Todd Greenberg rejects Eels’ claim of bias
NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg has dismissed concerns over his objectivity in the Parramatta salary cap scandal and conceded that the evidence of former Eels chief Scott Seward and ex-football manager Jason Irvine should be approached with caution.
Greenberg yesterday forwarded the reasons for his decision to dock the Eels 12 premiership points and fine them $1 million for salary cap breaches to the club, making reference to claims a prior relationship with Seward at the Canterbury Bulldogs might colour his judgment.
The NRL chief provided a reference for Seward when he joined Parramatta and Eels officials were concerned Greenberg’s judgment might be affected given their previous working relationship. Seward was Canterbury’s membership manager at the time Greenberg was CEO of the Bulldogs.
Parramatta have since called for Greenberg to remove himself from the decision-making process.
“The club appears to be suggesting that I am not capable of bringing an independent mind to this determination given what is suggested to be some relationship that exists between me and Seward,” Greenberg wrote.
“I do not wish to respond to this other than to say that I have no such difficulties.”
The Australian can reveal Seward, now working in Melbourne after resigning from Parramatta in June last year, has met with lawyers and is seeking legal action against the Eels.
It’s understood that while Seward takes full responsibility for his actions, he believes many accusations and claims made against him over his time as CEO are false.
Parramatta have raised concerns over the evidence of Seward and Irvine, whose interviews with the NRL played a key role in sanctions being brought against the Eels.
Greenberg conceded their evidence should raise alarm bells.
“The club says that because the evidence of Mr Seward discloses conduct on his part that might be regarded as dishonest, it should be given no real weight,” Greenberg said. “I agree that his evidence should be approached with caution. That said, I do not think that it is correct that it can carry little weight in all circumstances.
“There are statements he makes that are plainly against interest and where that is so, his evidence has some plausibility. The same considerations in my view apply to the evidence of Mr Irvine.
“His evidence is to be approached with caution except where it is against his interests or corroborated by others it carries some weight.”
In his interview with NRL investigators Eels coach Brad Arthur pleaded with them not to strip the club of premiership points, warning it would do more harm than good to players who had put their bodies on the line each week.
Arthur also provided a snapshot into the struggles he encountered at the Eels during the lengthy interview with head of integrity Nick Weeks and lead investigator Karyn Murphy.
Arthur, whose interview was included in more than 700 pages of interviews and statements obtained by The Australian in relation to the scandal, has been praised for the way he has held the club together during a tumultuous few months.
While he agreed the club needed to find some leadership, he insisted there were a lot of people at the Eels who cared about the place.
“In terms of management, it hasn’t been where it needed to be since I’ve been there ...” Arthur said. “I really feel that we’ve a lot of people who have worked hard to try and put this team that we’ve got on the paddock right now together and ... to lose points for this team I think is ... greatly unfair.
“For those players, you know, they put their bodies on the line every week, they bust their arses.
“We’ve had some tough times at that club over the last couple of years and they haven’t shirked it.”
Arthur spoke about how hard he had to work to convince Kieran Foran to join the Eels. Foran has since walked out on his $4.8 million deal after less than a year, requesting a release so he can focus on personal issues.
“A lot of them have been there since, you know, 2014 with me or before and the new boys that have come in have put a bit of trust and faith and, you know, I had to beg him to get Kieran to the club and told him that it wasn’t that bad a joint and then I’m trying to tidy it up ...,” Arthur said. “(You) got to do what you’ve got to do but punishing the playing group for ’16 with points, you know, would be more detrimental to being good.
“We need some people at our club that are leaders. We need a leader that stands up to the head coach ... I just coach the team. You’ve got other people in positions that if they were doing their job properly we’d be right.”
Arthur acknowledged the players were constantly asking for more money. Seward complained he was receiving ongoing requests for unpaid money from player managers.
In his statement to the NRL, Seward said twice he told chairman Steve Sharp and deputy chairman Tom Issa they should go to the NRL “and get some advice on what we should do”.
Sharp and Issa replied to Seward in December 2013: “We’re not going to the NRL. You’re the CEO, if you can’t sort it out we’ll find someone who can.”
Again in September 2014, Seward suggested going to the NRL to “bare our souls” but was told by Sharp and Issa: “No, no, no. We can sort it out. we’ve got plenty of third parties we can get.”
Seward’s recollection is at odds with Sharp, who said in his interview he tried to raise concerns with former NRL chief executive Dave Smith, who responded “we won’t get involved, you need to clean up your own backyard.”
