After Eels CEO resigns, NRL consider appointing one of their own to Parramatta board
by: DAVID RICCIO
June 16, 2015 12:00AM
THE NRL is prepared to step in and influence the running of the Parramatta Eels with the possibility of wanting a say on who should become the struggling club’s next chief executive.
In the wake of the resignation of the club’s CEO Scott Seward on Sunday — the 13th Eels coach or CEO to move on from the club since 2006 — NRL CEO Dave Smith confirmed the NRL was looking at a range of measures in a bid to create stability for the first time at the club in two decades.
Should the NRL step in, by way of appointing their own independent directors on the Eels board, it would increase the NRL’s control of yet another club.
Already the NRL have stepped in to oversee the running of the Newcastle Knights, Wests Tigers, Gold Coast Titans, while St George-Illawarra have also received up to $5m in financial assistance from League Central.
Any involvement from the NRL with Parramatta would stem from a corporate governance review which the club have been ordered to undertake as part of the recent $525,000 salary cap breach notice and possible loss of four competition points.
However, the issue is a potential powder keg with the defiant Parramatta bord lodging an appeal against the sanctions last Friday.
Included in the Eels submission was a proposal that instead of the NRL conducting the review, the Parramatta board would instead undergo their own internal governance review.
Aware of the Eels’ strong financial position, The Daily Telegraph has been told the NRL are almost certain to dock the Eels four competition points next season if they fail to comply with the NRL’s independent review by February 2016.
Smith confirmed that he was in the process of digesting the Eels’ response to the breach, while also inferring the NRL would do what is necessary to stabilise the fragile Parramatta club.
“One of the reasons that we announced not just a financial penalty, but we also require that there is a review done which is both about their capabilities, ie there specific skills to run a salary cap and the way that the governance works around some of the key decisions, is really to prevent some of the turnover (of key personnel) that we’re seeing,’’ Smith said.
“I say that from a fan’s perspective.
“I’ve just received the second round of information so I can’t comment what I have received at this point in time. Looking through the eyes of the fans, they want stability.
“We’ve got to get ourselves into a position where that club is stable.
“The provisional finding was that we would ask that a review was conducted and that review would be designed to strengthen the organisation of that club such that we prevent some of these things happening in the future.
“Scott was a talented young man, I wish him well and hopefully he goes on to bigger and better things.
“But that’s one of the reasons why that review [must] take place and the findings of that review will hopefully help stabilise the club for the fans.’’
