Melbourne Storm and the great celery hat debate

[Big Pete]

Nope, because I doubt they would have made 4 grand finals in a row without help from those rorts. Particularly in 09 with GI.

Could also be argued that those rorts helped develop their new breed of players. The likes of O'Neil, Nielsen, Chambers, Bromwich, Widdop, Duffie, Manu, Proctor etc. received the benefit of developing their games behind a dominant cheating side which is far easier than a side that's struggling.

Basically, I think the Storm robbed themselves of a premiership. Don't think they needed to cheat the cap. to have the squad they did in 06/07 and would have gone close either year without the second book.

2012 confirmed that Bellamy is a great coach & that the Storm trio are in the Top 5 players of the current generation. (Their old buddy Inglis is in there too)

 

[m1c]

Don't forget the culture that was built through success...

 

[m1c]

FYI - AP

http://shop.kooga.com.au/product-p/msjr220ppl.htm

 

[QUEENSLANDER]

FYI - AP

http://shop.kooga.com.au/product-p/msjr220ppl.htm

I wish all jersey companies did this instead of the shitty premier shirts most clubs do. U buy them, and u never wear them and they end up going to vinnies or as a rag to clean ur car. A jersey like this is something u can wear forever.

 

[Kimlo]

So does the 2012 premiership mean that the salary cap breaches were irrelevant?

:divesforcover:

Nope, they wouldn't have won this year if they didn't cheat the cap for 5-6 years. They got a shit ton of benefits from cheating the cap for so long with basically no punishment... They got stripped of things they didn't rightfully earn anyway and the fine was paid for by News LTD and they couldn't compete in 2010 anyway because they were a million over the cap.

It's like getting busted for drugs, the cops take the drugs off you and rich daddy pays the $1,000 fine.

 

[Anonymous person]

FYI - AP

http://shop.kooga.com.au/product-p/msjr220ppl.htm

thanks for that - if i was a storm supporter id buy one.

i reckon its a great idea. would love to have jerseys like that for 92/93/97/98/00/06 hanging up on a wall.

 

[subsbligh]

A jersey like this is something u can wear forever.

Well, you'd think so?

 

[subsbligh]

Nope, they wouldn't have won this year if they didn't cheat the cap for 5-6 years. They got a shit ton of benefits from cheating the cap for so long with basically no punishment... They got stripped of things they didn't rightfully earn anyway and the fine was paid for by News LTD and they couldn't compete in 2010 anyway because they were a million over the cap.

It's like getting busted for drugs, the cops take the drugs off you and rich daddy pays the $1,000 fine.

So you're saying the 2012 premiership is not legit either?

Ever heard of double jeopardy?

 

[QUEENSLANDER]

Well, you'd think so?

i dont get it?

 

[subsbligh]

i dont get it?

The Storm fans that bought the 07 and 09 jerseys probably didn't get a refund if you get my drift

 

[Kimlo]

So you're saying the 2012 premiership is not legit either?

Ever heard of double jeopardy?

I'm not saying it's not legitimate I just don't believe they started from the same level as every other club. The advantages gained through half a decade of cap rorting gave them a whole heap of intangible benefits which can't be punished to nullify the benefits gained from it all.

I have no respect for the Storm winning the premiership.

 

[Professor47]

Jaiman Lowe, Dane Nielsen and Justin O'Neill, right? You've got it.

I did say the 'big three' but sure - why not?

 

[Jeba]

I'm not saying it's not legitimate I just don't believe they started from the same level as every other club. The advantages gained through half a decade of cap rorting gave them a whole heap of intangible benefits which can't be punished to nullify the benefits gained from it all.

I have no respect for the Storm winning the premiership.

I hate the Storm as well but I can't agree with this at all.

Yeh it's doubtful they would've had this team if they didn't cheat the cap, but the fact is they do and they are doing it legally so there's no reason to disrespect the Premiership that they've earned. Remember the talent scouts at Melbourne all picked up on what others (including the Broncos) missed out on (ie Smith, Slater, Cronk) and that was before the dramas with the cap.

