- The Weekend Australian understands the Eels board will press ahead with plans to maintain their vigil against the NRL, with the next step to seek leave to appeal the verdict through appeals tribunal chairman Ian Callinan QC. Last night’s decision will further antagonise the NRL and ensure the saga will continue for the foreseeable future.
The club has been locked in a spat with the game’s governing body for months, the relationship reaching its nadir last week when NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg confirmed the sanctions against the Eels — a fine of $1 million and 12 premiership points for salary cap rorts.
Parramatta’s legal representatives tried and failed on multiple occasions to gain access to interview transcripts from Seward and Stuart, only to be told by the NRL that the material was not required for the club to properly respond to allegations of massive salary cap rorts.
The Weekend Australian has obtained a series of letters exchanged between the respective legal teams of Parramatta and the NRL, which were included in the club’s response to the breach notice.
The Eels’ legal advisers, Carroll and O’Dea, sent a letter to the NRL on May 10 requesting all statements and interview transcripts from Stuart, Seward, former chief executive Ken Edwards and ex-chairman Roy Spagnolo, along with Newcastle businesswoman Tracey McKelligott, the club’s former recruitment manager Peter Nolan and ex-salary cap auditor Ian Schubert.
“After having reviewed the materials you provided us on 6 May last it appears there are a number of pertinent documents which we will require before our client can respond,” the Eels wrote.
“We consider that the requested documents are imperative to allow our client an opportunity to properly understand and respond to the breach notice by the NRL.
“Accordingly, we reserve our right to request further time to respond until we have read and considered the documents we have requested.”
A follow-up letter on May 16 again requested access to the transcripts of interview with Seward and Stuart — the NRL provided only a statement from Seward. It is understood Spagnolo and Edwards were never interviewed by the NRL.
The next day the NRL sent a letter via lawyer Tony O’Reilly which stated that the material the Eels had requested was not required to respond to the breach notice.
Again, the Eels’ lawyers sent a letter to the NRL on May 19 voicing their frustration at the NRL’s decision to withhold the transcripts.
“It remains our firm view that the modified list of documents we have requested remains of significance,” they wrote.
“You have not provided reasons why the transcript of interview/statement of Ricky Stuart or our request in relation to records of Scott Seward will not be provided.
“We remain of the view that these documents are critical to our ability to meaningfully respond to the breach notice. We once again re-state our request for this information.
“If you remain of the view that you are not willing to provide these documents, please provide us with your reasons.”
