SYDNEY (AP) The National Rugby League has penalized the Parramatta Eels all 12 competition points they have earned this season and fined the club 1 million Australian dollars ($767,000) over salary cap breaches.
The Eels had been in fifth place with a 6-3 win-loss record, and Tuesday's decision drops them to 16th and last place.
Last year Parramatta was fined and put on notice for salary cap breaches in 2015. New investigations began in February following reports that the Eels had failed to disclose that a company sponsoring a supposed third-party deal for lock Anthony Watmough was a wholly-owned subsidiary of the club.
Parramatta will not be eligible to earn competition points until they are under the salary cap, and Watmough may help them in that quest.
Watmough, who moved to Parramatta last year, hasn't played this season due to chronic knee injuries. If he retires, it would allow the Eels to take him off their salary list and be under the cap.
The NRL had previously deducted points from the Canterbury Bulldogs in 2002, New Zealand Warriors in 2006 and Melbourne Storm in 2010 for salary cap infringements.
