Parramatta face four-point deduction

Parramatta Eels could start the 2016 season on minus four points if they don’t accept reform of their club board.

Parramatta were fined almost $500,000 last year because of salary cap problems and have had severe goverances issues over the past few seasons.

The NRL has ordered the Eels to carry out reforms on how it elects its board members by February 29, with recommendatations delivered following a review by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the Eels are opposed to some of the reforms they have been given.

“I don’t think it’s a great environment for our club to be involved in annual elections given the recent history while we’re trying to sort the direction of the club out. Our view is that we’ll stay where we are at the moment,” Parramatta chairman Steve Sharp told The Sydney Morning Herald.

“I think it’s totally unfair and unrealistic if anyone expected the club to adhere to [all the] recommendations, and that’s all they are – recommendations based on a short turnaround review.

“We’re committed to do as many as we can and we believe that by February 29 we’ll have all but a handful of the primary recommendations completed and done.

“But there are a handful of ones that we don’t agree with and we’ve notified the NRL that we don’t agree with those particular items and I don’t think we should have a gun held to our head.”

The NRL is working with Parramatta and is hopeful the club will meet the deadline of February 29.