Doctors advise Watmough to give up Rugby League - Report - Eels Blogs

Parramatta – promised us a new era under gun coach Brad Arthur and fresh arrival Anthony Watmough. All going to plan so farBy Brendan BradfordPublished on Mar. 25, 2016Anthony Watmough still hasn’t been spotted anywhere near a rugby league field this year and speculation continues to mount that the Parramatta forward is on the verge of retirement.MORE: Up the Hoist - What's going on at the Roosters? l Video - Bunnies fans hammer GI after lossPlagued by injury, Watmough played 17 games in 2015 while rumours about him hanging up the boots have swirled since the preseason.Reporter James Hooper told Triple M radio that he had spoken to Watmough about his future and revealed that doctors had told the former Origin player to pack it in.“The paperwork has gone in for an insurance claim for Anthony Watmough in terms of his chronic injuries," Hooper said."There are a couple of doctors that are suggesting that Choc has got so many injuries that he should no longer be playing the game of rugby league."Apparently that can take 6-12 weeks for these types of claims to be processed.“The interesting one is that if he gets the insurance payout, that means the club is covered. But not only that, if you’re forced to retire now due to a chronic injury, that money actually comes off your salary cap the following season.“So instead of Anthony Watmough theoretically taking up $750,000 of the Parramatta Eels’ salary cap next season, they would have that money to spend – that would not be counted in the salary cap.”

"Cap relief would be an unfair advantage the NRL would be giving Parra over the other 15 clubs. I highly doubt that's something the NRL should or would give"

Replies

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER March 26, 2016 at 4:35pm

I hope he does sooner then later so Parramatta make Tamou a big offer
Yobz March 26, 2016 at 4:55pm

"Following season"...so that doesn't help us being one man down this season?
- Hamish > Yobz March 26, 2016 at 5:10pm
  
  In all honesty we have looked fine without Choc on the field this year, and I don't think we are going to pick up a former international/origin forward this season in any event.
- Tom Mus > Yobz March 26, 2016 at 5:23pm
  
  The current OUTRAGE is that we don't have to pay out the rest of Watmough's contract, so that's what's highlighted. But, in the past, it has been said that, yes, you do get some salary cap concessions for long-term injuries in the year that the player is missing.
- Yobz > Yobz March 26, 2016 at 5:46pm
  
  That's what I thought Mus, although the above doesn't quite indicate that. I think the concessions for this year would be to play somebody from outside the top 25 if required.
MINA kouroutis March 26, 2016 at 5:05pm

Parramum.
It would be great to Tamou playing for our Eels Paul, But I heard that Parra Eels! Do have 1st senior players off contracts soon, I agree about Anthony, the quicker the better. :-) .
Camo73 March 26, 2016 at 5:57pm

I watched Tamou last night with the idea of him playing for us at some stage. I really didn't see anything that would make me wish for him to join us.
There are much better props out there. Sadly, Junior Paulo leaves him for dead.
- the boss > Camo73 March 26, 2016 at 6:20pm
  
  Same was average last night
- Poupou Escobar > Camo73 March 27, 2016 at 2:28am
  
  Junior Paulo was even worse when we played the Broncos. Their defence makes plenty of forwards look ordinary.
Bateau Bay Eel March 26, 2016 at 6:00pm

Isn't it a no brainier that the money freed up from Whatmough retiring becomes available for next year! I don't get the dickheads that question this as a loophole, it's as if we should be down that money n still have no player?