If the Parramatta Eels are found to have a case to answer for salary cap indiscretions, instead of handing out monetary fines, which don’t have a huge impact on a club, or deducting competition points, which can ruin a season for a club, why not get more creative?
The Eels signed Beau Scott and arguably the best centre in the game, Michael Jennings, after the cap drama began. Now they are a huge chance to push for a spot in the eight, even after a fine and threat of point deductions.
So why not punish clubs who break the rules by making them survive on the players they have, instead of allowing them to get better?
By banning a club from signing any new players for a set period, the NRL can ensure that the club truly feels the sting of breaching the cap without ruining the integrity of the comp.
By banning a club from signing any players for 12 months you could put a huge dent into their ability to be competitive.
A week after the Bulldogs were penalised by the NRL they went out and signed Andrew Ryan, a man who went on to captain them for years. If they weren’t allowed to sign him, would they still have won the 2003 grand final?
For all the punishments the Dogs received, they still won the comp two years later, with many of the same players from the team that breached the cap, plus Andrew Ryan.
I am not comparing the extent of the breach, but Parramatta have grown stronger even though they have had cap issues. Is this fair to the other 15 clubs?
For major breaches, such as the Storm, then strip the club of competition points and fine them heavily. For minor breaches a fine is sufficient. But for acts in between, putting a hold on a club’s ability to sign players could act as a true deterrent.
Dave
Guest
Interesting comments Melbourne have certainly moved on. But it would be interesting to compare. I also note that Parramatta players have stated that third party deals are difficult at best and players may have little or no knowledge of where the money comes from? As to players and clubs and recruiting. I still like the idea of young players arriving at clubs and the club develops and plays for the club. Personally I dislike the hype that player is coming of contract, Therefore he is available to clubs with cheque books at the ready. Carnt really blame them for that as that is the system. Back to the young player, why should a club develop a young player to star status only to see his value rise and immediately puts strain on the salary cap???
Fiddlesticks
Guest
Just fire everyone like the Broncos did, they can't testify then
up in the north
Roar Rookie
Maybe the Parra board should be replaced for five years with an NRL appointed one.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
Correct. The NRL had been gutless so far. It seems they are never going to do anything but warn parra and say "last chance guys"
Chris Love
Guest
I'm on the fence on this one and the proposed punishment should certainly be considered for future cap breaches. While the Bulldogs and Storm were caught intentionally rorting the system, Paramatta is in a different basket. Stuart's clean out of the club is what caused Parramatta to be holding onto huge chunks of their salary cap to players at different clubs. When injuries smashed the club they couldn't have fielded a team last year. Admittedly when you have issues like that you don't go and pay massive overs for a has been second rower like Watmough and there needs to be some form of punishment for that. But there is a better solution to stop it happening in the first place. Each team should have a salary cap auditor independently nominated by the NRL. That auditor should be responsible for managing a Clubs cap and stoping contracts like Watmough's before a breach can occur.
bryan
Roar Rookie
I think they should Fire the entire board. Banned board member for serving for 5 years or whatever. Make em personally responsible.
ask
Guest
As soon as they start losing players to injury there will be applications to sign players as injury cover. If you dont allow them to sign players you are putting other players at risk.You could argue this situation would be exempt but then you are allowing rorts to possibly happen, so no different to now. Plus only a minor point but the Bulldogs won the 2004 GF not 2003.
Dutski
Roar Guru
Banning them from recruiting is only fair if they play within the cap rules but do it smarter thwn asnyone thought possible to snag a premiership winning full forward... oh wait... wrong sport...
Squirrel
Guest
Joe average knows the eels have to be over the salary cap. Should be removed 12 points
no one in particular
Roar Guru
Parramatta have a large supporter base. Giving them fans hope for the season brings viewers and ticket sales
woppadingo
Guest
Firstly it will not be the NRL who ruined the integrity of the game, the Eels did that by breaching the salary cap. Second, what is the point of banning a club from recruiting new players for 12 months when they have already (illegally) recruited the players they want!? This sounds to me like a slap on the wrist with a feather. Maybe true that a fine and losing competition points is not an effective punishment. The Dogs and Storm who seriously breached the cap and were penalised, went on to win premierships only a couple of years later. What riles everyone about the Storm cap scandal, was that they were able to keep the spine of the team that was illegally assembled. They offloaded a few players, even Inglis went, but he was a centre at the time. To truly punish a team for cheating the salary cap, reduce the salary cap for the offending team and cancel all the player contracts. Allow the other clubs to compete for the players signatures.
Mexicano
Guest
You have to go in the other direction I believe. :P
Jacks
Guest
Arent they alot alike? haha
Mexicano
Guest
If the Storm punishment was anything to go by. Loss of competition points for the next 2 seasons is a reasonable start. Maybe a punishment similar to the initiation ceremony you have to go through to join the Stonemasons for all persons in official capacity at the Eels(including the players(especially the players as they were the recipients of the money). For those of you unfamiliar these are known as 'crossing the desert', 'unblinking eye' and to finish up with the 'paddling of the swollen ass'.