Melbourne Storm stripped of premierships

[uranium_death]

Originally Posted by Bobman

I'm a little perplexed by this whole thing.

If you gave a Maccas kid a $1000 bonus to make your cheeseburger would it really be any better? How exactly does extra money (illegal or otherwise) suddenly make players better anyway? Perhaps I'm missing the point, but it's only bloody money!

Hypothetical:

Let's scrap the salary cap in the AFL.

A club goes out and gets Judd and Ablett as the onballers, Sandilands and Cox as the interchanging senior ruckman (with Natanui playing as a backup ruckman and forward line player), Riewoldt as a running half-forward who pushes up the ground, Jonathan Brown at CHF, perhaps Fevola at FF, Brent LeCras in the forward pocket with Paul Chapman...yeah...and you people can fill in the rest of the gaps...

Why should one team be able to buy all the best players?

Salary cap is the single best thing to happen in the AFL.

Back when zoning was around and the salary cap wasn't, only four teams won the VFL premiership between 1967 and 1983, and five teams between 67 and 1989.

With the introduction of the salary cap, since 1990 every team in the league except for Fremantle, Melbourne, Richmond, St Kilda and the Bulldogs has won a flag.

In only slightly more time, 11 different clubs have won a premiership.

Now, compare that to the EPL.
Since First Division became the EPL, only Man U, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Blackburn have won the Premiership.
In fact, Man U were hardly impressive before the EPL, with Liverpool being dominant.

With the massive influx of money, we have the same bloody teams winning every single year. Yawn. How boring.
How would you want to be a smaller club, knowing that you have absolutely 0% chance of surviving in the Premier League.

In both the NRL and AFL, every team is given the same opportunities (relatively), which keeps it fresh for its fans.

[partzkid]

it will keep that kid form wandering off to another job that pays more. and if that kid is awesome at what he does, you'd want him to stay wouldn't you

[DJR-351]

The new look Table....



http://www.nrl.com/TelstraPremiershi...1/Default.aspx

....thats gotta hurt....

[TUF_302]

They did the crime, so the must do the time, well pay a fine lol, Its so sad when something like this happens in pro sport, i mean did they really think they could get away with it forever?

[pottery beige]

Hazardous, Risky, Chancey..... = Dodgy..... Dodgy as a bucket full of thumb's and they got caught out... lol..

[Pinch]

Plenty will be said on this, but as a heart and soul, season ticket holding Dragons Red V member I just want to offer those similar heart and soul, genuine Melbourne supporters who have been well and truly hung out to dry by their clubs administrators my heartfelt commiserations.

You must be feeling like you have been run over a bus right now. It's hard to take being well and truly beaten on grand final day by the better team, worse still if your team gets complacent and loses the unloseable, but it's another entirely to be stripped of of a premiership by being defrauded by your own club.

Footy is about the fans, and Melbourne fans have been well and truly heartbroken by their own club.

This is not what footy is about, and it would be devastating for you. No matter what our history and friendly animosity between fans, this is not fair on you, and your rival club supporters stand with you in your despair and outrage.

I know AFF is pretty Melbourne centric, so this will probably be an issue that really hits close to home here.

[robbyg]

Originally Posted by Pinch

Plenty will be said on this, but as a heart and soul, season ticket holding Dragons Red V member I just want to offer those similar heart and soul, genuine Melbourne supporters my heartfelt commiserations who have been well and truly hung out to dry by their clubs administrators.

You must be feeling like they have been run over a bus right now. Its hard to take being well and truly beaten on grand final day by a better team, worse still if your team gets complacent and loses the unlosable, but its another entirely to be stripped of of a premiership by being defrauded by your own club.

Footy is about the fans, and Melbourne fans have been well and truly heartbroken by their own club.

This is not what footy is about, and it would be devestating for you. No matter what our history and friendly animosity between fans, this is not fair on you, and your rival club supporters stand with you in your despair and outrage.

I know AFF is pretty Melbourne centric, so this will probably be an issue that really hits close to home here.

Couldnt agree more, ive thrown a lot on this thread this afternoon about different things but i hope the supporters, fans of the club keep the chin up.

[Peter B - CV8]

Originally Posted by Pinch

Plenty will be said on this, but as a heart and soul, season ticket holding Dragons Red V member I just want to offer those similar heart and soul, genuine Melbourne supporters who have been well and truly hung out to dry by their clubs administrators my heartfelt commiserations.

You must be feeling like you have been run over a bus right now. It's hard to take being well and truly beaten on grand final day by the better team, worse still if your team gets complacent and loses the unloseable, but it's another entirely to be stripped of of a premiership by being defrauded by your own club.

Footy is about the fans, and Melbourne fans have been well and truly heartbroken by their own club.

