The five-eighth's eight-match suspension and $20,000 fine was meted out for a range of indiscretions including drug possession and his part in a sex tape scandal that involved vision of another person consuming drugs. The ban headlined another furious day of activity at Parramatta.

Paul, who has overseen the successful leagues club business, addressed football club staff after being appointed by administrator Max Donnelly to begin the recuperative process. As he entered the fray the departures continued as former state MP Tanya Gadiel became the latest director to resign.

Ian Schubert, the former NRL salary cap auditor turned Eels consultant, had been running affairs at the club over the past month in a de facto capacity but it will now be left to Paul to head up priority issues such as negotiations with off-contract Norman and free agent Jarryd Hayne.

Donnelly stressed that Paul's appointment was only temporary — a full-time Eels CEO will be found at a later stage. "I just need someone in there to cut some costs and look at a few things that seem odd, like apparently some people who aren't working that are getting paid, well that won't be continuing," Donnelly told 2GB. "We'll get to the bottom of that. On my model you can't have a common CEO [of the leagues and football clubs], but for the short term you can."

Donnelly was likely to have been referring to former CEO John Boulous and football manager Daniel Anderson, both of whom were deregistered by the NRL but were understood to have remained on Parra's pay roll.

The administrator's second day since being appointed by the state government to take over from the leagues club board was also a busy one. He met coach Brad Arthur and later with the lawyers who advised the club ahead of the decision to seek leave to appeal its salary cap sanctions. Donnelly will seek an independent opinion on the legal prospects of any appeal before determining whether the leagues club should fund it.

The exit of Gadiel was understood to leave only former Parramatta lord mayor Paul Garrard as the only director yet to resign.

Garrard is due to meet Donnelly on Friday morning and said he had club-related business to attend to next week in relation to the disciplinary committee. He may not be given that opportunity. "The position as I understand is they'll all be asked to resign ... if they don't, I'll terminate them," Donnelly said of the directors. "I'd like to do things nicely."

Norman was sidelined for the rest of the season in a ban that matched the one handed to Sydney Roosters halfback Mitchell Pearce earlier this year.

The NRL said Norman was banned over his "conviction for drug possession at The Star casino, a police warning for consorting with known criminals, filming incidents involving apparent drug use and sexual activity, distributing video of those incidents to other NRL players".

"Whether it is drug possession, criminal associations or social media use, players understand the consequences that can flow from illegal or other unacceptable conduct," NRL head of integrity Nick Weeks said.