Eels Blogs

THE Parramatta Eels have reportedly been stripped of 12 competition points following an investigation into alleged salary cap breaches.

NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg and Integrity Unit boss Nick Weeks are expected to confirm reports of the Eels’ season-defining punishment at an announcement at 11.30am.

The punishments include:

— The loss of 12 competition points

— Five officials sacked

— $1 million fine

— Players forced to leave club

The club will have to start from scratch when it is able to prove it fits under the 2016 salary cap.

The Daily Telegraph reported the Eels are currently over the 2016 cap because of illegitimate third-party deals sourced outside the salary cap rules and will have to move players to rival clubs before they can be considered eligible to compete for competition points.
Everyone loses.

Everyone loses.Source:Getty Images

The NRL is also demanding five officials from the club be immediately sacked.

The Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield has identified the five officials as Chairman Steve Sharp, CEO John Boulos, Head of football Daniel Anderson, Deputy Chairman Tom Issa, and Director Peter Serrao.

Greenberg visited Eels headquarters on Tuesday morning to address Parramatta players and staff to inform them of the league’s staunch punishment.

It comes after an NRL integrity unit forensic investigation to allegations of widespread salary cap breaches and third-party sponsorship agreements sourced outside salary cap rules.

Third-party agreements must be on an arm’s length basis to ensure they do not become a way for NRL clubs to use sponsors to undermine the salary cap.

The reported punishment is the heaviest the NRL has handed out since the Melbourne Storm were sensationally stripped of two NRL premierships following an investigation in 2010.

The points deduction makes them the fourth team in the history of the NRL to have points deducted for rorting, following on from Canterbury in 2002, the Warriors in 2006 and Melbourne in 2010.

Parramatta is still in a position to play finals football this season.

Starting from zero competition points, the Eels will likely have to win 12 of their remaining 15 matches — with four competition points guaranteed through two bye rounds — to finish on 28 competition points.

The Dragons finished on 28 points last year and played in the finals, however 28 points was not enough for the Warriors and Eels to play finals in 2014 when they finished tied with the Broncos on 28 points.