April 22, 2010 is a date which sends shivers down a Melbourne Storm fan’s spine.
At around 3.00pm, then NRL chief David Gallop called a press conference. Not many could have foreseen what was about to occur.
The Melbourne Storm were stripped of their 2007 and 2009 NRL premierships, their 2006, 2007 and 2009 minor premierships and the 2010 World Club Challenge.
They were also to play out the 2010 season without earning any more premiership points and to be stripped of the ones already acquired. They were fined $1.689 million to boot.
The game changed that day. Never before had a club been stripped of two premierships, let alone one. The biggest penalty beforehand was the removal of premiership points and a $500,000 fine, handed down to the Bulldogs for a salary cap breach in 2002.
Despite a new stadium, the Storm were under pressure to relocate. Some fans left merchandise outside the headquarters of the Storm at Princes Park.
It’s times like these that make or break a football club. The players and staff could easily have folded. But that is not how Melbourne sports teams take things.
A few days later, coach Craig Bellamy led his team out onto AAMI Park to face the media, united as one. This signified how tough this side was, and that they would be back.
Ultimately, players would have to go. The biggest name was Greg Inglis. He initially signed a contract with the Brisbane Broncos, before joining South Sydney. Many thought that Melbourne would still feel the pinch heading into the 2011 season. They couldn’t have been more wrong if they tried.
Melbourne opened the new season with an 18-6 win over Manly and really didn’t look back, with only five losses on the cards for the normal season, as they finished minor premiers. However there was doubt over the side, as the final two matches of the season were losses.
They put a little ease to this doubt in the qualifying final, as they came out and beat Newcastle 18-8.
They then moved through to the preliminary final, were they would take on the Warriors. In front of 28,580 fans at AAMI Park, the Storm choked, going down 12-20.
Many experts thought it was the end of an era and that the Storm simply weren’t ready yet for another crack at the premiership.
The Storm recruited well over the off-season and started 2012 alight, winning their first nine games. The Sydney media jumped back on the bandwagon and they were installed as premiership favourites. Then, disaster struck.
Superstar Billy Slater strained his posterior cruciate ligament in State of Origin game two. He was to sit out for a number of weeks. Melbourne lost five matches in a row from round 16-21, their second worst losing streak in their short history and the worst under coach Craig Bellamy.
The media jumped off, putting the Storm’s premiership chances down at any chance they had. Round 22 came around and the Storm hit back, smashing Penrith 46-6. They went on to win every game for the rest of the season. Finals were around the corner.
Storm were to play South Sydney at home in the qualifying final. In front of 19,750, the Rabbitohs were soundly beaten 24-6. Melbourne were through to another preliminary final.
There were never any thoughts of the previous season. The Storm thumped Manly 40-12. Three years after their last, Melbourne were in the grand final.
They were to play the Bulldogs; minor premiers and warm favourites. Everyone and their dog was on Canterbury, spearheaded by their own superstar full back Ben Barba. It really didn’t matter, by the early minutes of the decider at ANZ Stadium, it was quite clear who would win the match.
Ryan Hoffman, Billy Slater and Justin O’Neill all scored tries, with Cameron Smith slotting a goal to give the Storm a 14-4 win over Canterbury. Melbourne were champions of the NRL for 2012. Craig Bellamy and Smith were presented with the NRL Premiership trophy.
The only thing that would have been sweeter would have been David Gallop handing the trophy to them, but he was sacked earlier in the year.
The question now is, can Melbourne continue on their dynasty that was interrupted by the events of 2010? The Storm will take on Leeds in the 2013 World Club Challenge before getting the 2013 season underway. Who will be the challenger next season?
Campaign to retore Melbourne's lost Premierships
Guest
Yes and players are so keen to be a part of this team they are fighting to return to the club they love.
