Storm player Billy Slater skips away from Andrew McCullough during the Rugby League, NRL Round 2, Brisbane Broncos v Melbourne Storm at Suncorp Stadium, Friday March 20, 2009. Broncos won 16 – 14. (AAP Image/Action Photographics, Colin Whelan)
Thursday April 22, 2010 will now forever be remembered as the day Australia’s biggest sporting scandal was uncovered – for five years, including two premierships and three minor premierships, the Melbourne Storm had been systematically rorting the salary cap.
The NRL’s most powerful and successful club on the field over the past decade has been brought to it’s knees after the penalties handed out by the NRL against the club for the running of two separate books within the club’s administration.
They have been stripped of three minor premierships, tw premierships, fined $500,000 and ordered to pay back $1.1 million dollars in prize money. In addition to this, Craig Bellamy’s side has been stripped of all 8 premiership points earned in season 2010 and will not be able to accrue any further points for the remainder of the season.
The punishment, whilst necessary, threatens the very existence of the Storm in Melbourne.
This is a club which has done remarkably well in recent times to fit into the an AFL dominated sporting landscape where rugby league was once on the periphery. If the Storm where to fold, the NRL would be virtually back to square one in regards to their own expansion hopes.
A two state competition is hardly a ‘National’ Rugby League.
Effectively, the rest of the 2010 season is a write off for Melbourne. Their players have nothing to play for, their fans have nothing to cheer for. No premiership points can be gained, none lost.
As to how many supporters show up to their matches, it remains to be seen.
In my opinion, it is the apparent ‘innocent’ parties in this trainwreck are the ones who can save the Melbourne Storm: the players.
The nucleus of players upon which Melbourne’s now tainted dynasty was built hold the keys to the franchise’s success. Greg Inglis, Billy Slater, Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk are no longer dual premiership players, nor is Craig Bellamy a dual premiership coach.
If the likes of Slater, Inglis, Smith and Cronk and even Bellamy move onto other clubs, or even overseas, the Melbourne Storm is as good as dead.
However, if this group decides to stay together for the good of the club and their supporters, they have the potential to save the club. Now, obviously they would have to take a pay-cut, as well as depend on News Limited to keep propping them up financially.
But this would give them an opportunity to right the huge wrong which has almost wiped out the club. It would also hand them the chance as players to put their names in the record books, ‘officially’, as premiership players for the Melbourne Storm.
If the current batch of players stick by the club, so will the majority of the fans.
Chances are, if this happens, they may well survive.
Andrew Watson
Guest
There are alot of factors between the Revenue Line and Profit Line. Melbourne earnt over 20m last year and I for 1 dont believe they operated at a loss. I'd say this is a ploy from News Ltd to have the Storm as a tax ride-off. News dont essentially want to own the Storm, but want the game to grow outside Sydney to maximise TV audiances. So for now, they will fund the franchise. There needs to be some form of Salary Cap. How it is applied is what needs an overhaul. You cant have a cap that is only applied to ensure the Sydney teams dont go broke. The NRL is a national competition and the question of expansion isnt about revenue, there's plenty of it out there, it about passion. The Sydney clubs are too passionate about thier clubs to even contiplate relocating. It is this ignorance that will see the end of Rugby League in this country. All this rubbish about losing fans is just that...rubbish. The first team that relocates to Perth will have a few battles on thier hands, but will come out the other side as a very profitable club. I'm a Tiger fans and if we relocate, I suppose we want to keep the integrety of our brand to remain intact. Thats where our passion is. the "Wests Tigers" would be a perfect fit to the WA location. Nothing changes other than where the team trains and plays. The fans dont get to watch them train now. They could play 6 games in Perth and 6 games in Sydney as a starting point. Overtime, this could be changed. The club only has 6500 members with thier current set up. Have you ever wondered how many Tiger Fans dont live in Sydney? I think you will be suprised as to how many WA fans will become Wests Tigers Members, how many Sydney Fans will remain Wests Tigers Memebers, and how many Wests Tigers Members are based in Queensland...
Dogs Of War
Roar Guru
I think the fans are much more forgiving of the players, than the administrators of the club that made this situation happen. This is talking from my experience in 2002 when the Bulldogs did the exact same thing. It also provided my best day at the footy ever, when at the last game of the season the fans rushed the field and carried the players off the field as we knew it wasn't the players fault, and we were proud of them for all the joy they had brought us. Hopefully Melbourne fans feel the same way.
