PARRAMATTA'S massive $850,000 a season pricetag for Manly winger Will Hopoate has reignited the bitter rivalry between the former arch-rivals.
Hostilities between the two clubs, fierce rivals during the 1980s, are again high as the Sea Eagles digest the massive deal that lured Hopoate to Parramatta after he completes his two year Mormon mission in 2014.
Parramatta has denied there is anything untoward in the deal, privately claiming Hopoate's desire to play under coach Steve Kearney sealed it.
But speculation was rife last night that the Eels were looking to exploit a loophole in salary cap rules to pay Hopoate what would be the equivalent $850,000 a season - suggesting Hopoate will be paid $100,000 during his two-year mission.
Hopoate's father, John, could also be offered a job by the club.
The deal was put together by Hopoate's manager, Tyran Smith, and a former NSW Labor politician,
The Eels, who are comfortable with the legalities of the deal, are aware the NRL's new television rights deal will be in place by then, where it is expected the salary cap will have received a hefty increase to accommodate the enormous pricetag.
The Eels would not respond to the rumours yesterday, but a source claimed it was sour grapes from the Sea Eagles: "They've just lost a superstar," he said.
NRL salary cap auditor Ian Schubert confirmed last night that the Eels had earmarked the deal was not your usual contract, but would not discuss the specifics of the Eels' proposal.
"They have broached us with a couple of questions and we have said we will look at the deal in its entirety," Schubert said.
"We will make a couple of determinations then."
Hopoate, 19, is expected to sign the deal before the end of the week, after which the Eels have 10 days to register it with the NRL.
Club sources have denied they are trying to pay Hopoate during the two years he is out of the game or that there is anything else unusual about the contract. Tyran Smith is a former teammate, and still a close friend, of John Hopoate, whose experience in the game swayed his son to take the biggest offer available.
Schubert acknowledged that such circumstances - Hopoate's return after a two-year Mormon mission - are untested in the NRL.
"To our knowledge no player has ever gone off on a two year mission before," he said. He would not be drawn on the legality of the contract until he had seen it.
"It depends what it is they're doing," Schubert said.
"We get a number of requests to examine things each year but they are all different."
Under NRL rules the Eels are allowed to pay Hopoate during the two seasons he fulfils his mission for the church as long as it is included in their salary cap.
However last night there was still some dispute over whether it would need to be included in the two years he is away from the game or whether it would be incorporated in the two years Hopoate actually plays.
