parramatta Leagues Club transferred Hayne $52,000 — $26,000 of that amount to his manager Wayne Beavis and the other half to a company called JH Promotion.The breach notice also shows an awareness of the general rorting of the cap at the club. At one point in the June 2015 board transcripts, Gadiel talks about a payment made by a third party to Watmough, which was paid by the club through inflated invoices. Chairman Steve Sharp said the club was effectively paying the deal: “So she was going to increase her charges to us. So we are paying the third party deal.”But Gadiel said: “Sorry, that’s the f-word, that’s fraud isn’t it. That is fraud.”The documents show from the time of the appointment of Seward as CEO in September 2013, he was approached by player agents concerning payments that the club had committed to but remained unpaid.The following discussion took place at a board meeting on December 10, 2013 to discuss the money owed to players but undeclared to the NRL following an approach by Beavis about a payment.SEWARD: The consequences are enormous if we stuff it up, because it is what it is. It’s supposed to be arm’s length; it’s actually supposed to have nothing to do with us. So we’ve just got to make sure we do it the right way.STEVE SHARP: Melbourne stuffed it up.SEWARD: Melbourne stuffed it up, Canterbury stuffed it up, you know that’s ...UNKNOWN: It’s important we do it right.SEWARD: It’s important we do it right.UNKNOWN: Because Jarryd is a real concern ...SEWARD: Jarryd is a *massive concern ...The breach notice shows another six players, including Tim Mannah, Fui-Fui Moimoi and Chris Sandow, had third party deals not declared. There is no suggestion these players were aware their deals breached the rules or have done anything wrong.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...dc5eeff44e18cf
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Jarryd Hayne says he was unaware of 'secret deals' during his time at Parramatta Eels
Former Parramatta superstar Jarryd Hayne says he knows nothing about receiving off-the-record payments of nearly $500,000 when he was at the NRL club.
New revelations in an NRL breach notice against the Eels reportedly show the club secretly arranged almost half a million dollars in deals for the NFL convert since 2013.
"Half a million, wow, must have been the wrong bank account. I haven't seen it": Jarryd Hayne. Photo: Getty Images
Official documents and boardroom minutes show a trail of salary cap discrepancies in the star fullback's third party deals with the club from 2013 to 2015, News Corp reported on Tuesday.
They allegedly include cash payments, first class overseas travel and car expenses adding up to $465,000, all hidden from the NRL.
When asked by reporters about the "secret deals" in London on Monday, Hayne joked about the amount.
"Half a million, wow, must have been the wrong bank account. I haven't seen it." When asked if he was aware of any off-the-record payments, Hayne replied: "Not that I'm aware of, no".
Hayne said the Eels' salary cap scandal was sad and disappointing when the side had been doing so well, "not only finals-bound but top four bound".
"Us players have no idea what goes on behind closed doors."
He said the players' duty was to go out and play and he had put his trust in his manager and the people who ran the club.
"I'm an athlete, not a manager" he added.
Hayne's manager, Wayne Beavis, also denied the reports.
"On the press reports there is a lot of the content contained in it relating to Jarryd that is factually incorrect," Beavis told Sky Sports Radio.
The revelations follow Hayne's surprise news on Monday that he was quitting the San Francisco 49ers and n NFL career to chase Olympic gold with Fiji's Rugby Sevens team.
Third-party payments to players must be done on an arm's length basis from the club and it's a breach of salary cap rules if a club makes a payment on behalf of third parties.
The audio tapes from meetings also indicate that current board member Tanya Gaidel asked Steve Sharp whether the club was participating in fraudulent activities to provide third-party payments to 2015 recruit Anthony Watmough.
There is no suggestion Hayne or Watmough were aware their payments were contrary to NRL rules, or that either had done anything wrong.
AAP
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/jarryd-hayne-says-he...
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" hey let's release the Hayne one now to avoid any positive momentum if Jarryd pledges allegiance to Parra "
There's also no way amongst this garbage now he will mention a possible return to Parra , call me a tin foil hat but this all seems an elaborate plan to drive a wedge between him and our club , whether it be by his manager or someone like Politis or Greenturd but this would create a pretty good " out " for him to go back on his word about returning .
Judas #2 maybe ?
It actually looks like it uniting Hayne and the Eels..
When are the ppl that are pleased with what's transpired at our club ever gonna stop...well they get what they wished for and every other bit of collateral damage along with it.
Btw NRL may want to look at the journalism and reporters that surround NRL before they waste another $110M of media and advertising money promoting the game! There is nothing wrong with the game itself that should warrant that kind of waste promoting.
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