THE WHEEL DEAL
Love this. My colleague Chris Barrett did a story recently on the former chairman of the Parramatta Eels Roy Spagnolo, who was shown the door ''after being accused of more than 30 instances of financial impropriety, from procuring free memberships and travel for family and friends, improperly paying large bonuses to executives and even allegedly using the back of a beer coaster to bill the club $30,000 for a Christmas party held at his house''. It was also alleged that he had authorised two payments to Eels prop Fuifui Moimoi, one of which was 15 grand for Moimoi's 2004 Ford Falcon, which in fact was likely worth only a little more than $5000. Not true, said Spagnolo. ''We did a valuation online,'' he told Barrett. ''It was $14,200 and we agreed to give him $15,000. It had mag wheels, it had woofers …''