I know its off topic but has anyone heard the breaking news on the melbourne storm ?

[Tzatziki_Man]

It's understandable where the NRL is coming from really. The Storm put a LOT of effort to conceal their 'second book of recorded payments'.

"They (Storm) had a long-term system of effectively two sets of books and the elaborate lengths they have gone through to cover this up has been extraordinary," Gallop said.

They were cheats, this was no accident and it was going to continue to happen over and over for years and years.

It's an absolute disgrace what those people did.

- They destroyed NRL in Melbourne - and destroyed the Melbourne Storm.
- They have left a hole in the history of the NRL.
- They have shattered their fans and players/coach.
- They took away 'a moment of sporting glory' from two other sides in 2007 & 2009.

It's an ugly ugly situation, not even Carltank would stoop to their level and I hope if any teams did this in the AFL - Richmond included, it would rot to the ground. This is not what sport is about.

 

[telsor]

It's an ugly ugly situation, not even Carltank would stoop to their level and I hope if any teams did this in the AFL - Richmond included, it would rot to the ground. This is not what sport is about.

Actually it is similar to what Carton did. An organised, deliberate attempt to circumvent the cap by a significant margin by whatever means necessary.

I've been a Richmond fan all my life, I've seen the good ( 70's ) and the bad ( last 27 years ). If, hypothetically, we 'came good', and won a couple of flags in the next few years, I'd be overjoyed. If we were found to have done that, I'd be leading the calls for blood, and would abandon the club forever.

 

[Tzatziki_Man]

Actually it is similar to what Carton did. An organised, deliberate attempt to circumvent the cap by a significant margin by whatever means necessary.

I've been a Richmond fan all my life, I've seen the good ( 70's ) and the bad ( last 27 years ). If, hypothetically, we 'came good', and won a couple of flags in the next few years, I'd be overjoyed. If we were found to have done that, I'd be leading the calls for blood, and would abandon the club forever.

I would join you, it would be the biggest slap in the face to members and supporters that have continued to support the team throughout our dark era.

 

[CQTiger]

Actually it is similar to what Carton did. An organised, deliberate attempt to circumvent the cap by a significant margin by whatever means necessary.

I've been a Richmond fan all my life, I've seen the good ( 70's ) and the bad ( last 27 years ). If, hypothetically, we 'came good', and won a couple of flags in the next few years, I'd be overjoyed. If we were found to have done that, I'd be leading the calls for blood, and would abandon the club forever.

Not much chance of our club doing that We leak like a sieve and the media would know all about it before the first cheque was cashed

 

[smasha]

One good thing has come out of this.

The HUN have something else to talk about instead of throwing stones our way.

 

[Bojangles17]

reality is the AFL should have had the aggots to strip Carlton of it's 95 flag that will forever be tainted due to cap breaches that undermined the result. It's not too late

 

[Bazzar]

reality is the AFL should have had the aggots to strip Carlton of it's 95 flag that will forever be tainted due to cap breaches that undermined the result. It's not too late

And show some real balls and retrospectively investigate Collingwoods 27,28,29 and 30 flags, and strip them because of the bribes, death threats and intimidation of opposition players.

 

[CoggaRules]

LMAO

Millions over the salary cap

Stripped of all points

Stripped of all premierships

Administration sacked ... talk of criminal charges

What a joke that game is

two words Brian Waldron....LMAO....the architect of our recruiting drive back when KB was at the helm and look what it did to us...

 

[Mr Magic]

On a related topic they say about 1/2 million was picked up on betting from people with inside info.

The problem is to my mind the conspiracy doesn't rest with the Storm.

Firstly, the Storm have apparently been doing it for 5 years bearing in mind player and admin movements of people who talk.

Secondly, if Gould knew about something in the air 4 weeks ago how is it brought to light now and a release wasn't made prior for stakeholders to adjust their perspectives.

Thirdly, if the Storm has breached the rules haven't they breached the entitlement to the spoon. In my mind they are turning up to play but legally speaking how have they won the spoon!. I would be surprised if court action doesn't occur here from disaffected stakeholders. In effect their participation is void in an competitive capacity regarding 2010 at all levels and future games in 2010 are simply marketing instruments for the 2011 season aren't they???

 

[IDGAF]

For a guy with seemingly no affection for rugby league, you seem to have your finger on the pulse in both NSW and QLD I don't particularly like rubgy league or the NRL but I find it hard to believe the NRL would orchestrate this as a way of killing the Storm, which is what you seem to be implying. How could they benefit from it in any way? The NRL and rugby league needs this knock to its credibility like you or I need a bullet in the head. People up here aren't obsessed with the Storm nor did they begrudge them their success - well before today I suppose.

