Melbourne Storm

[ra2006]

Flipping heck, I know they have been a bit cheeky, but anyone think the punishment is a bit much???

[Rogue]

anyone bet on them getting the wooden spoon?

['Frilla]

Disgusting :x

[caveman]

the NRL had to go hard, to give notice to other clubs,pity about this year but if they have still been cheating so be it, feel sorry for the honest ones amongst them

[Hounddawg]

Melbourne are in trouble.

[Soundkamp]

i dont think it was harsh they have 4 of the best players in the NRL they made 4 grand finals and won 2.

[toppity]

All it means is that it's over for League in Melbourne. It matters little to be honest. There might be 20,000 storm members who have been directly betrayed....the same amount of casual followers, and the rest don't really care.

I feels like that's what the Sydnyites have always wanted anyway. So, they have got what they wanted. If the Storm does survive, it will be a decade before they get back...at the very least.

League, as a national sport, is the biggest loser here.

[Marlin]

Strangely I disagree with you here toppo, "Sydnyites" desperately want the team in Melbourne to survive and have been propping them up finacially since their inception. It is a fact that they can't support themselves. And that is during a period of immense success. News ltd and NRL handouts (well and truly above and beyond what any other club gets) are the only reason they are still here and now we know what they have been doing with the handouts.

Another FACT, yes FACT, is that they have cheated and the punisment fits the crime.

Where you are right is that the game itself will suffer from these shameless acts of cheating.

Just another way the dirty stinking Victorians have tried to undermine a real sport.

I actually think the biggest winners in all this is the ARU and the the Melbourne Rebels, they must be loving it. Especially after they just signed their latest TV deal worth $450,000,000 (a 30% increase on last year). This is their chance to establish themselves in Melbourne at the expense of the Storm.

[toppity]

I understand that they have never been financially viable. They never have, even after 'winning' all the minor premierships and flags. They get good (not great) crowds, but still rely on the league to prop them up. This is indeed a fact.

So too is the fact that they are cheats. No one likes a cheat. It may make the Rabels reconsider employing Brian Waldron. Seves him right.

But I have to draw the line at two of your points -

1) "dirty stinking Victorians". It has been proven time and again that we don't stink en masse.

2) "Real Sport". I don't think i have to really expalin this do I. League, a real sport? Lets pick up the ball, run 5 metres and get tackled. Do this snother 4 times then kick it, rarely to advantage. Then it's the other teams go. Why do they have 6 tackles? To prove to the world that they can in fact count past 5. Real sport... pff

[Marlin]

Waldron has already stood down from the Rebels.

So what do you consider a real sport? Fumbling a ball forwards for a few meters and then kicking for goal only to miss but get a point anyway... pfft.

[Rogue]

So which other clubs have two sets of books? Stunned at their stupidity.....

[keyboard warrior]

I think the penalty is a bit harsh as far as fans and innocent players are concerned. I wished they'd fined the club and prosecuted the officials responsible, and leave the team and fans alone. It's made the whole season wierd having a team competing that isn't effectively 'competing'.

1) "dirty stinking Victorians". It has been proven time and again that we don't stink en masse.

Debatable.

[Sweet P]

I understand that they have never been financially viable. They never have, even after 'winning' all the minor premierships and flags. They get good (not great) crowds, but still rely on the league to prop them up. This is indeed a fact.

So too is the fact that they are cheats. No one likes a cheat. It may make the Rabels reconsider employing Brian Waldron. Seves him right.

But I have to draw the line at two of your points -

1) "dirty stinking Victorians". It has been proven time and again that we don't stink en masse.

2) "Real Sport". I don't think i have to really expalin this do I. League, a real sport? Lets pick up the ball, run 5 metres and get tackled. Do this snother 4 times then kick it, rarely to advantage. Then it's the other teams go. Why do they have 6 tackles? To prove to the world that they can in fact count past 5. Real sport... pff

I agree, Of the 2 Rugby styles it is by far the less enjoyable to watch.
AFL is the only true Footy in Australia anyway

[Marlin]

I think the penalty is a bit harsh as far as fans and innocent players are concerned. I wished they'd fined the club and prosecuted the officials responsible, and leave the team and fans alone. It's made the whole season wierd having a team competing that isn't effectively 'competing'.

What about the innocent players and fans of other clubs who have been ripped off by a cheating club retaining players they shouldn't have and beating teams that were following the rules because they themselves were not? The punishment given was the only fair option.

