No one doubts the scale of this latest NRL salary cap scandal and its impact not only on rugby league but across much of sport in Australia.
One factor of this saga which has not been completely analysed as yet in terms of the penalties upon the Storm is their inability to accrue competition points this season. Understandably, many suggest that with only rep jerseys to play for, the on-field performances may suffer, particularly in the lesser lights of the Storm squad.
There is however one positive for the Storm out of all this, and obviously while they would prefer none of this ever to have happened, they can take solace out of one point… freedom.
With this penalty, the Storm have basically been handed a series of about 20 trial matches for the rest of the 2010 season, and while motivation may be difficult at times to muster, the opportunity to try different game-plans, different players in different positions and different strategies, is one that no other team in Australian sporting history has been offered.
With top-level coach Craig Bellamy, and star players including the likes of Slater, Inglis, Smith and Cronk, not to mention consistent performers such as Hoffman and Finch, the Storm, if they are good enough, could potentially make revolutionary changes to the way the game is played, now not being burdened by the weight of holding a position on the ladder.
We have all seen it before, teams ruled out of finals contention growing an extra leg in the final rounds, unburdened by expectation, often acting as the spoilers for other teams, Imagine a team with the resources at hand of the Storm, being handed not only an extra leg of freedom, but 20 rounds to develop the way they play, without fear of loss.
So, while the penalities placed upon the Storm are severe but fair, the payoffs and returns for the game of rugby league in general may indeed pay off in due time.
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