For someone whose intelligence i greatly respect your are being incredibly niave

The rank and file NRL supporter , in particularily in NSW cannot stand the Storm ... and these sentiments are held by a lot at the highest levels of the game .

Do a straw pole of past and present club presidents and see what you come up with . If you do not think there is great happiness tonight in large circles of the game you are kidding yourself ..

The Storm is about market share ... televison audiences and above all , money . News LTD have and owned and proped up this franchise although it has been pretty much insolvent for years in the hope that it would eventually crack one of the greatest sporting markets in the world but even the most devoted would have to admit it has never really succeeded . The fact that they recognised the need to expand thier market is about the only thing they have ever gotten right but its the refusal of large sections of the game to let go thier tribalism and narrowmindedness that has seen it never really succeed .

The game has turned furiously on this club and Waldron but in effect what they did was "try" and keep the game alive down here by retaining its marquee players by doing whatever it could to stay competetive .

Where do you think the storm would be if they had a record like Freo's ? .... non-existent a long time ago thats where

News LTD are the ones that really wreak in this . To completely deny and whipe its hands of any knowledge of this is just not acceptable ... last i heard they did have ownership didn't they ... Imean whoever heard of an organisation like that who did not account for where there money was going ?

Your right , it is akin to killing the storm and i don't see a way back . The storm supporters are completely gutted and fair enough , but how are they going to go when the likes of Ingliss and Slater are shipped off next year ? (players i will add that were grown as kids and not "head hunted")

This is clearly Gallop and News LTD and the NRL waving the white flag down here and saying see ya .... The NRL will return to its two state rivalry with the token KIWI offerings and that will be that . The net result will be a smaller fishbowl and more players heading OS .... but my challenge to all the other clubs is this ...

Lets see all your admins come forward and sign statutory declarations that they have never undertaken such practices ....Will never happen ,but i think even the ordinary man knows the truth ...

 

[emperor]

Yeah, I have been thinking about this a bit more ID. Especially the bit about Storm having to be successful to remain viable. They are defintely no longer viable. Melbourne people will probably now despise RL even more?

I admit I went off half **** about you guys being too paranoid about the whole Vic vs NSW thing. A lot of merit in what you and PHX said, I was being naive about RL still not being a very insular code. Truth will never be known imo.

I did a research project on News back in Uni and found out a lot of stuff on their involvement in RL. Just stinks (or reeks?).

 

[IDGAF]

Yeah, I have been thinking about this a bit more ID. Especially the bit about Storm having to be successful to remain viable. They are defintely no longer viable. Melbourne people will probably now despise RL even more?

I admit I went off half **** about you guys being too paranoid about the whole Vic vs NSW thing. A lot of merit in what you and PHX said, I was being naive about RL still not being a very insular code. Truth will never be known imo.

I did a research project on News back in Uni and found out a lot of stuff on their involvement in RL. Just stinks (or reeks?).

FWIW Emp i can't stand the whole state rivalry thing . and i know my view may be seen as tainted or biased but from my experinces i think the bulk of Victorians feel the same way ... genuine sentiments

I reckon the best evidence to support this is the way the whole AFL State of origin thing died of natural causes through our acceptence of the national game . It was no longer relevent . Does not matter to us where the premiership is won from ... whereas the NRL continues to hold its state of origin series the equal to or even greater than its domestic season .

 

[camsmith]

Your right , it is akin to killing the storm and i don't see a way back . The storm supporters are completely gutted and fair enough , but how are they going to go when the likes of Ingliss and Slater are shipped off next year ? (players i will add that were grown as kids and not "head hunted")

That's exactly it, we have been absolutely crucified because we have been so good at scouting and developing most of the kids who have come to our club. We didn't do a Barrassi and just bring a whole lot of stars. Almost every player that played in our last 4 GFs came to the club as unknown players. With the exception of players like Finch and Clint Newton who apparently were paid far less than what they were worth. (and Crocker).

I'm getting sick of those in the media saying how we have only won premierships and been successful because we've been able to retain all our good players. WTF planet have they been on? And today listening to Chris Smith say how he has always been suspicious because of all the rep players we have in our side. Does that mean Bronco teams the past are guilty too?

Can't put it in words but im getting pretty pissed off at some of the reporting of this. Shits me that some of these that only want a NSW/QLD comp have come out of hiding to stick their boots into us. It still remains even with the "rorting" we didn't exceed the cap to the extent that some AFL teams have (ffs Karmichael Hunt anyone? meant to have a contract that pays him $1 million a season, none of which is included in the cap). We haven't had any concessions that the GC is going to get, yet our club is getting its reputation dragged through the mud for the things past admins have done.

