Two former Parramatta directors have backed their successors’ move in taking legal action against the NRL.
Gary Morris and Chris Jurd, both long-time administrators with the Eels, left the Parramatta board in 2009.
The duo were interested onlookers in the NSW Supreme Court on Friday as Eels chairman Steve Sharp, chief executive John Boulous, head of football Daniel Anderson, deputy chairman Tom Issa and director Peter Serrao challenged the legality of their provision suspensions by the NRL.
Jurd said the quintet were entitled to have their cases heard and entitled to the presumption of innocence.
“I am quite prepared to let them put their case forward and judge afterwards and I am prepared to do that for the whole case,” Jurd said.
“I have a lot of sympathy for them. I think their hearts are in the right place. I don’t know where their brains are.
“In their commitment to their club they may well have made some mistakes and those mistakes may or may not have been big ones but I am happy to wait until the end (of the investigation).”
Morris added: “We are not privy to everything that has happened and I just feel for them.
“I don’t know what the evidence is. There could have been a lot of things done unintentionally.”
Morris said it was the five club officials’ right to challenge their provisional suspensions.
“That is a personal decision of theirs,” he said.
“If they feel that strongly that what they are doing is right they should continue on but if what they are doing is wrong they should step down.”
The quintet were initially given a week to respond to the NRL’s move to deregister them.
That time frame has now been extended until June 3.
A final decision on the NRL’s move to deregister the quintet, dock the Eels points and fine them $1 million is expected to be made two weeks after that date.
Tom G
Guest
Even when it comes to cheating the a Eels get the wooden spoon
fazed
Roar Rookie
Is there a fear among the parra haters that the club officials may actually be right & the NRL wrong? That the eels have actually been under the cap for this year, & have played with a legal team. The leaks & information use by the journo's, media as well as the NRL are actually flawed rather than fact. I have seen no real proof provided in the issue, the NRL hands down a preliminary decision but deregisters 5 of the officials. meaning they have no access to their own club records to defend themselves. Last year former NRL auditor went over the clubs accounts & the club copped a fine & 4 points docked, suspended dependent on no future breaches, The decision against the eels this time round has found issues with TPA's but they go back to former days, which should have been revealed under last years audit. NRL tack on to the eels cap, the $750.000 TPA problems from the past years onto this years general salary cap, which puts the eels side over the salary cap. Yet the NRL has been the prosecutor, Judge & Jury eels guilty as charged out go the 5 said to be responsible, even though some was a fault of previous board members who were kicked out. GO to jail, go direct, no right of attorney, you are guilty even though you may not be. I would ask every fan of RL, to sit down & ask themselves, is your favourite team squeaky clean & could stand up to the same investigation that has just hit the eels? Is the general Salary & TPA's payments at all clubs squeaky clean? I honestly doubt it as one thing I hear so often by players coaches most club officials & fans alike the salary needs reviewing as does the TPA & general overall system of payments to players. Both need to be reviewed so that they are both totally transparent, so that all the players, fans etc, have the ability to know their team is playing by the rules. Has the eels bee totally ok, probably not, but what of all the others? I have seen some mention here on the Roar regarding more than one questionable deal at different clubs, some a hushed up, others end up out of reach of the NRL.. If anyone here has a charge laid against them by the police or even their boss at work, you generally have time to go over the charge, you have a solicitor or legal council to help you before any trial comes out, it generally is in an open court with all the evidence etc presented by your solicitor in defense, as well as the prosecutor for the other side. The sentence is then handed down based on the evidence, the opposite has happened here.
Michael l
Guest
The way the NRL is run if Paramatta go on to win the grand final they will intervene and strip them away of their title. Letting the Paramatta team to continue to play for points is essentially them saying, look we know you cheated and shouldn't be allowed to play for the rest of the season however.. due to your clubs recent years of under performances we are going to show pity on you and allow you to play on simply because there is no chance in hell that your going to make the finals, please prove us wrong.
The lazy Phoenix
Roar Pro
This needs to go to the bunker...."Bernie, I think they're guilty. can you just check the minutes, phone records, hard drives and look for any block plays"
Rossco
Guest
The tapes will tell a different story and show the directors were culpable and dishonest..
Diplomatt
Guest
Who is paying the legal costs???
John
Guest
Clearly the exoneration of their names is more important to them then allowing the Club to move forward.
Chui
Guest
Legally entitled, but morally questionable
Rustynails
Guest
So , to be clear ...there is a chance that Parramatta may still not lose any points and be able to continue their march to finals football as if this is all just a bad dream. I can see another NRL farce on the horizon. -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.