PARRAMATTA has secretly granted Timana Tahu a week's leave after relevations the Eels star has been missing from training and continues to battle his personal demons. The admission comes from Eels chief executive Paul Osborne after claims Tahu has been AWOL from Parramatta pre-season training since Monday.
Parramatta denied Tahu has gone missing instead blaming his absence from Monday's session on car trouble, however, he hasn't been back to Parramatta Stadium since.
This latest drama involving Tahu follows his omission from the Indigenous All Stars team voted on by the public.
Tahu has also reportedly refused to enter mediation talks after accusations that he racially abused a 16-year-old player at an Aboriginal knockout tournament in October at Woy Woy.
Osborne said the NSW State of Origin star had asked for a few days leave - a request that was approved by new Parramatta coach Steve Kearney.
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"Timana has asked for a few days off," Osborne said.
"He did have car problems on Monday but I knew about that. I have spoken to Steve and he knows about it [Tahu's absence].
"There are no dramas. He has been training really well, training the house down."
Pressed again on whether Tahu had gone AWOL, Osborne reiterated: "No. He is spending time with his family."
Parramatta players are talking among themselves about Tahu and say he has in fact gone AWOL. The Daily Telegraph spoke to one player privately who admitted the former Australian star had not been seen for nearly a week.
"We don't know where he is," the player said.
The Eels are handling Tahu delicately after a bizarre season involving two racial vilification dramas. After leaving camp with NSW over a racial slur from assistant coach Andrew Johns, Tahu was then accused of racially abusing Caleb Binge at the Koori Knockout tournament the week after the NRL grand final.
Tahu, who is yet to re-sign with Parramatta for next season, has strongly denied the claim. However there is little doubt Tahu is a troubled footballer.
One source close to Parramatta said: "He seems a lost soul at the moment."
Following Tahu's snub in the Indigenous All-Stars team, Preston Campbell has claimed the Parramatta player's image had been tarnished this year.
Chris Binge, father of the teenager Tahu allegedly racially abused at Woy Woy, said the Parramatta player continues to refuse any mediation talks with his son Caleb, who was allegedly called a "black c***."
Binge, who stands by his allegations against Tahu, has told the media the NRL star's credibility is on the line.