This is not what footy is about, and it would be devastating for you. No matter what our history and friendly animosity between fans, this is not fair on you, and your rival club supporters stand with you in your despair and outrage.

I know AFF is pretty Melbourne centric, so this will probably be an issue that really hits close to home here.

Mate, well said. I wonder how many Dad's are struggling to explain to their young un's what their favourite team is going through.

[uranium_death]

The league had to take this step, because the club has breached the rules so blatantly.

However, I feel shattered for the players and the die-hard supporters who go to all their home matches AT LEAST (many go to all the away games too!), pay up a membership and attend all the events.

The players work their butts off over four years to win three minor-premierships, make four consecutive Grand FInals and win two of them...and through no fault of their own, it's seemingly meaningless.

A friend of mine said to me, 'just imagine if it was Geelong.'
If it was, I probably would have cried, because the 2007 flag was one of the greatest moments of my life (after the crap I had to put up with in 92, 94 and 1995), and 2009 was good too....to lose it all through mismanagement would hurt like hell.

I like to see the Storm do well, though I do not follow league. This has saddened even me.

I know a lot of NSW purists are happy about it and laughing, but it isn't Melbourne's fault that in a city that is completely undeveloped in junior rugby compared to other states that they have to get their players from interstate.

Hell, the Sydney Swans started out with hardly a local product, likewise with the Carrara Koalas.

It would be a long-term project to get league going highly at junior level to the filter through to the NRL. It would not be profound, but we may have seen it happen eventually.

This sort of thing puts a real dampener on the short-term viability of the club. To see Storm play for nothing is going to put a lot of people off, and TV coverage would have to be minimal almost. Who wants to watch a game that is conditional?

[Falc'man]

Originally Posted by uranium_death

The players work their butts off over four years to win three minor-premierships, make four consecutive Grand FInals and win two of them...and through no fault of their own, it's seemingly meaningless.

I strongly disagree. Some of - not sure how many - of the players new exactly what was going on. Those players in question would be as guilty as the Storm bosses.

[uranium_death]

Originally Posted by Falc'man

I strongly disagree. Some of - not sure how many - of the players new exactly what was going on. Those players in question would as guilty as the Storm bosses.

Ok...the players who have had to work hardest with the least natural ability...to achieve what they have and then to realise it's been taken away by the dishonesty in keeping the 'marketable stars' would hurt like hell...

And the ones who had no involvement in this establishment...there we go

[gtxb67]

Originally Posted by Falc'man

I strongly disagree. Some of - not sure how many - of the players new exactly what was going on. Those players in question would be as guilty as the Storm bosses.

and you would hope those players show a little more loyalty than anasta once the new contract is ready to be signed. the players that knowingly cheated should be the ones that stay no matter how big a pay cut they need to take

[Falc'man]

Originally Posted by uranium_death

Ok...the players who have had to work hardest with the least natural ability...to achieve what they have and then to realise it's been taken away by the dishonesty in keeping the 'marketable stars' would hurt like hell...

And the ones who had no involvement in this establishment...there we go

lol I agree, that is very well put. Those in particular would feel absolutely devastated, and I would imagine some tension and bad feelings rising between the two sets of players.

Originally Posted by gtxb67

and you would hope those players show a little more loyalty than anasta once the new contract is ready to be signed. the players that knowingly cheated should be the ones that stay no matter how big a pay cut they need to take

But courtesy of this pay cut, does this mean the Storm can afford more top-notch players? I would fully support your idea if the Storm's punishment also included a 30% reduction in their cap.

[gtxb67]

Originally Posted by Falc'man

But courtesy of this pay cut, does this mean the Storm can afford more top-notch players? I would fully support your idea if the Storm's punishment also included a 30% reduction in their cap.

even with a standard salary cap, there will be some players (if not most) that will require a pay cut - most probably immediately. therefore, just giving some players a pay cut will not allow them to afford any more players - legally of course

as some have suggested, it is terrible for the fans (and for the previously blissfully unaware players and officials). i know how i felt in 2002. it is not a nice feeling and that was just losing 37 points - no silverware

[Pinch]

The irony is that News Limited will sell a hell of a lot of papers tomorrow though...

[pks54]

Could this mean the death of league in Vic. I hope not. As a NRL supporter the decision to strip all points for the remainder of the year is stupid. What will the Storm or the team playing the Storm be playing for.

Also what happens to my bet on the Storm to cover the line of -10.5 points and win againts the Warriors this week. I put the bet on just before all this news broke out. Thought the Storm will be out to win big after losing 2 in a row.

[351capri]

i wonder how well the other club's ceos and high ranking officials will be sleeping tonight? anyone who thinks this is limited to the storm is having themselves on...