Campaign to retore Melbourne's lost Premierships
Guest
I think you are getting a little carried away here. The Storm would be viable in Victoria regardless of News involvement. Its attendances and memberships are no where near the bottom in comparison to other NRL clubs. They currently have a pretty decent sponsorship list better than many other clubs and their finances are not as dire as some other clubs we could mention. Smith, Cronk & Slater retiring is not an issue for the Storm. Bellamy leaving is but that isn't likely to happen any time soon and who's to say that they don't find a good successor ? In short, the Storm are here to stay. The Storm are far from an evil entity, with the exception of the salary cap incident, they are the epitomy of everything that is good in Rugby League. Their involvement with the fans and the local community is second to none and their achievements growing a "foreign" sport in a new are with little special help from the NRL has quite frankly been incredible. The full facts behind the salary cap scandal remain hidden but it is pretty obvious to me in talking with some of the players that whatever went on was well hidden from them also. The club in the main and fans in totality are just as much victims in this sad affair as are all NRL supporters. I don't know about News ltd but I was surprised that the Police gave up so easily particularly when there was at least one man that was so obviously in the frame for this fraud. For me, the main victims in this affair - the fans - the coach and the players have suffered enough for a crime they did not commit and it is high time the NRL said enough is enough and restored Melbourne's premierships
duecer
Guest
81paling - some interesting points. Of course NEWS were never going to admit any resposibility in this saga and it has been all done and dusted. Can't see the Storm dying - the NRL will always prop them up, to lose a team from Melbourne would be unthinkable. The only problem (which you alude to) is what happens when they aren't near the top, as they always have been - will support drift away, will they play more matches in other areas? The pay TV layout will be interesting this year - will the NRL have anywhere near 77 of the top 100 shows as they did a couple of years ago - will the AFL have made inroads in that total - has the internet eroded the pay TV effect - many questions, what will the figures show?
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Well the flourishing from Southern subscribers to date, has not eventuated to the numbers expected. Forgetting of course that Foxtel is also reliant on rugby league subscribers, who actually represent a decent chunk of the subscriber base.Hence the reasoning behind a $550m 5 year deal ,nearly 2 1/2 times pa the previous deal.. News ltd has made it patently clear that they will be involved in one NRL team financially for the future.ATM they have the Storm and part of the Broncos. Regardless of that,the club is assured of additional funding for the next 5years from the NRL. In addition they like all the other clubs will be receiving a vastly improved grant and indeed salary cap.The code is quite emphatic,that the Storm pays for itself by their location in the 2nd largest city,by their Tv ratings on Foxtel and indeed FTA to the Northern states.News ltd has also poured millions into local development of the game as has the ARL and even the Vic govt. The G/F figures for a team from Vic and indeed SOO ,are enough evidence as to the worth of a Southern team ,domiciled in Melbourne,despite a press that is at best lazy in rl reporting. If you believe the NRL with money now at their disposal and indeed News ltd, are going to let the Storm disappear,you are deluded. One has also to be very careful in making generalised accusations,especially as police were involved as well as the Tax Office. Comparisons with the Storm and News hacking in the UK ,is a tad over the top.The latter involved intrusion into peoples' private lives. If News pulls out of the Storm ,they will either become privately owed or part subsidised by the NRLYour venom can then be directed 100% at News Ltd.
81paling
Roar Rookie
Melbourne may have their redemption and well done but, in 5 years as Slater, Cronk, Smith will be looking at retirement, NEWS corp's AFL channel on Fox will be flourishing with Southern subscribers and therefore they will pull their funding from the Storm, who may struggle on for a few more years but will die with their NRL license going back to Perth or somewhere that has juniors and a future in Rugby League. That is reality and a done deal the writting is on the wall who cares. However what really concerns me and should concern everyone in this country is that a very public crime of fraud was committed here and no one was charged when the Victorian police just dropped the case saying it was to hard and would be to expensive. It is not the players, their coach or even their managers who committed the crime that holds a jail sentence for the perpetrator but it was senior executives employed by NEWS (owners of Valimandra, the Storm and the NRL at the time) who got away with this crime that in reality we are probably all a victim of (Storm fans included). What is even more disturbing than this though is the way they got away with it. It was in the same way that NEWS in the UK tried but, were not nearly as successful to cover up the phone hacking scandal in the UK. We saw fancy legal tricks making sworn statements inadmissible, scape goats were sort out and put to the sword (in a way that they new they would be back and things would pass). There though the crime was greater as the evilness of NEWS deliberately and consciously profiting from the murder of children was on display for all to see and we should learn from them that justice must be done the truth behind the cheating must be disclosed and those responsible must be punished even if that time comes long after the Melbourne Storm is just a distant memory along the lines of the Adelaide Rams. I do not hate the Storm but there is something wrong and untrustworthy about the entity that could commit such evil acts as they did and all for the same boss and his family. There is more to this than just sport.
