The damages Will Hopoate is seeking from National Rugby League side Parramatta Eels "over the contract saga is a whopping" A$1.83M ($1.4M), according to Wilson, Ritchie & Nicolussi of the Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH. That is the figure "listed in an official statement of claim lodged with the Supreme Court on Thursday." There was a directions hearing "where a mediation date was set for May 12." Both parties "could come to an agreement before that date." Should "they fail to do so, then the player and club can proceed to an actual hearing." The A$1.83M "works out to be roughly what Hopoate stood to earn from his three-year deal with the Eels that never eventuated." Tendered court documents state that Hopoate signed a three-year contract on April 10 and "returned it to the Eels." But the Eels "never registered the contract with the NRL." While it has been "widely accepted any cash Parramatta had to stump up for Hopoate over the messy dispute would count towards their salary cap, the NRL denied that was the case" (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 3/31).
