National Rugby League side Parramatta will "have to carry" more than A$1.3M ($960,000) worth of "shonky promised payments" in its salary cap during the next three years as the fallout from its "systematic cheating threatens future premiership campaigns," according to Adrian Proszenko of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. The Eels "have promised 10 of their biggest names undisclosed payments" for next season totalling A$688,600 ($508,000), which the NRL "has uncovered as part of a comprehensive forensic audit of the club." Further secret payments have been set aside for '18 totaling A$448,600 ($330,000), while A$175,000 ($130,000) of "off-the-book money" was set aside for '19. The NRL will "insist the clandestine deals," totaling A$1,312,200 ($968,000), be added to the "embattled club's salary cap over the next three years." The development will "cruel Parramatta's ability to retain and recruit talent and ensure the hangover from their salary cap rorts continues for a long while yet." Unless Parramatta and the so-called "gang of five" officials can convince the governing body that they are "manifestly excessive," the provisional sanctions -- which include the stripping of 12 competition points and a A$1M ($740,000) fine -- will stand. The NRL salary cap will rise to A$7.1M ($5.24M) next season, but Eels coach Brad Arthur will only have A$6,411,400 ($4.8M) at his disposal as the club "continues to pay for the sins of its administration." Powerbrokers at Rugby League Central, "in possession of damning evidence of illegal payments, gave their Eels counterparts at least half a dozen opportunities to come clean." However, Parramatta administrators "continually denied knowledge of impropriety and even threatened a public relations war against the NRL over their probe" (SMH, 6/11).
'GREAT TRAVESTY': In Sydney, Brent Read reported former Macquarie Bank boss Bill Moss "has spent a lifetime building businesses around the world." Now he "wants to play a role in rebuilding Parramatta." He said, "My wife says I’m mad. Why do I want to do it? The same reason I run a medical research foundation. The same reason I put all my money and time into finding a cure for a rare muscle disease. ... I think it is a great travesty and a great disgrace that the club I began following over 50 years ago is in such turmoil. ... I am getting people emailing me this morning from the business world saying can I be involved. I think that is positive." Moss has accepted an approach to "act in an advisory capacity" to Andrew Eagleston, the former club sponsor who is "leading a group attempting to overthrow the Eels’ four existing board members." He has "no desire to run the club or be involved in an administrative capacity." But he has "made his services available should Eagleston require them" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 6/13).
