Parramatta director Geoff Gerard to call on the entire Eels board to step down
Nick Tabakoff Editor-at-Large, The Daily Telegraph
June 13, 2016 11:00pm
Subscriber exclusive
HIGH-profile Parramatta director Geoff Gerard will use an extraordinary board meeting on Thursday evening to call on the entire Eels board to step down, to allow the club to rebuild.
Gerard has told the Daily Telegraph he will directly petition his fellow directors to step down to allow the club to make a fresh start in the wake of the clubs salary cap scandal.
When you get to rock bottom, it cant get any lower, he said. What we need is for this club to move forward, and its a decision for each of the directors whether they stand aside for this to happen.
Geoff Gerard doesnt need to be on this board. I had my day in the sun as a player. Ive been on this board now twice and tried to do my best
I dont need this (board role) for my ego.
Currently, three members of the so-called Gang of Five _ Eels chairman Steve Sharp, deputy chairman Tom Issa and director Peter Serrao _ are suspended as directors pending a final ruling by the NRL.
Temporarily, the four remaining directors, Gerard, former MP Tanya Gadiel, ex-Parramatta Lord Mayor Paul Garrard and auditor Andrew Cordwell are serving on a skeleton Eels board.
But Gerard will make it clear at the meeting an entire clean-out is what is needed: At the end of the day, we probably need this to happen (but) that would be their decision to make.
The drums are beating for change at the club, with at least two member proposals afoot to overthrow the Eels board following the scandal.
Gerard has also contradicted the stance of some fellow Eels directors by very publicly praising the NRLs actions against the club over the salary cap scandal.
The constant blaming of the NRL is not working for anybody, he said. Do you think the NRL wanted to step in and do this to Parramatta, one of the powerhouse clubs of the competition?
. Todd Greenberg and Nick Weeks have a duty to the game. The game is bigger than Parramatta.
He openly praised the courage of Greenberg and Weeks on their decision. Good on the guys. You have to have some balls to do that. He (Greenberg) is making the right calls.
Gerard has offered his help and advice for any reshaped board at the club. Look at what happened at Cronulla after the Asada investigation, and they were rock bottom, he said. We should use them as a positive example of what can be done going forward.
Ive got to say at times I ask: What am I doing this for? he said. The last six weeks have been extremely stressful. Im extremely lucky to have great work colleagues and bosses there who are obviously footy followers but understand what Im going through. But it also takes a toll on my family. My wifes just been amazing with her support.
He describes the club as being in a bit of a vacuum with its head of football (Daniel Anderson) and CEO (John Boulous) both suspended by the NRL.
Brad (Arthur) is trying to make sure that were still being competitive in the player market, and were working out with the current players some extensions, he said. Theres a lot of stuff, bills that have to be paid, around making sure the club continues to move forward in the operational side of things.
