Calaber, yes Billy Slater may have been on 300k a year. However what he was being given as "on the side" were dressed up to be 3rd Party Sponsor deals which are on top of the club salary and are allowed. He was given a boat and a shopping spree - both could have credibly come from one of his sponsors just like Scott Princes brand new house has come from one of their club's sponsors (he was cleared of salary cap infringement). Why would he question THE CLUB when management around him was telling him no no these are 3rd party deals. One thing that has been brought up before by the minds of the game is protecting club assets. Melbourne, like Brisbane a decade ago used to find no name talent and make them superstars. The point of protecting the players that a club spends both time and money on to create was raised years ago when clubs would raid Brisbanes ranks and was raised 2 or 3 years ago when people started raiding Melbournes. I said it when I was a Broncos supporter and I am saying it now that I am a Storm supporter, these clubs need some sort of protection from other clubs swooping up their hard work. I feel sorry for Finch though. I mean that bloke worked his arse off last year. He accepted a rookies minimum pay to go and play at the Storm thinking he would win a comp, he did it and now its taken away.
It is entirely possible that some players knew that at the very least something dodgy was going on although possibly not the extent of what was going on. From what is reported, several were asked to sign 2 contracts. The real contract and then the one that got sent to NRL. I don't know about you, but surely even the dopiest meathead footballer would realize there was something fishy with that! I personally don't give a hoot about NRL. My question is to the AFL where salary cap rorting (sp?) is given the AFL's blessing via 3rd party "sponsorships" and the like. Reaper
Hey minux Melbourne strom are out thats that buddy. And they will never host the state of origin again no room for a cheating state. No matter what excuse you make for them they are out for the whole season. So suck it up
I love the conspiracy theorists - the ones who blame the NRL for this, and most of them seem to be Victorians. I was in Melbourne in September 2008, during the NRL semi finals. Melbourne were the favourites to win their third premiership. Despite this fact, I had to go to the very back of the newspapers to find any mention of the Rugby League or Melbourne - yet there was page after page of AFL news. Victorians love their AFL as much, or more, than NSW and QLD love their league. The big difference between us is that we cover AFL, League, Union, soccer, pretty comprehensively. Victorians don't really give a stuff about any other football codes. The pathetic media coveraqge, including televised games at ridiculously late hours, and comments on this thread prove that. The Melbourne franchise is a waste of time - Victorians will NEVER adopt any other football code and 40,000 fans at one venue in Melbourne on a good day isn't going to change things. Melbourne's "misfortunes" this week were not a NSW/QLD conspiracy - they are entirely self inflicted and outside Victoria you won't find much sympathy for them.
I agree with you very much. CH 9 here has given the Melbourne Storm no favors what soever. The only games that are shown live here are (in recent years) the State of Origin and the Grand Final. During the finals season you might be lucky to get a Storm game live. Other than that you wont see a game at a decent hour. Hell last nights Storm game wasnt even played in Melbourne instead they showed the other Sunday game Rabbitohs vs Dragons at 2 am or something, thats the core reason we have foxtel is so we can watch Rugby League. I dont understand it though, go to NSW or QLD, AFL is played at reasonable hours, yet Ch 9 here refuses to televise games. I agree this wasnt a conspiracy and the people saying that David Gallop gave us this penalty because we are a Vic franchise are pretty much idiots, however people who say the Storm should be kicked out of the NRL all together because of this are equally stupid. I still think the NRL should expand further into Queensland before AFL does. Queensland is passionate Rugby land. A team in the middle of Brisbane and Nth Queensland would be huge and would get as much support as the calls for a Central Coast NSW team.
You do realize that the city of Melbourne that hosts your buttball match is very different to the Melbourne Storm NRL team don't you??? Reaper
Not all the players may have cheated individually. But some took more money than was included in their declared package, so some DID cheat individually and directly. No one player wins a premiership. The team as a whole did cheat, and has cheated for years. The players aren't getting penalized individually, there not getting stripped of their earnings, but the team is being penalized. It's a bit like Toyota being allowed into the v8 Supercars, and being allowed to run a v10. Suck it up storm lovers. You support cheaters.
Well said! if you sign for x and you recieve y over the top, and don't ask questions. thats cheating.
Well its not if its a LEGITIMATE 3rd Party Hospitality bonus's and sponsor deals. Thats what people dont understand. They were told it was one thing and it was infact something different. How hard is that to understand.
Err, you sign a contract for player payments, another for 3rd party payments. I get bonus' throughout the year, not once do I question why. Why would I? I guess I am cheating at my job for not asking. Seriously...
yeah minux is right Why would you question a massive bonus, its money in your pocket, or off your mastercard
