Adrian Proszenko
Parramatta's factional infighting has spilled into the corridors of power at the Blues after Denis Fitzgerald challenged the right of his former teammate Geoff Gerard to stand at Friday's NSWRL board elections.
The cessation of the Eels' election cycles has ended the bitter battle for control of the blue and golds, but it appears the enmity between the protagonists hasn't abated. Gerard and Fitzgerald played together in the 1970s and worked collaboratively on the Parramatta board decades later. However, there was an apparent falling out after the latter, the self-proclaimed "emperor" of Parramatta, was sensationally ousted at the ballot box.
Denis Fitzgerald has questioned whether a former teammate is eligible to retain his place as a NSWRL director. Photo: Fairfax NZIn a letter to NSWRL CEO David Trodden – obtained by Fairfax Media – Fitzgerald questioned whether Gerard was eligible to retain his place as a NSWRL director at Friday's annual general meeting. Fitzgerald pointed to the fact Gerard was an Eels director during their salary cap crisis.
"I was surprised that Geoff was standing [for re-election] because of Geoff being a director of the Parramatta NRL Club and the Parramatta Leagues Club, when the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority sacked the total board in July 2016, when the authority found the Parramatta Leagues Club board had ceased to be effective and resolved to replace the board with a temporary administrator, Max Donnelly of Ferrier Hodgson," Fitzgerald wrote.
"Geoff no longer holds any position with the Parramatta Club and separate to that, it would seem to me that it does not reflect well on the NSWRL, if it continues to have a director, who has been a member of a board that has been sacked by a government authority.
"As a life member of the NSWRL, I am most concerned re the public perception of the NSWRL, should we have a director who was a member of a licensed club board, which was sacked by the NSW government. You would be aware that the Parramatta NRL club is fully owned by the Parramatta Leagues Club.
"Could you please confirm whether or not Geoff is eligible to stand for the board on this Friday afternoon at the AGM and whether in fact Geoff is standing?"
Gerard voluntarily resigned from Parramatta's NRL board and unequivocally supported ILGA's action in removing the leagues club board.
Gerard said he had pushed for the club to work with, rather than against, the NRL during the salary cap saga.
"I was always in favour of people coming in to fix the club," Gerard said.
"I pushed strongly for the board to work with the NRL in relation to the salary cap.
"It's sad that Denis can't move on, that's why there will always be political issues at Parramatta."
Despite Fitzgerald's query, there is nothing precluding Gerard from standing for the NSWRL board and he will do so unopposed. It appeared there could be a change of directors after Cronulla chairman Dino Mezzatesta was nominated to run, meaning either Gerard or former Bulldogs chairman Ray Dib could be squeezed out. However, Mezzatesta opted to withdraw from the race.
The Fitzgerald email clearly highlights there is no love lost as former Parramatta powerbrokers continue their feud long after they have left positions of power.
Replies
Denis is a sick man obviously getting sicker..
Certainly seems that way.
The worst of it for me is that when he took over the eels Chairmans position, he lifted the club to a position where they were respected and we got the 4 premierships during his time at the helm, that however diminished big time in his later reign where he considered himself as the only one who could/should run the place.
He was elected out for obvious reasons, but the next two rounds were no real improvements, now as the future seems bright, and he knows that he is now minnow trying to crow in the wilderness and somehow retain some form of relevancy.
I respected him in the early days and any I have left is fast dissipating, time Denis for you to accept the fact that you have had your time, please retire and live a life and support the eels, do so graciously for your own good. The fact that Geoff a long serving Eels player and official is another that you have angst for does you no credit at all.
Sad and pathetic Denis.
Thanks god this shit is no longer directly affecting the Eels, however I get the feeling it is going to bubble away just beneath the surface for a while yet.
Fitzy how pathetic is he????
Just build a bridge and move on you sad pathetic man.
Poor old Dennis Strangelove...never forget his wry evil smile outside nrl HQ when the ‘news to stop the nation’ hammer fell 2016. Pathetic waste of time.
Only one person is feuding. Denis needs help. Seriously.