Eels pledge to open their books

I wonder if it starts with "Once upon a time..."?http://m.smh.com.au/rugby-league/parramatta-eels-promise-to-open-their-books-to-investigation-at-crisis-talks-with-nrl-20160310-gnfyvx.htmlGus and Webby: Set of 6Share Adjust font size Read LaterEmailFacebookGoogle PlusTwitterWhatsappBy CHRIS BARRETTNRL could have smoking gun in Eels salary cap dramaParra members kept in dark over secret fund for cap fineThird-party sponsor admits he was invited to Pirtek Stadium boxEmbattled Parramatta chairman Steve Sharp and chief executive John Boulos on Thursday night pledged to open their books to the NRL as they met with ARL Commission chair John Grant and integrity unit chief Nick Weeks amidst a fresh crisis engulfing the Eels.The competition's most-strife torn franchise is again in damage control and has committed to comply with an NRL investigation that has been now been widened to take in a series of new claims.After meeting with Sharp and Boulous at NRL headquarters Grant said on Thursday night that an exhaustive investigation would begin into Parramatta's compliance with the salary cap."It's very important for the club and its fans and members that the investigation determine once and for all whether there have been any undisclosed breaches of the salary cap," he said."And if there have been, they will be dealt with.Embattled: Parramatta chief executive John Boulous.Embattled: Parramatta chief executive John Boulous.Photo: Benjamin Cuevas"It will take time to get to the bottom of these allegations...the important thing is that we investigate and deal with the matter so that the club and the game can draw a line in the sand and move on."As the Eels met with the NRL it also emerged that the governing body is looking at eradicating third-party agreements for the competition's lesser-name players on the back of the latest Parramatta fiasco, believing that they are prone to breaking salary cap rules.While League Central's investigation of the Eels is centred on a third-party arrangement between Anthony Watmough and the firm BlackCitrus, and a suggestion that the club's directors were forewarned about it, a series of other allegations levelled at Parramatta has lumped more pressure on the board and added to the likelihood of another heavy fine.Among the issues raised was a $27,500 payment from a sporting goods company to former Eels player Ben Smith, as well as free rent provided to Richie Fa'aoso last year beyond a $5000 rental allowance that had been declared to League Central.Questions are being raised at the NRL about how the third-party system can be reworked so that registered additional payments from non-club entities are directed principally towards bigger name players.What is being asked at head office is what value players of the calibre, for instance, of Smith and Fa'aoso - honest but hardly superstars - bring for a third-party backer in comparison to the game's marquee stars and whether firms and individuals who pay them are being improperly rewarded with corporate tickets to matches.Fairfax Media knows of several examples of third-party providers to Eels players regularly attending as invitees in Parramatta's 24 corporate boxes including long-time friend of the club and juniors supporter Jack Iori, the Rouse Hill shopping centre owner who sponsored Will Hopoate for $20,000 last season and Jarryd Hayne for the same amount in 2014. Clubs providing free corporate tickets to supposedly independent third-party backers is against the rules of the cap.While the blowtorch is on Parramatta - if they are sanctioned for salary cap excesses again it will be six seasons in a row they will have recorded breaches - a third-party review was conducted last year by former Melbourne Storm chief executive Mark Evans.It is believed that one of the recommendations of that review is that third-party payments in the future are reserved for top-line players, for instance the leading five players at a club rather than be available for all players as is currently the case.The latest round of claims against the Eels have heaped pressure on the positions of the club's two most powerful figures, Sharp and deputy chairman Tom Issa, ahead of the annual general meeting in May with discussions held about a possible vote of no-confidence in the board.

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  • The worst bit about all this rubbish is we could lose -4 this year for 2014 incidents. Previously, Storm and Dogs have lost points the following year, or the same year, but not 2 years later. As soon as Storm were found to be breaching the cap, and due to the severity, they played for nothing in 2010. The Dogs went from first to last. But here we are, instead of losing these last yr, we might lose them when they have the biggest impact on us in 6 years. The irony. The more that comes out the more likely it is we lose points. But we've also already been punished once for all the 2014 business too so a double hit would be extremely severe. We should have just cleared it all up last year and lost 2015 points, not 2016 when we have a great hope of finals footy.
  • ''An exhaustive investigation will begin into parramattas compliance with the cap'' 

    ''if there have been, they will be dealt with''

    There already seems to be plenty of evidence, i recon theres a very good chance we could lose points here and this year will be all over.

    I really hope thats not the case.

    • Snake, the question to me still comes out & has not been answered is how come both PCW the clubs auditors as well as the appointed ones that did the governance review missed this stuff, likewise the NRL's previous Salary Cap guru in Ian Schubert also would have cleared all of the books.  Under the provisions of what both were supposed to carry out, all books would have been provided.

      The only thing that may have been missed is if there were missing docuements, & perhaps the ones that have now shown up in the hands of journo's.

      For mine, if the NRL is saying the Eels board has answers to give, they should also be looking into how the leaks have occured, likewise who took internal docuements from the club & gave to the media?  They are answers that the club, NRL & supporters also need to know & have answers for.

