The Parramatta Eels have been under investigation regarding their salary cap issues for nearly the past year.
With the current stream of media coverage it's still unclear what the Eels have actually done and where they have broken the salary cap. Time will tell in that regard.
But what of the NRL's other investigations? Is the NRL actually competent when it comes to these investigations? In a word - No.
In the past 15 years three sides have been docked competition points for breaking the salary cap. The Bulldogs in 2002, Warriors in 2007 and Melbourne in 2010.
In all of those instances the breaking of the salary cap was reported to the NRL by an ex-employee or third party. If those clubs weren't reported by those third parties the NRL would've been none-the-wiser.
Even Parramatta, the club currently in all kinds of trouble with the cap, self reported themselves to the NRL.
It begs the question, what does the salary cap auditor and integrity unit actually do? Isn't the salary cap auditor's job to police the salary cap?
Why do they never pick up highly systemic rorting of the salary cap and rely on a whistleblower?
Even when the NRL suspects clubs of a salary cap issue, their investigations are quick and generally find nothing or are conveniently swept under the carpet.
Take the Brisbane Broncos for example.
In 2014 they were investigated by the NRL after $300,000 went missing due to alleged payments to players outside the salary cap.
Then-Chief of Operations Andrew Gee resigned from his post meaning the NRL could no longer interview him regarding the money.
If everything was above board why did Gee resign? And why was the NRL's investigation so quick and rather glossed over?
The money was eventually repaid by Gee although no one knows where he found $300,000 from considering he was unemployed at the time. As far as the NRL was concerned their job was done.
It seemed rather odd for the NRL to essentially sweep that investigation aside considering the Australian Securities and Investment Commission were investigating the Broncos over the matter.
That's right, $300,000 disappears and the NRL sees it as a virtual non-issue while a Commonwealth Government body investigates it.
A second instance in 2015 saw the North Queensland Cowboys investigated over a number of their players buying houses from chairman Laurence Lancini.
They were cleared by the NRL because no one could prove any wrongdoing.
It still remains suspicious when players are buying property from their club chairman while it's well-known the club is struggling to retain all its players due to the salary cap.
In 2013 the Gold Coast Titans were investigated after they self-reported the fact Scott Prince was being paid under the table.
Again, the club self-reported. The people in charge of administering the salary cap had no clue.
They were fined $300,000 with $75,000 and a four competition point deduction suspended.
The NRL said they suspended part of the punishment because the club self-reported and their investigation couldn't find any suggestions of systematic cheating.
Pardon me for being cynical, but it does seem the Titans went to a hell of a lot of trouble and risked a large punishment for just one player.
None of this excuses what Parramatta has done, but it does raise the question of how professional and how rigorous the NRL's investigative procedures are.
At Brisbane they simply lost interest as soon as Gee resigned, they very quickly determined the Cowboys had no case to answer and they slapped the Titans over the wrist for virtually doing what Melbourne had done, albeit on a much smaller scale.
How can the NRL claim their processes work when they themselves have never caught a single club rorting the salary cap?
I'm not even going to get into the severe problems with policing third party agreements or the difference between the Storm and Parramatta.
Replies
Excellent article. Of course none of the other 15 clubs would be doing what Parramatta are accused of.
Who wrote this? Bravo!
Excellent read, and spot on.
True eels fan, i think the best we can hope for is 4 points, id be ecstatic at that, yes theres been a media beat up, but we are not without fault in this, we are about to get royally shafted, and it wont be anybody elses fault than our own.
email this to our board and the nrl and media , look it go's on and on, hit parra hard where there season ended when we are in 3rd place right now its silly a fine should be better , do it again and dock 4 points.
the nrl will lose fans and lose ratings which are huge, foxsports are 16% ahead of channel 9, they will lose all round too, with hopper and kent tactics on the eels every week and most days.
it seems on way or another the board may be moved on, if the eels lose 10 points our season over,and brad arthur and foren may go to another club, cory norman who wants as reported wants$750,000 aseason and may go too. if parra season over goz of the media blitz and nrl, wanting to save face,our members will most likely get 100 people and call a election, which should be a success .
the board may go, whats the best result, a fine and lose 4 points ,which should see the eels make the 8 if we win thursday in a vital win match. but we dont know if a lot of the media stuff is planted to hurt the eels and board.
thanks in my view we need to save our players and coaches and lose no more then 4 points.
clear the deck and we should be great for 2017 and beyond, look at the matthew shield results , we have talent coming on, .
it was good last night seeing sterlo and peter wynn ex great eels player supporting our current team , peter said the players are getting on well,there doing well. whats next our future looks good,if the nrl work it out they need parra and penrith doing well.. todd greenberge needs to sleep well before he sends parra into the black hole of no return , we fans are losers, the games a loser and the nrl rules on salary caps and tpds are far to red taped for boards in the nrl getting payed low , $10,000 to $15000 a year, that is silly.
as i see it one in all in,,parra go's all other clubs must have reviews at once on salary caps and tpds.
Surely the whole board are dead men walking and will be kicked out at next AGM regardless of NRL action. Unfortunately Sharp and company will only be remembered for this rather than all the good things they have done.
All we can hope is that the new board has better people in charge who have some business acumen to propel the club to even greater financial stability (including getting the football department expenses under control).
Where did I say that? In fact I said none of the above was an excuse, "None of this excuses what Parramatta has done." It's more, let's look at how the NRL conducts these investigations given they've never caught a single club cheating the cap.
I personally think the NRL will dock us around 4-6 points. Any more and it virtually kills our season. The NRL, Channel Nine and Fox don't want that. It means fans won't watch on TV or attend matches which means lost revenue for the NRL.
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