Melbourne Storm fans gather outside AAMI Park to show their support at a training session on Saturday, April 24, 2010. AAP Image/David Crosling
Provided the club’s salary cap rorting was solely the work of rogue executives, and provided Cameron Smith’s insistence players will take a pay cut to stay together is true, and provided News Limited “remains committed to the Storm in Melbourne,” as they’ve stated, the Melbourne Storm can bounce back from this crisis.
Remember the most excessive of the Storm’s punishments – the stripping of premierships – affects what happened in the past.
The second most excessive – the stripping of all points from the 2010 season – affects what is happening in the present.
The future, relatively speaking, is in the Storm’s hands.
The message from both the coach and players yesterday, and the strong support shown by supporters at the club’s AAMI Park training session, reiterate this.
Now sure, they’ll come out of the salary cap crisis with a damaged brand and less a few sponsors. There’ll be people out there who will forever regard them as cheats, or who will no longer trust the club.
But just imagine this scenario. Imagine if the players and coaches do emerge as the innocent victims of all this, and the players do end up taking a pay cut and staying together, and News Limited do continue their commitment and absorb the financial impact of the crisis.
Then imagine the Storm making a run for next year’s premiership.
Practically all of Victoria will be pulling for them. They’ll be pulling for the players, adversely affected by a scandal they knew nothing about. They’ll be pulling for their club, thrown into turmoil by the work of a select few.
If they could win it, it would be possibly the greatest redemption story in Australian sport. How could you not pull for that?
Now of course, October 2011 is probably too far away to start thinking in such a manner. And it’s worth mentioning there were strong whispers of AFL clubs looking at Billy Slater as a Karmichael Hunt-style recruit on Melbourne radio yesterday.
But this is the challenge for the Storm. This is what can be accomplished if they stick together and fight back. And if yesterday was any indicator, that’s what those sticking by the club – especially the playing group and the coach – want more than anything.
Smith said in the Herald Sun the playing group would take “huge hits” to stay together.
“There is no way we are going to ask a player or several players to leave so we can be within the salary cap,” he said. “We are a team, not a group of individuals that turn up on a weekend and play football. We’re together in everything we do and if we have to be under the salary cap we will do it together.”
Then there was Craig Bellamy’s impassioned statement in front of the press, with his players standing united behind him.
“We ain’t going anywhere. We are not going to surrender. We will stand up for ourselves, we will fight our way back from here,” he said.
Over 2000 fans attended the event for supporters, a sign that many Storm supporters aren’t blaming the club as a whole for the crisis, but rather their anger was directed at former CEO Brian Waldron.
Of course, for the Storm to emerge a stronger club, the words coming from the players, coach and ownership will need to be more than just words. The presently accepted version of events will have to be correct, too.
But if these things occur, there may yet be a silver lining on this dark, dark storm cloud.
After all, this town loves a good redemption story. Look at Geelong last year, bouncing back from losing the unlosable grand final in 2008. Look at the Ben Cousins hype at the start of last year, or the Barry Hall bandwagon so far this year.
Next year, the Melbourne Storm get their shot at redemption. Like Geelong, Cousins and Hall, they’ll be embarrassed. They’ll have a point to prove.
They’ll also be out to win a premiership that will remain in the record books.
Don’t underestimate how much of a motivator those things will be. It could be the making – not breaking – of rugby league in Melbourne.
bilbo
Guest
They are currently sitting on their best average ever - well over the 12K from last year - and are regularly pulling 10K despite playing poor drawcard teams and playing for nothing. Their TV ratings - when they are shown before midnight - are also strong, better than the Swans OR the Lions have got all year. Things are looking up for the Storm.
Andyroo
Guest
Last year they averaged 12K fans from 12 home games. Obviously at the start of the year with the new stadium they would hope to have beat that average but given whats happened I am sure they would be wrapped with maintaining that average. And as it stands now I think they will.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Can I say that currently, the cross-code support for the Storm is MASSSIVE!! SEN radio has talked it up big time for the last 4 days solid - there are no Melburnians dancing on the grave of the Storm (except for the player agents, and we all know where they sit in terms of the jobs most respected meter). This was obviously visible the other night. But when we get back to reality, some AFL analysts (ex-coaches, and the like, talking from when they have been in similar positions) have all had the same story to tell - it is impossible to maintain the rage for such a length of time (that may well go into next season) - and that goes for both the team and supporters. Yes, there has been a positive in terms of the show of support for the Storm amongst Melburnians (we all understand the concept of having the premiership record wiped, in that we understand how devastating such an act is for a footy club) - but the reality is that in the short to medium term - the Storm is in absolutely dire straits because of what has happened, and it's almost impossible to imagine a scenario where they survive as a club..
Michael DiFabrizio
Expert
Good crowd by the sounds of it. People are saying the crowds will eventually drop off with nothing to play for, and that may indeed happen, or they may die down before the serious stuff next year, but there's no need to start dancing on the grave of the Storm just yet (as I note Eddie McGuire did in the paper today). The Storm have probably gotten more publicity in the past few days than after both premierships combined. And even though some may see it as bad publicity, I would not be surprised one bit if we end up looking back on this as one big rallying point for Storm supporters, Melburnians and Victorians. The conditions outlined in the article would still have to be met -- the players and coach will have to remain innocent, a strong enough playing list will have to remain, and News Ltd will need to absorb the financial impact -- but it is certainly possible.