Honestly, they lost Premierships and were kicked out of the competition for a year. They got what they deserved. They are playing by the rules now so who cares?? If the Broncos had Slater, Smith and Cronk I'd expect that they'd do all they can to keep them as well, including sacrificing a number of players to do so.

 

[Huge]

It's totally legitimate . By the crazy logic broncospm employs nothing the Broncos achieved is legitimate either as we had the whole state to choose from plus the Origin sides were mostly Broncos so...durrrr...we may not have cheated the cap but certainly had a huge advantage over the other teams so that makes all our wins ill gotten gains...what crap. The Storm are under the cap,legal 100% and totally compliant. What happened in the past has diddlysquat to do with their current achievements...time for you to move on broncospwn. The Storm are deserving champions in 2012 and that is it...have your silly biased opinion if you want but most rational people believe that they did the crime and served their time.

 

[Kimlo]

I hate the Storm as well but I can't agree with this at all.

Yeh it's doubtful they would've had this team if they didn't cheat the cap, but the fact is they do and they are doing it legally so there's no reason to disrespect the Premiership that they've earned. Remember the talent scouts at Melbourne all picked up on what others (including the Broncos) missed out on (ie Smith, Slater, Cronk) and that was before the dramas with the cap.

Honestly, they lost Premierships and were kicked out of the competition for a year. They got what they deserved. They are playing by the rules now so who cares?? If the Broncos had Slater, Smith and Cronk I'd expect that they'd do all they can to keep them as well, including sacrificing a number of players to do so.

I just don't believe they would've had the team they have now if they didn't cheat the cap. Every team has to give up their star players, they kept their stars by cheating the cap and once all the drama happened those same stars were never going to leave.

I respect the fact they were the best team this year but it still doesn't sit well with me the fact that they cheated the cap for years, got huge benefits in the grand final experience and week-to-week winning culture they built upon an illegal team. Those are intangible things which have immense value. The Bulldogs lost because they weren't cool headed, Melbourne played a perfect game, calm, composed from all the experience they've got by cheating the cap and making 4 grand finals in a row.

 

[Kimlo]

It's totally legitimate . By the crazy logic broncospm employs nothing the Broncos achieved is legitimate either as we had the whole state to choose from plus the Origin sides were mostly Broncos so...durrrr...we may not have cheated the cap but certainly had a huge advantage over the other teams so that makes all our wins ill gotten gains...what crap. The Storm are under the cap,legal 100% and totally compliant. What happened in the past has diddlysquat to do with their current achievements...time for you to move on broncospwn. The Storm are deserving champions in 2012 and that is it...have your silly biased opinion if you want but most rational people believe that they did the crime and served their time.

I'll give this the response it deserves. Bad argument is bad. Comparing us simply because we also had a good team... LOL.

 

[Jeba]

I just don't believe they would've had the team they have now if they didn't cheat the cap. Every team has to give up their star players, they kept their stars by cheating the cap and once all the drama happened those same stars were never going to leave.

I respect the fact they were the best team this year but it still doesn't sit well with me the fact that they cheated the cap for years, got huge benefits in the grand final experience and week-to-week winning culture they built upon an illegal team. Those are intangible things which have immense value. The Bulldogs lost because they weren't cool headed, Melbourne played a perfect game, calm, composed from all the experience they've got by cheating the cap and making 4 grand finals in a row.

So many variables there though. Who knows what their team would've looked like right now if they didn't cheat the cap? You can't say anything for sure except that they are under the cap now and are playing by the rules. You can't dispute the Premiership they've just won.

Yeh they have Grand Final experience, week-to-week winning culture etc... and what have they got to show for that? Nothing. They got what they deserved there, and they're a bunch of pricks there is no doubt about it, but you gotta let it go champ, they deserve this Premiership.

 

[Kimlo]

Maybe I do have to let it go and maybe they did deserve their premiership but I still hate them for ruining the competition for 5 years, robbing 2 teams of premiership years and of course the game that should not be spoken about when they were 1 million over the cap.

I'll agree they earned their premiership this year, they were far and away the best team and played absolutely perfect in the finals but I can't respect their achievements because of what they did.