[Brute]

Had to laugh at News Ltd local chief John Hartigan crying ignorance of the rort.

News Ltd owns the Storm and writes all their cheques. They must have known there was a problem.

[Marlin]

Had to laugh at News Ltd local chief John Hartigan crying ignorance of the rort.

News Ltd owns the Storm and writes all their cheques. They must have known there was a problem.

I think it depends which set of books they were shown...

[Brute]

They own the joint. They probably have a third book.

"The Melbourne Storm, a Trilogy."

[Hounddawg]

I understand that they have never been financially viable. They never have, even after 'winning' all the minor premierships and flags. They get good (not great) crowds, but still rely on the league to prop them up. This is indeed a fact.

So too is the fact that they are cheats. No one likes a cheat. It may make the Rabels reconsider employing Brian Waldron. Seves him right.

But I have to draw the line at two of your points -

1) "dirty stinking Victorians". It has been proven time and again that we don't stink en masse.

2) "Real Sport". I don't think i have to really expalin this do I. League, a real sport? Lets pick up the ball, run 5 metres and get tackled. Do this snother 4 times then kick it, rarely to advantage. Then it's the other teams go. Why do they have 6 tackles? To prove to the world that they can in fact count past 5. Real sport... pff

I agree, Of the 2 Rugby styles it is by far the less enjoyable to watch.
AFL is the only true Footy in Australia anyway

I wouldn't call it a form of footy, it's more related to soccer than footy, Football means hard, and AFL isn't a hard mans sport .

The only reason you like Rugby over league is cause Rugby has the same premise when ever you get the footy just kick it, that way the crowd won't know we are limited and soft.

[Hounddawg]

I think the penalty is a bit harsh as far as fans and innocent players are concerned. I wished they'd fined the club and prosecuted the officials responsible, and leave the team and fans alone. It's made the whole season wierd having a team competing that isn't effectively 'competing'.

What about the innocent players and fans of other clubs who have been ripped off by a cheating club retaining players they shouldn't have and beating teams that were following the rules because they themselves were not? The punishment given was the only fair option.

I agree with both opinions, but keyboard has just summed up the problem that lays ahead, who in the right mind will go to a game of football knowing the result(Boxing promoters take note, as to why you can't get the coverage you need), Gallop needs to be stood down, it's clear as day this bloke has nothing floating around up top, another bad call from the NRL.

I really feel for the fans, a new stadium was just built for the rising team and then this.....smells like sabotage to me.

[Beltane]

The Storm started their rorting before the DA for the new stadium was approved.

The Storm's management realising they had gotten away with the rort for four years believed they were invisible to the auditors and so upped the rort ante this season. But the whistle was blown as was their cover.

After this weekend's game we'll have a better idea of the direction the Storm will be taking for the rest of the season regarding: playing line-ups; sponsors; management; fan involvement and News Limited.

[patron]

I understand that they have never been financially viable. They never have, even after 'winning' all the minor premierships and flags. They get good (not great) crowds, but still rely on the league to prop them up. This is indeed a fact.

So too is the fact that they are cheats. No one likes a cheat. It may make the Rabels reconsider employing Brian Waldron. Seves him right.

But I have to draw the line at two of your points -

1) "dirty stinking Victorians". It has been proven time and again that we don't stink en masse.

2) "Real Sport". I don't think i have to really expalin this do I. League, a real sport? Lets pick up the ball, run 5 metres and get tackled. Do this snother 4 times then kick it, rarely to advantage. Then it's the other teams go. Why do they have 6 tackles? To prove to the world that they can in fact count past 5. Real sport... pff

I agree, Of the 2 Rugby styles it is by far the less enjoyable to watch.
AFL is the only true Footy in Australia anyway

must be a great game ,when the irish are the only country to join in the game of fumbles and dribble, and they beat you at your own game,up here we call it,catch me and f--k me,all the best

[Rogue]

Any "creative accountants" on this forum who can give advise on how to keep two sets of books and cook them very well? thanks in advance.....

[AntonS]

Numerous Aussies have 2 sets of books & a few bank accounts.
1 of them for benefit of Centerlink. No way can an honest Aussie survive without them in this harsh world

[Rogue]

Numerous Aussies have 2 sets of books & a few bank accounts.
1 of them for benefit of Centerlink. No way can an honest Aussie survive without them in this harsh world

LOL..... couldn't have said it better.

[Brute]

It has now come out that some imbecile in Storm's office gave Ian Schubert the crook's book with the official one.

You just can't get good help now.