[Archilino]

foxsports just reported in 2009 the storm were $400,000 over the salary cap and in 2010 projected to be $700,000.

Thats rorting the system in the most extreme, and sponsers now considering their investment in the club.

[DJR David]

As for the footy tips may I suggest the TAB run a few to jail sweep!?!?!?? Fraud and tax avoidance will be in the minds of a few people trying to sleep tonight!!!!!

[4Vman]

If the NRL weren't already on skakey ground they surely must be now, the AFL must be rubbing their hands together tonight.

[mattp]

The Storm has been a breeding ground for talent over the past several years, it's not like we've been going out and purchasing talent. Look at Inglis, Slater, Smith, Folau, Johnson, King, Cronk, etc etc, they were all no-names before they started at the Storm. We've haemorrhaged players each year due to 'salary cap issues'. The only real 'big names' to come in have been Crocker and Finch, both of whom were picked up for relative bargains due to issues with Sydney-based clubs. The systematic rorting of the system is totally unacceptable, however I don't see the gain of stripping the Premierships. Very upsetting news for all involved in rugby league in Australia, I just hope it doesn't sink the Storm franchise, as they were making good inroads in Victoria and it would be a real shame to see the comp shrink back to NSW/QLD only.
Why hasn't Andrew Johns had all his accolades stripped off him after revelations he is/was a drugs cheat?

[bingoTE50]

Originally Posted by mattp

The Storm has been a breeding ground for talent over the past several years, it's not like we've been going out and purchasing talent. Look at Inglis, Slater, Smith, Folau, Johnson, King, Cronk, etc etc, they were all no-names before they started at the Storm. We've haemorrhaged players each year due to 'salary cap issues'. The only real 'big names' to come in have been Crocker and Finch, both of whom were picked up for relative bargains due to issues with Sydney-based clubs. The systematic rorting of the system is totally unacceptable, however I don't see the gain of stripping the Premierships. Very upsetting news for all involved in rugby league in Australia, I just hope it doesn't sink the Storm franchise, as they were making good inroads in Victoria and it would be a real shame to see the comp shrink back to NSW/QLD only.
Why hasn't Andrew Johns had all his accolades stripped off him after revelations he is/was a drugs cheat?

I agree with your post , better than most . The problem is this .
There is no concessions for clubs who develop players through their junior system and produce representative players , who then command larger salaries,which impacts on the salary cap. Concessions for player development should be in place.
I follow the Tigers but I enjoy watching the Storm in full flight ,Slater,Inglis are great too watch when they hot...A pity this may be the end of their club as we know it..

[csv8]

Brisbane Lions had more spectators than the Broncos at last weeks home games. Go the LIONS !!!

[Jim Goose]

Storm in a teacup !!!

Its about time the NRL handed out proper punishments.
For year these so-called "professionals" have acted like morons off the field and involved in to many idiotic actions which attract too much attention.

At the end of the day these guys play a game....

They dont save lives....

They supposedely do it because they love thier sport, but alas no. Proven again that mankinds greed and the almighty dollar is all important and the fans mean nothings

[FTE217]

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

Storm in a teacup !!!

Its about time the NRL handed out proper punishments.
For year these so-called "professionals" have acted like morons off the field and involved in to many idiotic actions which attract too much attention.
At the end of the day these guys play a game....

They dont save lives....

They supposedely do it because they love thier sport, but alas no. Proven again that mankinds greed and the almighty dollar is all important and the fans mean nothings

In bold above covers most if not all football codes Goose not just 1.

I'm not a fanatical supporter of nrl nor can I watch a afl game but I can feel for the supporters of the Storm or any codes supporters being dudded by crooks in management ! Damn shame.

[djrice]

i hate the storm go the dragons still feeling the pich of that grand final loss

[uranium_death]

Originally Posted by djrice

i hate the storm go the dragons still feeling the pich of that grand final loss

1999 was not part of the cap rort...making your statement almost irrelevant.

[4Vman]

Salary caps are pointless... in any other form of professional employment it would be seen as restricting trade and "anti competitive"....

A points system for ranking players may work better and have a points cap for each team.

Totally transparent, will keep teams from getting stacked, allow clubs to pay what ever they can or want and impossible to rort...

[dallasv8]

well the salary cap is in place and the clubs know it,so really if they go over, they deserve all they get,it may not be the best system but its the system that is in place so it should be followed.
storm blatently went against the system so they deserve anything they get.
as far as im concerned no person should get as much as these guys for playing footy,tradies who risk there lives as much if not more every day are getting paid crap every day to do there job for a lot more hours a week.

[Archilino]

com on guys you know the rules, its a good thread lets not get it closed. Leave the soccer for another day.