The Daily Telegraph’s Buzz Rothfield has the scoop that Kieran Foran will walk out on his $5 million with the Eels in an effort to stabilise his personal life.
But the club has said there has been no request from Foran to be released from his contract.
“The Parramatta Eels have not received a request from Kieran Foran’s management regarding a release from his contract,” the club said in a release to the media.
“Kieran’s welfare is the club’s primary concern and the Eels will continue to offer him all the resources available to aid in his recovery.
“The club will be making no further comment on the matter.”
Foran, who has endured a terrible year for a variety of reasons, will apparently seek a release from the club and seek a fresh start when he feels ready to play again.
In doing so he is voiding the $1 million-a-year deal he has with Parramatta.
There has been no timeframe given on any return, but Rothfield is reporting he may be back with another club, the Roosters and Bulldogs being the two already in the frame, as soon as next year.
The personal and professional saga at the Parramatta Eels this year only continues. Foran has endured a horrid year, having to deal with a break-up of his relationship and then being ruled out of the rest of the season with injury.
Foran’s agent has denied there’s been any call made.
This was after the contract debacle of last year, and then two defamatory stories being published and broadcast about him this year relating to his TAB account the reason for his relationship ending.
All in all, it’s been a shocking year.
But this proposed walkout only compounds Parramatta’s problem, who are currently dealing with the fallout from Semi Radradra walking out on the club for a week, Corey Norman’s pill scandal, and the small matter of a potential 12 premiership-point penalty hanging over their heads for systematic cheating of the salary cap.
Jarryd Hayne’s return is the only possible upside of this departure, with the former Eel shopping around for playing options next year. Foran’s departure opens up a lot of salary cap space the Eels, and Hayne signing on with them would mark an important moment for the brand of the club.
There has been no official word out of Parramatta yet.
“The club has offered to do whatever we can to help him,” one Eels official told Rothfield, “and that offer stands.”
Squirrel
Guest
Easy win for the Roosters. Go the roosters
Bruce
Guest
The NRL missed a golden opportunity to bury the Parra penalty behind greyhound racing announcement yesterday - there are only so many election declarations they can hide behind...
Hard Yards
Roar Rookie
Hayne's got to get through the PGA first.
maximillian
Guest
I Agree, sign with the Warriors Kieran! We already have 3 of the 4 members of the Kiwis spine in Luke/Johnson/RTS. You may as well come over & complete the group.
Johnno
Guest
Eels 30 year curse on finding a replacement for Sterlo continues.
Midfielder
Guest
Two things nay three things. Should the Parra fans just stop going to games until the board quits akin to what fans in the A-League did. Will Rugby chase Hayne as well the Reds could do with a player of his skills... Finally what do Parra do to players .... every year the same thing star players go there and it goes down hill for them...
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
Normally followed by "surely (insert club other than Nulla here) is over the cap and it's disgraceful the NRL hasn't done anything" with the usual hashtag #nrlincrisis to finish off.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
Politician, priest, policeman, performer, Parramatta rugby league captain - they are all public figures and they know that well in advance of the position and profile they have pursued. People who have an interest in their performance applaud and criticise and speculate and they capitalise on that when it suits them - puff pieces placed by their managers in the Wymminses Weekly when they marry, have a child or help an old lady to cross the road, for example. It's a simple reality. What bizarre interpretation of "social conscience" (an amusing notion, selectively brought into play by the sanctimonious) and "show some respect" has it that a player walking out on a $5 million contract ought not be reported by sports journalists, because that is all that The Roar has recounted here. How do we know anything about this fella's "health and life is in the balance"? No-one is saying anything clear or in detail about him being crook or being anything much - see Paragraph 5 of the report - indeed the last piece I saw had him thundering about suing anyone who said anything about gambling and there has been nothing reported on that score since! I recall Gary Lyon was reputedly suicidal or somesuch in January. It has taken just six months for him to fade into obscurity, to become Friday night's fish and chip wrapper. The fame falls away very quickly and the glare of publicity will leave this bloke to himself too shortly, to do whatever he needs to do about something or other that has never been reported in any detail.
Doug Graves
Guest
It's happening: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/parramatta-eels-kieran-foran-quits-nrl-as-door-opens-for-jarryd-hayne-20160707-gq17k4.html
jamesb
Guest
Parramatta plays tonight, and this story breaks through today. Coincidence....I think not
Oingo Boingo
Guest
Wow , Parra have set a new standard in FU's in 2016.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
Do the fans get to burn it down, again?
Anon
Guest
"More bad news for Parramatta, hope this is the last of it, what a terrible season" said me every week this season
Parra
Guest
I hope he can recover and live normally again but what I am concerned about is why he signed a contract with personal problems? Perhaps the eels can improve recruitment policy in this area. If I was Foran I'd be frank about issues that could potentially affect my performance etc.
Brett
Guest
I think there's something in it, especially since Foran's brother is work partners with the brothel owner who is in the middle of the whole thing. It's already been alluded to that Foran was one of the Manly players who threw the games.
andrew
Guest
Scrutiny is fine with public figures. But when someone's health and life is in the balance you don't draw a line?
no one in particular
Roar Guru
if there was substance to these rumours then the bookmakers would have been crying foul at the time, and no one in the industry saw any money anywhere near the amounts thrown around. The story is the result of a big mouth big noting himself
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
I disagree. He was happy to pursue a career with a huge profile and the rewards because of that profile. You cannot then say you don't want the scrutiny that the profile brings also.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Well, the stadium is getting demolished at the end of the season isn't it?
no one in particular
Roar Guru
"already linked to the Roosters and Bulldogs" is a standard line in every Rothfield artice