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Fallout continues from Eels NRL cap woes

Nathan Peats and Will Hopoate have become the latest Parramatta players to have their NRL third-party deals placed under the microscope by the media.

Nathan Peats was allegedly offered a third-party agreement on a cafe napkin while Will Hopoate reportedly received at least $50,000 in off-the-book payments in the latest revelations surrounding Parramatta's salary cap scandal.

With five banned Eels officials expected to appeal against the NRL's penalties, reports of further misdemeanours at the club have emerged.

Eels chairman Steve Sharp reportedly met with Peats' manager Sam Ayoub in 2013 to handwrite the deal, which had to be pursued by the agent months later, according to News Corp.

Third-party deals cannot be guaranteed by club officials, and such an offer would therefore be considered illegal under NRL rules.

Meanwhile, signed statements provided to the NRL by former Eels chief executive Scott Seward also indicated Eddie Obeid Jnr would make $100,000 in payments to Hopoate, according to Fairfax Media.

Seward also alleged the money was offered to the now-Canterbury fullback when he was signed by the club in 2011 before his two-year Mormon missionary.

He was also unsure if the full $100,000 payment had been made, or if only half the offer was fulfilled.

The revelations come after reports on Sunday that Eels playmaker Corey Norman was paid cash in a western Sydney car park to make rent payments in a building owned by Eddie Obeid Snr.

There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by any of the players, their managers or the Obeids.


2 min read

Published

Source: AAP



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