Eels submit retirement application to the NRL on behalf of Anthony Watmough

THE Eels have finally taken action to relieve its urgent salary cap woes, formally submitting a retirement application to the NRL for Anthony Watmough.

Anthony Watmough has reached an agreement with the Eels to retire.

THE Parramatta Eels have finally taken action to relieve its urgent salary cap woes, formally submitting a retirement application to the NRL on behalf of injured forward Anthony Watmough.

It is understood Watmough reached agreement with the club to retire, in exchange for a proposed financial settlement subject to the NRL agreeing to the retirement request.

The application was submitted on Thursday afternoon, complete with Watmough’s medical records. The application will be urgently reviewed by NRL chief medical officer Doctor Paul Bloomfield, in what shapes as one of the most crucial medical rulings by the body.

Bloomfield, who worked at the Sea Eagles for 12 years before joining the NRL last year, will determine if Watmough’s four-year, $750,000 a year deal with Parramatta is removed from the Eels current salary cap because of his knee injury.

It is Parramatta’s greatest hope of shedding most of the $570,000 which the Eels are currently over the salary cap, as a result of systematic cheating of third party rules.

NRL CEO Todd Greenberg said this week that there were “provisions in the rules for players who retire early due to medical conditions so we would deal with that on its merit”.

Bloomfield now has a maximum of eight days to determine if Watmough’s knee injury is career-ending if the Eels are to play for points in their next match. Parramatta play South Sydney on Friday May 13, although it is considered likely Bloomfield will make a determination on the knee injury before the match.

Anthony Watmough has reached an agreement to retire. .Picture Gregg Porteous

There are two remaining hurdles to be overcome before it is decided if Parramatta are playing under the cap on May 13.

The first is NRL salary cap auditor Jamie L’Oste Brown, who will determine how much of Watmough’s $750,000 salary and pay, which can be backdated to the date of the injury occurring last February, will be removed from the Eels salary cap.

The second is an ongoing court action by the so-called Gang of Five senior Eels officials — Steve Sharp, Tom Issa, John Boulous, Daniel Anderson and Peter Serrao — currently in the Supreme Court.

The NRL told the Eels on Wednesday that there was no point continuing negotiations for the club to get under the salary cap if the directors are continuing their court action by the time of the Souths match.

Originally published as Eels submit retirement application to the NRL on behalf of Anthony Watmough