Having narrowly avoided a four-point penalty for questionable governance practices, Parramatta directors have chosen an interesting locale for a fact-finding "study tour" Las Vegas.
Eels chairman Steve Sharp, Parramatta Leagues Club boss Bevan Paul and board members Tom Issa and Andrew Cordwell are taking in all Sin City has to offer for a week, with the leagues club picking up the tab.
Eels officials will justify the expense by pointing to the multi-million dollar redevelopment of Pirtek Stadium and Leagues Club precinct. But the timing of the trip will raise eyebrows given the multiple spot fires burning on the home front. To be fair, Parramatta and the NRL had come to an agreement over corporate governance reforms stemming from salary cap breaches just before the delegation left for the infamous party strip. However, there are still plenty of unresolved issues, including the NRL's investigation into third-party payments to Anthony Watmough, whose future is in limbo due to chronic knee issues. Hopefully Eels administrators pick up some best-practice models they can transfer from their tour of the entertainment precinct.
