Former Parramatta Eels officials admits dodgy cash payments to players

http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/former-parramatta-eels-officials-admits-dodgy-cash-payments-to-players/news-story/651aa5c4bdf455a8601008382f0c305b

PARRAMATTA’S former chief executive and its ex-football manager have admitted to using merchandise sales and inflated invoices to honour under-the-table payments to the NRL club’s players.

Former Eels boss Scott Seward and football manager Jason Irvine also told the NRL during its investigations that by the end of the 2014 season, $589,000 was owed to players in unwritten deals.

“The players are like animals you know. They feed wherever they can,” Irvine reportedly told the NRL.

The pair also admitted to Seward paying the money to players by way of cash, either provided directly by suppliers or after paid into Irvine’s credit union account.

Seward also said now-Brisbane recruitment manager Peter Nolan was aware of most of the deals, and had told him not to worry as “people will help us out”.

Irvine said he had only personally paid $6000 in cash to one player, Nathan Peats, who had demanded the money and threatened he would quit playing if he did not receive it.

There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing from any player.

Originally published as Former Eels officials admit dodgy payments

Replies

Enforcer Eel July 12, 2016 at 9:45am

Funny seeing Peats name come up. Maybe more a reason why he was shown the door ahead of others?
- colin hussey > Enforcer Eel July 12, 2016 at 10:26am
  
  It almost has the feel of a pecking order of clubs players that are deemed to be of the most value in order to discredit them, whether they are still here, gone or near gone, & perhaps still to come.
  
  Lost Peats for basically known reasons. A blog on this site regarding first new signing in Vave for problems as a youngster. then Foran's issue, followed by Norman. What & who's next?
Cranky Brad is here!!! July 12, 2016 at 9:49am

Irvine saying players are like animals, well I bet you if he didn't get paid every cent he was promised he would carry like a wanker as well.
Kramerica July 12, 2016 at 10:14am

"The players are like animals you know. They feed wherever they can"

I think this bloke's been watching a bit much Discovery Channel.
- colin hussey > Kramerica July 12, 2016 at 10:20am
  
  More like Attenburghs The Hunt. Stalk, kill & feast.
- macybrown > Kramerica July 12, 2016 at 10:24am
  
  Well he is kinda right. Some of ours are absolute beasts ;)
macybrown July 12, 2016 at 10:17am

Exactly Frankie, that quote is up there with the best of them. We sure know how to find em.

Still astounds me an astute business man like Moss would employ Irvine after our gig.
You'd have to think Moss was abreast with these goings on esp after the bungled Watmough TPA arranged vis Seward and Moss' sons company was dragged in on it.
In any case, even we mere mortals know if our company is contracted to the club we would not be at arms length to supply a legit TPA. Not very astute to NRL rules if you ask me.
colin hussey July 12, 2016 at 10:22am

Isn't this the Irvine who was in charge of the Juniors, & was said to have caused a lot of problems there?
- macybrown > colin hussey July 12, 2016 at 10:48am
  
  I don't know Colin. But he was in the thick of the Mossop ones also as I recall...probably at the centre of most of our direct payment problems really. Do you know if he was involved in the actual signing process of those players implicated? Just curious. Be extra shitty form for him to walk away from this, if he was directly involved at the other end setting contract TPAs etc up ie Mossop, Sandow, Reni, smith, Hoppa, peats Normz, other than the wati ones they all go back to around 2013.
Cʜɪᴇғy Mclovin 🐐 July 12, 2016 at 10:38am

It's a restraint of trade. Most NRL players are getting massive unders compared to overseas sports.
They deserve every cent they can get.