Nathan Peats was chosen as the sacrificial lamb for Parramatta's salary cap breach because the Eels don't want to lose star playmaker Corey Norman, but the decision may deny them the chance to play for competition points in Friday night's match against South Sydney.
Just weeks after being told he was part of the club's long-term plans, Peats has been offered to Gold Coast to enable Parramatta to get under the salary cap by Friday but neither he nor the Titans have the same urgency to do a deal as the Eels.
In fact, Fairfax Media was told late Tuesday that negotiations had not yet begun as Gold Coast coach Neil Henry was still deciding whether he wanted to sign the City Origin hooker.
Gutted: Nathan Peats is upset the Eels have been offering him to other clubs. Photo: Getty Images
Peats, too, is uncertain whether he wants to relocate his young family and would only consider doing so if the length and terms of the offer made it worth their while.
Sources close to Peats suggested he would be very reluctant to leave Sydney and was gutted to learn that Eels officials had been contacting rival clubs to offer them his services.
As the only club interested which is able to accommodate him immediately after St George Illawarra officials said their focus was on retaining hooker Mitch Rein, the Titans hold the upper hand in negotiations and are only likely to be interested if they can get Peats on a cheap deal for the remainder of the season.
As a result, Gold Coast officials expect Parramatta to contribute to the cost of Peats's contract for this year, particularly as they will have to pay the full amount of any deal negotiated beyond then.
The fact Peats is off contract with the Eels at the end of the season is the reason he was identified as the player to be squeezed out after the NRL refused to back date Anthony Watmough's retirement to cover the full $570,000 they need to reduce from their salary cap before the club can begin playing for competition points.
With Parramatta having just days to shed a player on more than $250,000 per season, as well as Watmough and Melbourne-bound centre Ryan Morgan, the simplest option was to target a player who was off contract this year and the only ones fitting those criteria are Peats and Norman.
However, Eels coach Brad Arthur is determined to keep Norman, who is believed to be on $400,000 per season, so Peats was chosen as the player to go to enable the club to start accumulating competition points again.
Had Norman been put on the market, there would have been a frenzy as rival clubs looked to clear room in their salary cap to sign one of the NRL's form players and Parramatta would not have had to contribute to his contract but that is unlikely to be a consideration even if they can't offload Peats.
Former NRL salary cap auditor Ian Schubert, who is working as a consultant to help Parramatta through their latest crisis, is understood to have contacted the Titans about Peats but there had been no discussions between his agent Sam Ayoub and the club by late Tuesday.
If he refuses to leave, or a deal can't be negotiated with the Titans, it is believed Schubert has a Plan B and even a Plan C but they may involve shifting two players on lesser contracts, such as prop Junior Paulo, who is joining Canberra next season, fullback Michael Gordon or centre Vai Tautai.
However, the Eels need to replace any player they release in their top 25-man squad with a player on 50 per cent of the NRL's $85,000 minimum wage so whoever they move needs to be on a big enough contract to make it worthwhile.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/why-parramatta-eels-want-nathan-peats-to-be-their-sacrificial-lamb-20160510-gors3l.html#ixzz48KnTyiMk
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Replies
Honestly, screw the NRL. I would rather keep this team together and re work the numbers for next year than play the NRLs game.
Play for pride, play for the fans or just play for the blue and gold.
Agree EE, fuck the NRL.
I would rather keep Peatsy and not earn points too, but it's not the NRL fault…screw the Parra hierarchy who are scheming behind our players backs and are willing to betray just so they can hope to earn some points. I am disgusted.
NRL will only find, or come up with another reason to add further punishment later in the year.
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