Eels have nothing to hide, says Hill
Parramatta acting chief executive Andrew Hill says the club have nothing to hide and are confident of being cleared of any breach of the NRL salary cap.
Hill and Eels chairman Roy Spagnolo met with NRL salary cap auditor Ian Schubert on Wednesday to discuss real estate investments in Queensland that involved players and club officials in 2002-03.
The Eels are in danger of being docked competition points or fined over the investments made by utility Luke Burt and prop Fuifui Moimoi, which were guaranteed by Spagnolo and property developer Vince Lombardo.
Former Eels players John Morris, now at Wests Tigers, and Dean Widders were also investors along with Burt and MoiMoi.
"The club has been open and transparent with our dealings with the league and we have provided all the documentation Ian and his team have requested," Hill said.
"We will wait for the league to finalise their investigations but are confident we have not breached the salary cap and look forward to the matter being finalised."
Hill said the documentation provided by the club outlined that the players purchased the investment properties independently and for their own private benefit.
He also denied that Spagnolo was involved with the club in an official capacity at the time, or that he told the players they were guaranteed to make money on the deals.
"Roy confirmed to Ian there was no guarantee of making money just a guarantee that they wouldn't lose on the outcome," Hill said.
"We gave documents that the league requested pertaining to the investment properties."
Hill refused to confirm that exact nature of the documents the NRL requested, but did not deny that bank statements belonging to the players were included.
"I don't think it would be right to confirm what documents the league requested only that we provided what they asked for," he said.
Hill said the players involved were unconcerned about the situation and that he expected the matter to be resolved soon.
The Eels also announced on Wednesday that former St George Illawarra and Canberra front-rower Paul Osbourne will take over as the club's new CEO on Monday.
NRL chief executive David Gallop praised the Eels for their cooperation but said it would take time to finalise the outcome.
"These things can take some period to finally determine and they are inquiries that are very much part of every-day life for our audit team," Gallop said.
Gallop confirmed the NRL was also talking to the Brisbane Broncos after former Brisbane chairman Don Nissen told a court that mining magnate Ken Talbot gave money to Broncos players and former coach Wayne Bennett.
"Issues raised in court in Brisbane in relation to payments made by businessmen there are also being investigated but so too are the accounts of every club on a regular basis," Gallop said.
"Where significant breaches take place we have a track record of announcing any penalties to all concerned and that policy remains.
"We are not at that point however, and it is too early to speculate on any outcomes."
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