The Parramatta Eels will lose all 12 of the competition points and be fined $1 million for breaches to their salary cap dating back to 2013.
In addition, the club will be stripped of the Auckland Nines titles they won in early 2016.
Parra salary cap scandal
» Press conference: Parra breached the cap by $3 million, players may be investigated
» Parramatta docked 12 points, fined $1 million for salary cap breaches
» Will the Eels take the NRL to court?
» Read the full statement from the NRL
However, Parramatta fans have been given a glimmer of hope, and a reason to cheer for the remainder of the 2016 season, with the NRL announcing that “The club will be able to begin accruing points as soon as it makes the necessary changes to comply with the 2016 cap.”
With the competition breaking for the representative round this weekend, the Eels have ten days to get their list in compliance.
With 17 matches remaining in the 2016 season, the Eels could theoretically finish as high as fourth (based on final standings from the 2015 season), meaning finals are still on the cards for the Eels.
So how does this scenario compare to previous salary cap punishments handed down to NRL clubs?
In 2002, the Canterbury Bulldogs were fined $500,000 and deducted 37 points for breaches totalling $2.13 million. The Bulldogs were leading the competition at that point.
In 2005, the Warriors were fined $430,000 and started the 2006 season on -4 points for breaches totalling $1.1 million. The four-point deduction resulted in the Warriors missing out on playing finals in 2006.
In 2010, the Melbourne Storm were stripped of the 2007 and 2009 premierships and fined an Australian sporting record of $1.689 million for five years worth of breaches. The Storm were sentenced to finish in last place in 2010, playing out a majority of the season without being able to earn competition points.
What do you think Roarers? Where does the Eels punishment sit when compared to the Bulldogs, Warriors and Storm?
Max
Guest
The Warriors was 2006 not 2005. I remember it well because it was announced 2 days before the Storm (who were cheating themselves) played the Warriors in Auckland yet the other salary cap breakers were fined $$$ in May 2006. The Storm had a dream draw in 2006 and Broncos ( champion props last game?) played Storm in the GF in Sydney which enabled Packer to sell the Nine network 5 days after the GF (when they changed the ownership laws) to o/s interests showing he had the leading footy code TV rights in the eastern states.
Sydneysider
Guest
Ken you forgot one small detail at the time, Melbourne Storm was still majority owned by News Limited who still had majority control of the NRL board at the time. John Hartigan who was involved at the Storm is Rupert Murdoch's right hand man in Australia ie. was in charge of News Ltd operations in this country. So basically a News Ltd subsidiary paid money back to a News Limited controlled entity (NRL). That whole Melbourne Storm salary cap debacle was a joke. Yes, they stripped them of 2 premierships and prizemoney but it's not like this current Parra situation where a separate legal entity is being fined and stripped of competition points.
Ken
Guest
'In 2010, the Melbourne Storm were stripped of the 2007 and 2009 premierships and fined an Australian sporting record of $1.689 million for five years worth of breaches' This is incorrect. The Storm were fined $500,000 as a penalty for their breaches, half the fine that the Eels received. In addition to this they had to repay prize monies totalling $1.1 million, handing back the proceeds of their offence was not part of the penalty though.
Jacko
Guest
Can anyone tell me why the nines is even relevent? Is brad Fitlers appearance at the nines in the Roosters Cap? Beaver menzies played for manly one year to was that in the cap? who knows but again its one rule for some and one rule for others. Just ask Andrew Gee and the Bronco's
Squidward
Roar Rookie
I'm most upset the Nines is now a farce and has no 2016 winner
Richard Maybury
Guest
I agree Joe, That year was sheer hell for storm fans. Sure their club cheated but they didn't. It is interesting to note how much "due process" the Eels are being given in this verses the knee jerk laying down of penalties in the Storm case. I know that the Storm basically rolled over when all was revealed but Gallop rode rough shod over them with very little consideration of them or their fans. I am glad that it is Greenberg overseeing the Eels case and I think this is a much more measured and appropriate response.
Joe
Roar Rookie
I think the statement by Greenburg "When I watched the Melbourne Storm fans and players have to continue to play a season without the ability to accrue points, I thought that was soul destroying for the players and fans. I have tried hard to find a way forward here that Parramatta Eels can take a step forward today." Basically they've been given a softer penalty because he didn't want to see what happened to Storm fans happen to Eels fans. I think that they actually got it right this time and took their time and made decisions taking into account all factors rather than what happened to the Storm where they just wanted to set an example and came out with the biggest punishment in record time....didn't work though did it.