      In some of the media reports, the issue about the tickets to matches was brought up, but seems also that much of these TPA's are not all at arms length as its common across all clubs for their sponsors etc to provide such items, illegal as it is.

      I also notice this morning the NRL is examining the whole issue of TPA's & how to better manage it, restricting to 5 main players per club.  I'm sure that will work also, just as much as the current system with no rorts going on.

  • 4 or even more points looking very likely.
  • What exactly would the kids get out of that Fongy?

    And what subject would they be shown the documentary in?

    What age should they see it?

    Would they need parental permission to view it?

    Would you let your kids watch it?

    • If you want to be a success in life kids, don't be this guy

      As for age 13 any younger and they'll be scared for life but any older and it might be too late for some of them

      I'd make my kids watch it, multiple times until they got the message.

      • Fair Dinkum Every problem that exists in this club is now having to be shouldered by Sharp?

        Who can tell me that this never went on in the past, IIRC, some of the big issues that cost the emperor in his final years (including his new clothes) was how the club was found to have been over the cap, using modern language, rorting it.

        The eels were headlines back then with all the moves for some years to be rid of him, & hasn't that worked?  Then we get the pro's elected, business men of all (in the end ill) repute, & weren't they such great examples, as they sponsored players, but that was legal wasn't it.

        The big thing is, that the campaigns against the eels, no doubt leaves others alone, the leagues club is doing well as against a basket case in the past & making good profits, yet we still cop this from the media.  Broncs have just posted a $40M profit, a picture shows Bennett smiling, probably signed a new contract for at least 10% of the profit being his annual salary.  Ahhh the sunshine state..

        In the end its all about control, & everyone wants their own say & way to control the eels, but even when that happens, still wont be good enough as they will find traitor employees who will be stawked & hounded by the media to sell us out for a few pieces of silver.

        • and that is why all the factions should be removed

          Sharp, Issa and co

          Fitzy and his mates

          and Roy and his boys

          When they wanted Fitzy out of power they found the dirt and released it to the media

          When they wanted Roy out of power they found the dirt and released in to the media

          Now they want Sharp out of power and are releasing the dirt to the media

          IMO, Sharp through either naivety or stupidity seems to have a lot more dirt then Fitzy or even Roy had at least in terms of pure club related stuff.

          The signed by Sharp and the board, minutes of the meeting where looking into ways to get around the TPA is an example of this.

          While I'm sure this sort of stuff was discussed by both Roy with his board and when Fitzy was in charge, just like it's discussed at the Roosters, Panthers, Storm, Broncos, Warriors etc, I doubt it would have been documented in the same way, it would have been discussed in private.

          I do feel sorry for Sharp in a way a combination of him getting in way over his head and not knowing how to run a club board, combined with some shady people on his board and on top of that a vendetta against not him personally per say but anyone not tied to one of the other factions in the club even if Sterlo was chairman instead of Sharp I have no doubts that there would be someone looking to take him down, if that is Fitzy, Roy or another party is irrelevant and likely to be all of them.

          Until the factions are removed crap like this will continue regardless of who gets elected. I may not agree with a lot of what Josh Massoud says but he was on Triple M yesterday and made a great point until everyone is 6 feet under in a pine box this will continue the hatred between the various factions runs too deep.

          The NRL needs to step in and take over the board and not give control back until every single associate of Dennis Fitzgerald, Roy Spagnolo and Steve Sharp (as well as whatever other factions are around) are well away from the club. Because the last few years has proven that Parramatta can't take care of the problem themselves.

          • Dave.  I agree with all you say, & especially the aspects relating to every club having the same issues but they can keep it quiet, or is it just the eels are the easy target & best for the 3 tent media circus's out there?

            We now have an appointed CEO, who does have some experience in business as well as sports admin, he therefore needs to be at arms length in some of this stuff, he also & so should all CEO's associated with NRL clubs have to make a public statement & send the NRL a profile of what & any business dealings they currently had/have, something along the lines of polititians have to dislose.

            No doubt in my mind that Sharp came in with good intentions, & believe he has delivered some things for the club, but the constant water boarding by former & likely current board members has taken its toll, & no matter who came in same would happen, & I shudder at the thought of Fitzegerald returning.

            Another aspect about these bank statements & leaks, lets not forget that both the emperor & Ben Smith still have cases before the courts regarding items affecting them & the club, how could either of them be contemplated to have any unbias against the club anyway?  & do they stand to gain anything from these releases as far as enhancing their cases?

            • The problem at the Eels is too many people ready to do anything to get in power even if it destroys the club.

              Don't forget NONE of the major salary cap scandals were discovered by the NRL auditors.

              In the Bulldogs, Storm and now Parramatta cases it was documents leaked to the media by some disgruntled party be it a sponsor, former employee or ex-board member and then the NRL using those documents to find out what was going on.

              The other clubs either keep it quieter and they have people willing to take one for the team and keep the NRL happy (Gee at the Broncos) had Parramatta had that 1 club pulling in 1 direction mentality then a lot of this would have been avoided.

              Sure it may have cost Sharp, Issa, Seward or whoever their job as they were the people in charge at the time but due to the factions all pulling in different directions trying to get as much of the pie for themselves as possible we are now where we are. 

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