Dogs Of War
Roar Guru
I have read elsewhere that a lot of Collingwood supporters attended the game (I presume after there match ended). Great to see the cross code support for the Storm.
Norm
Guest
Peter FitzSimons will be disappointed.
M1tch
Roar Guru
warriors werent robbed, they just sucked
Dogs Of War
Roar Guru
24K crowd tonight for the Storm. With there next home game at the new stadium, given this crowd, you could expect a similar crowd (especially since they thumped the Warriors). Maybe not is all lost? Maybe this event is the emotional tie to the team that the Storm needed.
zach
Guest
The only pulling being done is by you Michael. For a start, how could the players be innocent victims? You are saying the senior players didn't know about the side letters they signed, the secret payments and cars, boats and home renovations they received? No-one believes that, least of all their junior teammates. Second, they won't be making a run for next years premiership, or any other premiership for about 10 years, because they won't have those players any more. They will have to compete on a level playing field for the first time - something they have no experience at. They will find that winning is not so easy when you can't cheat. There will be a brief rush of blood and I expect the crowds will come out for a while as a reaction to the penalty, but long term they will always be remembered as cheats. I feel sorry for the Warriors today. Even though Storm are out of contention this year, the Warriors are still after points, and they have to face a team today which still has their ill gotten players. If Storm win today the Warriors will have been robbed.
Bam Bam
Roar Guru
I hope this is true, I hope people get behind them and support them over their lifetime. I believe the Storm will be there, if there is enough people to support them in the crowds. In Brisbane here, there are a fair few Melbourne supporters, ironically, and I saw a grown man cry Friday night because he was not sure if his team, Melbourne Storm, would be there next year- who would he support, what team would he cheer for when they scored a match-winning try. Please Melbourne, get behind your only Rugby League team and show the nation that what people think are unredeemable are in fact able to become stronger.
Davo Lynch
Guest
Salary cap. Easily fixed by putting in checks and balances. Each, player, player manager and club officials to sign a Stat Dec document outlining each payment to the players for the year. Put in a penality process if found incorrect. Player banned for 1 year, player manager and officials banned for life.
Lance
Guest
I reckon that this scandal is all based around greed. - Greed of players and Greed of club owners....Craig Bellamy reading a statement saying,"they cant take our INDIGNITY and INTEGRITY away from us" - does he actuall read what he was given? - saddens me as a supporter of the storm that the high level games are still happening...INDIGNITY..is a noun mate..."an act that offends against a persons dignity and self respect" - (The team players have done this, leaving clubs for more money and you all know what money you get and what you are ALLOWED to get...) INTEGRITY - (Truth honesty actions and values) - The entire team has already shot themselves in the foot.. Face the music guys....redeem some of the values you claim ot have. I am only one person and will continue to support you, but lets get real - Be honest...There is nothing else you can lose..-Come on guys it may take a couple of years, but pull together, reset some values and goals..Let's show Australia and New Zealand that the Storm can be the very BEST of the BEST...This is our opportunity.
adrien2166
Guest
great article, hope redemption will happen...And i'm pretty sure that the storm will be awesome to watch on the field for the next 20rounds. They have amazing talents, some of the best players of the game, and if they play dead rubbers each week, without pressure on them, they will surely play in an amazing way (a bit like the Harlem Glob Trotters).Flick passes, great offloads, a lot of passes,great kicks,big hits and so on.... Come on MELBOURNE STORM, fight back and make us dream!
Redb
Guest
The so called sporting capital moniker was never connected to any one team Oikee, it was Storm propaganda to associate following them as somehow ratifying the title. Event related not teams. Somehow I doubt the AFL GF, aust open tennis, melb cup, F1GP, will grind to a halt :-)
Richard
Guest
After the rush of blood and indignation which follows having your past trashed, I am not surprised by the expression of bravado from the players and the supporters, After all they are, I believe anyway, innocent victims of this fraud. However, when the smoke clears, and the noise dies, and the publicity begins to fade, it will be very difficult to maintain the rage and to continue to strive for a club with no heart. And I think the Storm has had the heart ripped out of them. I wish Craig Bellamy and his fine team well. But I will be very surprised if they survive this.
oikee
Guest
I agree, could become a stronger club easily. Let central Queensland buy them, they will get a brand new stadium, plus double there crowd figures,. Apart from that, the Storm supporters have 1 year to show how much they care. Its now up to the so-called capital of sport to make this happen. If they fail, Melbourne can never say this again. If they do, they should be mocked, rideculed and shown up for false advertising . The balls in there court.
Andyroo
Guest
I agree with this article and hope that's how it plays out.
Davo
Guest
I watched the report on the news. It looked very much, as it was, a PR job for the news report. I particularly liked how Bellamy used the word "integrity", which I always thought meant adhering to high moral principles or professional standards. That's funny.