Cap breach overstated, hints auditor as Watmough puts Eels first
The Australian
May 6, 2016 12:00AM
Brent Read
Senior sports writer
Sydney
Parramatta yesterday submitted papers to fast-track Anthony Watmough’s retirement, but their greatest cause for optimism was provided by former salary cap auditor Ian Schubert amid suggestions he had calculated the club’s salary cap breach could be significantly less than the figure claimed by the NRL.
Schubert, brought in by the Eels as a consultant to help the club negotiate their cap minefield, has spent recent days poring over myriad cap allegations made against the club by the NRL.
It is understood he believes the situation is nowhere near as dire as the NRL has indicated — in handing down its findings against the Eels, the game’s governing body suggested Parramatta were more than $560,000 over the cap for this season. Schubert’s calculations, which put the breach closer to $200,000, represent an alarming discrepancy between his own figures and those that were included in the documentation handed to the club by the NRL.
Should he be proven correct, it would dramatically heighten the chances of the club being under the salary cap in time for their game against South Sydney next week, particularly if the NRL takes a sympathetic view towards their application to have Watmough *retired under the career-ending injury guidelines.
The Eels yesterday filed the paperwork for Watmough’s retirement — he is yet to play this year as he struggles with a debilitating knee injury — and the former NSW and Australia forward broke his silence to confirm he would do whatever was best for the club.
He also spoke of his belief that the five officials at the centre of the allegations would do the same. Those five — chairman Steve Sharp, fellow directors Tom Issa and Peter Serrao, chief executive John Boulous and football manager Daniel Anderson — are due to return to the Supreme Court this morning as they continue *action against the NRL.
The NRL has refused to deal with the club while the legal action remains afoot and it is understood some of the parties, who have requested an extension in their time to respond to the NRL allegations, are open to stepping aside if it would remove an impediment to the Eels getting under the cap.
Others are believed to be ready to seek directions from the court ordering the NRL to work with them until they have the opportunity to respond to the allegations, a view that would serve only to inflame an already tense situation.
Their incendiary stance — it is believed the directors received initial legal advice that the NRL investigation was shoddy and full of holes — was yesterday mirrored by one of the directors to emerge with his reputation intact.
Parramatta lord mayor Paul Garrard accused NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg of grandstanding during a meeting with the players earlier this week to announce the salary cap sanctions. “Tell the truth if you want to be a white knight,” Garrard told The Australian.
Garrard’s anger was inflamed by suggestions the directors believed as late as last week that they were as much as $200,000 under the cap for this season.
However, The Australian understands the NRL rolled all the club’s third parties for the past three years — $760,000 in total — into this year’s payments because they believed they were guaranteed, pushing the club over the cap.
The Eels mitigated some of the damage yesterday when Melbourne announced they had signed Eels centre Ryan Morgan for the remainder of the year.
Morgan’s move came on another dramatic day for the club, with the NSW Office of Liquor and Gaming confirming it was investigating the NRL findings to see whether there had been any breaches of the Registered Clubs Act that require further action.
Watmough also spoke for the first time about his future, indicating he would be prepared to retire if it meant the club would be able to steer its way out of trouble.
“The club’s bigger than me and, if I get the chance to do the right thing and have to do what I have to do for the boys to move forward, it’s a no-brainer for me,” Watmough told the Nine Network.
“My best interest has always been the club and, if it comes to that, it comes to that.
“(Rugby league has) definitely passed the body by. We’re sewww.leagueunlimited.comess people out there at Parra — the playing group is anyway. I can’t speak from outside of that. I’ve done all I can do. I can’t do any more.”
