Parramatta Eels: ‘Dodgy’ invoices allegedly used to cover third-party payments to players

PARRAMATTA allegedly used dodgy invoices to cover up third-party payments to players, including Daniel Harrison with suggestions reps told clothing suppliers to issue inflated invoices.

Daniel Harrison. Manly Warringah Sea Eagles vs Parramatta Eels at Brookvale Oval

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PARRAMATTA allegedly used dodgy invoices to cover up some third-party payments to players.

Suggestions emerged yesterday that some representatives told one of the club’s clothing suppliers to issue inflated invoices totalling more than $50,000.

Daniel Harrison was allegedly paid between $15,000 and $20,000 as part of a third-party deal that saw him leave the Eels to join Manly.

Insiders also alleged the Eels made one payment of between $15,000-$20,000 to Zibara Clothing Company in 2014 despite no goods or services being provided in exchange for the money.

Instead, The Daily Telegraph has been told the proceeds were used by the Eels to make a third-party payment to former player Daniel Harrison.

This payment formed part of a package that saw him depart the club in 2014 to Manly.

Harrison now plays for the London Broncos.

Zibara supplies staff uniforms to the Parramatta Leagues Club, sports apparel to the Parramatta junior rugby league and suits to various Eels personnel.

An Eels spokesman said last night: “The club is working closely with the NRL and will include these matters as part of the internal investigation.”

Zibara Clothing said they had “no comment” when contacted yesterday. There is no suggestion either Zibara Clothing or Harrison have done anything wrong.

The NRL last night said: “Any evidence that comes forward during the investigation period will be looked at by the integrity unit.”

The new allegations come as embattled Eels chief executive John Boulous appeared to admit corporate boxes had been offered to third-party providers as a way of inducing business.

In an interview with Channel 9 about whether the club could lose competition points, Mr Boulous last night said he knew there had been “issues” at the club. He said he could not predict the outcome of the NRL’s investigations.

The Eels CEO also claimed that all of the board minutes The Daily Telegraph has revealed as part of its investigation into the salary cap scandal were handed in to the NRL’s integrity unit on Monday night.

NRL laws state third-party agreements must be at an arm’s length to ensure they do not become a way for clubs to use sponsors to cheat on the salary cap.

Mr Boulous, along with Eels chairman Steve Sharp and deputy chairman Tom Issa, were present at a series of board meetings during 2014 where third-party arrangements were discussed in detail.

Yesterday The Telegraph revealed board minutes from January 2014 that showed the Parramatta board discussed the need to secure third-party payments to players for the 2014 season.

NRL laws state third-party agreements must be at an arm’s length to ensure they do not become a way for clubs to use sponsors to cheat on the salary cap. It is a breach of cap laws for a club to be involved in the compensation of a third-party provider in any way.