Nostradamus
Guest
CTRMLP, So how would you know how widespread it was. To think the Board had no idea where the money was going and the financial people turned a blind eye would be fraud under Company rules and garner attention of ASIC and APRA. They are negligent at worst and News as the owner/paymaster just wanted it to end so it went thru a pretend process and the money "disappeared" to the players. News could have taken the employees to court but conveniently chose not to. Until waldron speaks, no-one knows...
Campaign to retore Melbourne's lost Premierships
Guest
Yes, and Gallop insisted that the big 4 had to be broken up even though Melbourne came up with a plan to keep them that was under the cap. For some unknown reason Gallop took this personally and seemed determined to destroy the Storm. That is why he got booed the following year at Ammi park
Campaign to retore Melbourne's lost Premierships
Guest
Well said Scott
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
To compare Armstrongs continual denials year in year out with the Storm's salary cap scandal is ludicrous.Maybe he should have been operating under a 3 strikes policy. The Storm were punished ,including players who were innocent of any involvement.
Campaign to retore Melbourne's lost Premierships
Guest
No I don'think Waldron was the only one but I don't think it was as widespread as many people like to think. Waldron was the architect of that I have no doubt.
Renegade
Guest
Solly, Your talking too much sense....that's not allowed on these forums! ;)
Nostradamus
Guest
Revisionist historian - Waldron had to resign from the Rebels after the scandal and you are really naive if you think that one person could orchestrate a salary cap rort. News Ltd blamed 5 officials in the end and none of them are at the club now...
bbt
Guest
Spot On.
Brissy Red V
Guest
Doesnt matter if he was 50k or 500k. At the time the Storm was over the cap by 1.7mil. And Quinn was most definately wanted by the Knights. He was a representative player at the time.
Oracle
Guest
In Melbourne, Bellamy is almost universally respected as the BEST coach of ANY sporting code, AFL, NRL, football, cricket, , you name it. His results this year , and his ability to continually improve cast-offs over the years at MS only reinforces that belief.
John
Guest
To anyone who keeps harping on about the cheating argument, has it ever occurred to you flogs that the players were prepared to play for the Storm under the cap. After the news broke, they all said they wanted to remain, even if that meant taking a pay cut. But no, the NRL forced it so players had to leave. And to think, the AFL gives the Swans on a silver platter an extral mill in salary cap room. Is it any wonder Melbourne is the power broker of Australian sport. It wants to make its code Australia based. Sydney still has a regional mentality.
peeeko
Roar Guru
i think you are being very naive if you think Waldron is the only one involved.
MattRusty
Roar Pro
Keep the faith Campaign, never stop believing and never listen to the quiting types who are giving you stick.
Scott
Guest
The current crop of players, Melbourne's coaching staff, the administration team and the loyal and devoted fans that stayed resilient and committed throughout those dark times, when they could have easily abandoned the club altogether, like many did deserve to be commended on the loyalty they have shown to this team that were harshly punished because of a few rats that were in the ranks. It took blood, sweet and plenty of tears but on Sunday September 30, Bellamy and his players won the fight. I can't see this Melbourne Storm legacy coming to an end any time soon. As long as Bellyache is at the helm, this brilliant club with a culture others can only marvel at and admire will continue to dominate the NRL. The Storm will go back to back in 2013, mark my words.
solly
Guest
I'm not even a Melbourne supporter and I still think they won 4 premierships. Secretly paying your players extra is one thing, but not having them lose, is another. Nobody asked all of the other good teams to lose.