I support Portsmouth in the EPL (aren't my teams going well atm...) and its a similar situation. Club officials at the top have ****ed the club by going in debt equalling the prem taking prem points off us = relegation etc.. the fans and players are being punished because the the incompetence of those at the top... yet whats the bet they escape unharmed while members like myself have to be the ones who stick by them if they're going to survive... too angry to put my feelings into words at the moment. Thought i'd be thinking more clearly after 24 hours but listening to the shit on the radio and reading it on the net, im only more pissed off.

Btw, great posts regarding this.. have agreed 100% with what you have said. Quality posts..

 

[Heisenberg_]

Don't forget the numerous players that Storm took on who were rejuects from other clubs who were then turned into International and SOO reps.
Just ended up becoming far too good then what the NRL ever wanted them to be, make no mistake that every single other side in the NRL does the exact same thing, they just havent completly dominated the rest of the competition like those Bloody Mexicans.

 

[emperor]

FWIW Emp i can't stand the whole state rivalry thing . and i know my view may be seen as tainted or biased but from my experinces i think the bulk of Victorians feel the same way ... genuine sentiments

.

Exactly my sentiments (had something to do with my original outburst too).

Funny you mention NRL SOO because as a youngster I used to love the state of origin and all its associated rigmarole (read bullshit), without having any great affection for the game, now I can't stand it.

I think the attitude is alright up here, there is still a distinct feral element but on the whole I think the state has moved on from the "vic dick / mexican" crap. Definitely was prevalent when I was growing up. Don't mind the odd gentle ribbing though

 

[IDGAF]

That's exactly it, we have been absolutely crucified because we have been so good at scouting and developing most of the kids who have come to our club. We didn't do a Barrassi and just bring a whole lot of stars. Almost every player that played in our last 4 GFs came to the club as unknown players. With the exception of players like Finch and Clint Newton who apparently were paid far less than what they were worth. (and Crocker).

I'm getting sick of those in the media saying how we have only won premierships and been successful because we've been able to retain all our good players. WTF planet have they been on? And today listening to Chris Smith say how he has always been suspicious because of all the rep players we have in our side. Does that mean Bronco teams the past are guilty too?

Can't put it in words but im getting pretty pissed off at some of the reporting of this. Shits me that some of these that only want a NSW/QLD comp have come out of hiding to stick their boots into us. It still remains even with the "rorting" we didn't exceed the cap to the extent that some AFL teams have (ffs Karmichael Hunt anyone? meant to have a contract that pays him $1 million a season, none of which is included in the cap). We haven't had any concessions that the GC is going to get, yet our club is getting its reputation dragged through the mud for the things past admins have done.

Btw, great posts regarding this.. have agreed 100% with what you have said. Quality posts..

Pretty bang on yourself there Cam and thanks

The thing that cuts pretty deep with me and i`ve already posted it is the amount of players we have forced to turn over due to the cap ... we just keep going back to the well and unearthing new kids , then there are the rejects like you said ... Tomane was a basket case before Bellamy straightened him out and then he shat on us , its just demoralising .

Gallop is just a f..kin idiot , seriously ... rather than just increase the cap which everyone is crying out for he would rather see all our talent rack off to europe .

I seriously don't know anymore

 

[IDGAF]

I think the attitude is alright up here, there is still a distinct feral element but on the whole I think the state has moved on from the "vic dick / mexican" crap. Definitely was prevalent when I was growing up. Don't mind the odd gentle ribbing though

My wife comes from the sunny coast so i have had a fair bit to do with the punters north of the Tweed and i do agree with you .... Any banter i have had with them is always good natured , its more the NSWelshmen who harbour the hatred

 

[Rayzorwire]

...its more the NSWelshmen who harbour the hatred

That's been my observation too Iddy...including from the Blues that retired up here.

 

[CoggaRules]

At the end of the day, the storm ****ed up and were at it again this year with over 700K already dished out. The NRL as opposed to the limp dicked AFL, handed down what the AFL should have ****ed the tankers with. No team should be allowed to rort the system, win flags by so doing and then be allowed to retain them when they are found out. The game is bigger than 1 teams fortunes. Yeah, the storm are the flag fliers for expansions etc, but i have to doff my hat to Gallop that he took no prisoners now, as he did when he cut down the bulldogs when they were nabbed.

Now its up to the storm to see how the fabric of the club can handle it. If they swim then it does only one thing. It steelys are resolve that strenghtens the foundations of a club and unites it and its supporters and most importantly it has Melbournites watching and willing them on. That will fill the new stadium when its ready and the storm have come out of this tail spin.
Double bonus for Gallop and the NRL, the integrity of the game is boosted, and they have most of Melbourne riding the come back.