Major events in Rugby League history Thread

[I bleed Maroon]

Inspired by the Match Review thread, I thought it would be a cool idea to look back on the biggest events in the games history in retrospect, their impacts on the direction of the code and the ripples that remain. I guess it would be appropriate to start with....

Melbourne Salary Cap Scandal, 2010

Wow, what a year 2010 was as a result of this. I distinctly remember where I was when the news broke, and I guess every Rugby League fan would. It was a massive story with dire implications on multiple fronts. I was at work around 3pm QLD time, the news started getting out. I had the convenience of having a T.V set up nearby. I watched Gallop deliver the news. I was watching the T.V on my own to start with, then steadily a large crowd grew behind me. Everyone was shocked and angry. I've never seen any news story, a natural disaster or otherwise gather a crowd like this news did. The inevitable talk of Melbourne folding started springing up, which of course never eventuated and two years later, they were at the top of the mountain again.

I guess it would be easy for us a Broncos fans to get particularly angry about this, as were Parramatta and Manly, considering how many times we've been done in by the Storm in the finals during their period of breaches. However it is true in my opinion that those seasons are completely meaningless. No reigning premiers and entire years of players careers wasted. Locky could've had 2 more Premierships to his name were it not for the Storm (2008 and 2009 stand right out).

I guess there's no point being bitter about it, and to hell if Parra and Manly don't have much bigger reason to be upset. However in the broader scheme of things, it highlighted the need for immediate reform of the salary cap which is now happening and the short sighted echo chamber that was the Gallop administration. Many people criticize him for the way he handled this drama, especially in regards to revoking the Storms right to earn points. I am a little more moderate on that front. The Storm needed to be belted in the worst possible way for what they did and they were. It might sound archaic, but an example needed to be made. However I can also see how damaging that had the potential to be for the health of the game in Melbourne, which ultimately didn't turn out to be true.

It was a sorry and sordid saga that hung like a particularly ugly cloud over our game for a long time. Smith, Slater, Cronk, Inglis...They all deserved much better than that.

 

[Big Pete]

Yeah, it's starting to feel like awhile ago now but I remember when it broke out and it really felt like a black day for the game. I must admit, apart of me felt jovial about it because as a Broncos fan, it made the 06 victory that much sweeter, took the edge off some of our past defeats & made us the No. 1 team of the 00s but as a Rugby League fan, I thought it was a travesty. It basically rendered a fair chunk of 06-09 meaningless, heck, even 2010 suffered because some of the best players in the world were anchored on the bottom of the ladder.

However, I got over it and after seeing all this entitlement brewing from clubs like Parramatta, St. George & Manly I actually developed a soft spot for them. Hey, at least Melbourne had developed these stars, they didn't just go out, spend ridiculous amounts of money to entice them away only to spit them back out because they couldn't make it work - no Bellamy improved these players and they became so good their value inflated too quickly. Yes, they did the wrong thing but they paid a fair price for it and I was glad to see them beat a team like the Dogs in the 2012 grand final.

 

[Porthoz]

Never saw it as a black day tbh.

It was good that the premiers, financially backed-up by News, who had at the time the large interest in the NRL, were shamed in public and punished exemplary for the biggest rort the game has ever seen.

Give all the interests affected, this could've potentially been swept under the carpet. So if there is one thing Gallop deserves credit for, it was the approach taken with this huge scandal!

 

[Renegade]

Thought it was awesome to be able to give shit my storm supporting sister and friends that not only were they a bunch of cheats, they still couldn't beat us in the final (even though the cheating didn't really take off until 07).

Was concerned they'd give Melbourne the arse though, fuelled on by all the NSW loudmouths claiming it would never work in Victoria.

Also gave massive credit to Gallop for the way he handled it, you just know if it was the AFL it'd be all hush hush/under the table fines and disciplinary action, but to his Gallop's credit he simply fronted up and told the truth.

 

[Nashy]

It ruined the comp for years IMO. We will never know who should have been in the finals.



For mine.

Major Events:

4 in a row
5 in a row
6 in a row
7 in a row
8 in a row


Rabbitohs being allowed back in the comp to produce years of mediocre bullshit football with no fans showing up until a bloke decided to spend some money on the place.

 

[Broncoman]

The Storm scandal is easily the biggest story In the years I've watched Rugby League by a long shot. I can remember hearing about it like it was yesterday. I had just taken my dog for a walk and came back in time for Deal or No Deal and during the ad breaks it kept going on about how the Storm are left in ruins after years of salary cap rorting. I stayed at watched the news and my jaw just dropped it was just shattering for the game and left me stunned.

I felt very sorry for the players and coaching staff who worked their arses of to win the premierships, the sponsors who funded the team and the supporters who were betrayed and spat upon the greedy club officials and salary accountants. Not a fan of the Storm but they deserve a lot of credit for their revival and the 2012 success just shows how strong of a club they are.

 

[Morkel]

I'll tread carefully here and I'm not going to suggest knowledge on anyone's side. But the players involved got off lightly. If they weren't the best players in the game they would have got life bans. Their signatures were on the documents and that's simply fraud.

 

[Fozz]

That was treading lightly?

 

[Renegade]

I'll tread carefully here and I'm not going to suggest knowledge on anyone's side. But the players involved got off lightly. If they weren't the best players in the game they would have got life bans. Their signatures were on the documents and that's simply fraud.

At the end of the day you can't be sure, players have agents for a reason, some of the stuff is obvious like the boat for Inglis but you don't know how these documents were presented to the players.

You can hypothesise that players at training would talk about how much they're earning, but unless you've been a fulltime professional that's been privy to the inner sanctum, it's nothing more than a baseless allegation.

 

[Morkel]

At the end of the day you can't be sure, players have agents for a reason, some of the stuff is obvious like the boat for Inglis but you don't know how these documents were presented to the players.

You can hypothesise that players at training would talk about how much they're earning, but unless you've been a fulltime professional that's been privy to the inner sanctum, it's nothing more than a baseless allegation.

I'm not alleging they knew anything. I'm simply saying that their signatures were on legally binding contracts that were found to have breached the NRL rules. If they were duped by their agents, then feel free to sue their arses off. But they signed the (multiple) documents and are therefore responsible.

 

[Nashy]

I'm not alleging they knew anything. I'm simply saying that their signatures were on legally binding contracts that were found to have breached the NRL rules. If they were duped by their agents, then feel free to sue their arses off. But they signed the (multiple) documents and are therefore responsible.

I think it's a little different than signing a fraudulent contract in every day life. The salary cap isn't anything to do with the player, unless it's used as an excuse to not give them more. The player shouldn't have to question if the clubs business ethics are up to scratch. They put their trust in the club to make sure they abide by the cap.

Same with the managers. While I think there is far more to the story in regard to how they acted. But at the end of the day, the salary cap is also not their concern.

 

[Nashy]

Anyway. I hate talking about the cheating. Why not more talk about better stuff.


[video=youtube_share;V6ySNHa1qJQ]http://youtu.be/V6ySNHa1qJQ?t=1m5s[/video]
[MENTION=7803]Broncoman[/MENTION]. You're going to love this.

 

[Browny]

Never noticed before that Locky almost lost the ball