PARRAMATTA’S toxic boardroom has poisoned another great, with Eric Grothe boycotting the club’s presentation dinner on Tuesday night in protest at the latest load of leaks and damaging headlines.
The “Guru” is seething over what he considers a “witch hunt” against former Leagues Club chairman Roy Spagnolo, who has been linked to fraudulent backdating of memberships in the lead-up to last year’s election.
Grothe was a member of Spagnolo’s board, which was also accused of bullying another ex-director in a press release on Monday night.
Parramatta Eels legends Brett Kenny and Eric Grothe. Grothe boycotted the Eels presentation dinner on Tuesday night. Source: News Limited
Furious over being implicated in such tawdry allegations, the four-time premiership winner withdrew from the following night’s event at La Montage, Leichhardt.
“They’ve said there was harassment and bullying from some directors, toward another director,” Grothe told us.
“That’s the biggest joke in the world. I know exactly what happened and this is just over the top.”
Pressed for the real story, he said: “I can’t say too much, but we needed to ask some questions and if we didn’t ask those questions we would not have been doing the right thing.”
The call to stay away was extremely difficult for Grothe, given the club’s Rookie of the Year award is named in his honour. It was given to devastating Kiwi Manu Ma’u.
“I don’t like to do anything like this without telling anyone,” Grothe said. “I was supposed to hand out that award and I was really looking forward to it, but at the same time I had to take some sort of personal stand against what’s going on.”
So when will the Guru return to the fold? He and current chairman, Steve Sharp, shared grand final glory, so surely their differences can be mended.
“If nothing changes, then I feel I want to stay away from the joint,’’ he said. “It’s hard to get over these types of things, with all the innuendo they create. Sh*t sticks. I just want unity.”
SPEAKING of huge units doing unexpected side projects, Eels prop Fuifui Moimoi is in the process of writing a book.
Not bad for a bloke who dodged reporters for the first half of his career with the excuse that he did not speak English.
Will Hopoate and Fui Fui Moi Moi enjoy a slide during a Parramtta Eels day off at Wet 'N Wild World.
Replies
Roy got in on the back of his association with former greats of our club like Eric Grothe and Ray Price. I was one of the people who was sucked in on that basis. How many allegedly fraudulent votes did Eric Grothe collect at the last election? We will never know. I admire you for sticking by your mates Eric Grothe and you are without doubt one of the greatest ever to not only just wear the Parra jersey but to play the game. But the old saying goes when you lie down with dogs you get up with fleas. If you don't want to be part of the club then off you go. Change the Rookie of the Year award to the Nathan Hindmarsh Award and be done with it.
However, Roy has in some way or another, has great influence over the Grothe family.
All accusations towards Roy and leadbeater are absolutely true and the matter may spill into Erics backyard by the authorities.
Roy will be charged and to face the legal system.
On another point, watmough announcement to be made this week I've been told.
Eric, the best thing you and your son Eric jr can do is stay away from the board and any running of the joint, your whole tickets been an utter disgrace and you need to man the fuck up and admit it, both of you offer not one iota to the board.
Ive always liked EGS, one of the greatest eels ever and always seemed like a good fella, but leave the running of the club to people that can take us forward, fuck me Eric, move aside mate.
Your ticket and men you have alligned yourself with have disgraced our club, and you must be a fool to mix with the likes of spagnolo.
Eric if you care about the club, WALK AWAY MATE, thanks for the memories Eric but FFS show some personal pride and walk away from having anything to do with running the club, and you and your son should be ashamed of yourself being on the same ticket as Spagnolo, i actually think anybody on that ticket should be banned for life from the club.
And as far as Brett goes, i'd just concentrate on speaking a dialect other than the current one you speak, im not sure how many people understand Swahili mate, Bretts another one who should be kept away from the running of the club.
Im all for Brett and Growth to be giving the odd pre game pep talk to the boys etc but stay the fuck away from the board you clowns, take your dopey mate 7s with you.
Eric is just showing how naive he is, him, Kenny and Pricey were taken for a ride by Spags and used to get into power.
him like the club should cuts ties with the grub forever.
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You've just read Fui's new book.
It's a shame that he's decided to take this stand but that's his call so I'll respect that even if I don't agree with it.
The only thing I will say about this article is that there is no witch hunt. If the truth is making people uncomfortable that's good. It's not Sharp and the current Board that EGS should be upset with.
EGS is one of my all time favourite players but siding with Spagnolo now threatens his legacy at the club and he really should think long and hard about what he is doing. To jump to the defence of someone who is accused of serious offences relating to the running of our club is a stunt to try and paint Spagnolo as some sort of victim in this whole mess. Lol to that.
Let's face it - whatever Roy says - the Grothes' acquiesce to, much like that other Spagnolo acolyte Terry Leabeater.
It's disappointing that EGS boycotted the presentation - without warning - of the Rookie of the Year award named in his honour. To do that was a slight on the club that he served so well for many years. But the club has also been good to Grothe. In 2011 it was reported he supplied meat trays - through his business GROTHE MEAT & RAFFLE TRAYS - for raffles at Vikings Sports Club, totalling $53,737. This was up from $24,800 the prior year. All this while he was a director of the club. Some perceived this as a conflict of interest but the practice was allowed to continue.
I hope EGS comes to his senses and realises that no one person is bigger than the club. I hope his legacy will remain.
That last picture of Fui Fui and Hopoate has a real Brokeback Mountain look to it.It is bound to feature in JJ's fantasies.
This whole Spagbol saga is making Parra look like an even bigger joke than it already is.Old Roy is in total destruction mode,
he won't go without causing collateral damage to friend and foe alike.
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