Eels salary cap scandal: Parramatta to appeal 12 point penalty

PARRAMATTA’s ongoing salary cap dramas are set to drag on with the club confirming it will appeal its punishment from the NRL.

Parramatta Eels players celebrate their 22-18 win against Sydney. Picture: AAP Image/Dean Lewins

THE Parramatta Eels will appeal the NRL’s decision to penalise the club for salary cap breaches.

The Eels board met this afternoon to discuss its response to the NRL’s punishment for breaches dating back to the 2013 season.

NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg announced on Saturday the Eels would have 12-points deducted from their 2016 season, as well as being hit with a $1 million fine.

Five Parramatta officials, including chairman Steve Sharp, have also been banned from the game.

Parramatta director Paul Garrard told the Parramatta Advertiser that there was strong support for an appeal.

The appeal will attempt to reduce the severity of the penalty placed on the club.

Parramatta Eels director Paul Garrard said the club has been working on addressing the NRL’s concerns. Picture: Peter Kelly

But the club won’t appeal the deregistration of the Eels officials dubbed the ‘Gang of Five’ — chairman Steve Sharp, chief executive John Boulous, head of football Daniel Anderson, and board members Tom Issa and Peter Serrao.

“I think it is vital that we appeal,” Mr Garrard said.

“In (NRL chief executive) Todd Greenberg’s statement, he said that the club has the right to appeal, and I think we should work within the system.

“In all of this, it doesn’t matter who is on the board, Parramatta is guilty of indiscriminate breaches between 2013 and 2015.

“The present board for the last 15 months has dealt with a lot of issues, and the actions of this board have been to resolve issues of previous administrations.

“The penalty is ought to be mitigated by the very clear work the board has down to satisfy the NRL’s governance review ... whether it be the points or the fine.”

NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg handed down the penalty last Saturday. Photo: Bob Barker

Greenberg said the Eels had the right to appeal their decision, but thought it would be best for the club to accept the punishment and move forward.

“It is my view that it is time for the club to move on and do the right thing by Brad Arthur, the players and the fans,” he said.

While the NRL had floated suspending $250,000 of the fine, Greenberg took that off the table when announcing the penalty for Parramatta.

“The club has shown no willingness to work with us and the full amount of the fine will apply,” he said.

Mr Garrard said the club would work with the NRL, saying it “has already put in place measures to satisfy the NRL’s wishes”.

Parramatta Leagues Club announced this afternoon that it will have an emergency general meeting on August 22.

The meeting will seek to approval from members to hold an early election no later than October 10.

Three submissions calling for an emergency general meeting in attempts to overthrow the current board have been deemed invalid due to flaws in the submissions.

The club will not appeal the deregistration of the ‘Gang of Five’, including Eels chairman Steve Sharp. Picture: John Fotiadis