Betty B
Guest
Yes, I see and agree. But I still think Bellamy got it wrong when he spoke about the 'harsh penalties' (his words) and no mention of an unfair advantage or an acknowledgement that at least something was wrong. I hope his words strike the right chord with Storm fans.
Dogs Of War
Roar Guru
Betty, I think it's a very hard position for the coach. I can't see the coach having any say on the financials of players, really his job is to prepare the side for action. When the CEO comes to him and says we can get player X, his job is to say yes or no, and not enter into the negotiations unless they need an opinion if they are paying overs (as it may cost others an opportunity by securing player X). Not to mention that there is plenty of laundry still to come out in the wash. It's very hard to comment until all the facts of the situation have been revealed. Using the Bulldogs as an example, it took about 4 weeks for 90% of the facts to come out, and the court case for the other 10% to come out.
Betty B
Guest
they might have accepted 'all that' but Bellamy, speaking on behalf of the players/coaches, in his only press conference (today) and his only public public statement, did not acknowledge it. Yes, he clearly said they want to move forward (on the field, he said), but he made no mention of any wrong doing, only pride and penaltys. Maybe I'm wrong, but I still feel he left too much un-said.
AFL Queensland
Guest
They have accepted all that. They are looking to move forward. As anyone knows, the financials of a company are not the province of the workers generally speaking...
Betty B
Guest
Noel Bellamy made it clear in his press statement Saturday that the playing/coaching team would remain loyal. Let's hope their fans do too. But Bellamy left a few points unsaid, maye because of legal constraints but I can't help but feel that he just doesn't get it. Sure his players worked hard and they're proud - they have a right to be - but as a team they had an advantage. Their management cheated. Until the players/coaches acknowledge this, their loyalty, and that of their fans, is questionable.
Rabbitz
Roar Guru
I am not interested enough to try and look it up but if the Storm are "the BEST REVENUE EARNING CLUBS in the Competition" why were they making such financial losses that NEWS ltd had to keep bailing them out (as has been widely reported). Also I would suggest that if the salary cap was removed it would be the death of the league. The players wage claims are now only being controlled by the cap. Most clubs can not afford to pay more than they do now, so an unfettered wage explosion would send most broke, an that would kill of the entire competition. Look at it this way, the players are just entertainers and if the income from their performance is less than what they are being paid, then the show closes. By introducing a system of wage restraint, then the show can go on, for a time.
Harvey the Scouser
Roar Guru
Nothing to play for but pride. still very difficult for the players
Mick
Guest
Again, what is the point of the Storm continuing on this season? THERE IS NOTHING TO PLAY FOR. The Cowboys will gladly take Slater. He's an NQ boy anyway. All this mess is Waldron's own doing. He and his dodgy mates should be the ones to blame.
Andrew Watson
Guest
Regardless if the Players knew or not, the Players dont have a responsibility to the Salary Cap. The Salary Cap is betwen the Clubs and the NRL. It just goes to show how loyal the players are to thier belovered Storm Jumper. Not 1 player from the storm wouldnt get an offer from oversees clubs in either code. What Player woudnt take more money considering the money could earn if they shifted oversees? People keep talking about how much more money they must of recieved, but no one is talking about how much money they have rejected to stay loyal to the Storm. They stayed together and have formed a new bond of brotherhood for less money!!! Of course other clubs are doing it. Of course players knew about it. Of course Craig Bellamy knew about it. Anyone who knows about the internal workings of the Football Department & Contract Negotiations, knows they had to know. The problem the NRL has, are they gona banish the Clubs, Players and Employees of the BEST REVENUE EARNING CLUBS in the Competition??? The problem he is simply the Salary Cap. It is wrong and needs to be addressed quick smart or the game of Rugby League is dead, not just the Storm...
Rabbitz
Guest
If, as we being asked to believe, the coach and players had no idea this was going on (yeah right) then why would any on the players have any loyalty to the club? If the more likely scenario is true and the players were in on it, then their loyalty is a moot point as the NRL should rub them out for at least a couple of years. What about the fans? Don't ask us, ask the administrators, coaches, managers and players. They were running the rort, they were taking the money, they were the ones being disloyal to the fans. They need to make good with the fans, not the NRL.
Ben
Guest
Te players need to look after their own financial future....the storm are not going to pay their retirement if they get injured this year....if i was a top level storm player (especially slater or Ingilis) I would take the opportunity to break the contract and hit the open market....France would be perfect...go and make some serious money