Smith Calls for Storm Premierships to be Reinstated

[tommy]

Melbourne CEO Dave Donaghy has backed comments made by club captain Cameron Smith, calling on the Australian Rugby League Commission to look into salary cap punishments handed to the Storm in 2010.

Adding fuel to an astonishing verbal stoush between Smith and Cronulla captain Paul Gallen, Donaghy has sided with the Storm veteran who called for the NRL to reinstate premierships that were stripped during the now infamous 2010 salary cap scandal.
“It’s not a case that Melbourne Storm feels like it was not doing the wrong thing at the time, it’s a case of the penalties that were dished out in 2010 were far different or much different to what has been handed out most recently,” Donaghy said at the club’s fan day.

“From a club stance I think at some point it would be worth the Commission looking back into the process that was taken and whether the penalties were manifestly excessive for what took place — particularly when you benchmark it against recent incidents and occurrence of salary cap breaches.”
Shortly after a whistleblower came forward the NRL uncovered a separate set of books in which Storm were found to have systematically cheated the salary cap by $3.7 million over five years. They were fined $1.7 million and stripped of their 2007 and 2009 premierships. They were also forced to play the 2010 season for no competition points.
Handed out by then-NRL CEO David Gallop, the punishment was severe and unlike anything that has been administered since, despite heavy breaches by Cronulla and Parramatta.
On Sports Sunday on Channel 9, Gallen sensationally told Smith to ‘be careful what you wish for’ and argued the Sharks’ salary cap breaches were not comparable to Melbourne’s.
Gallen also said that if the NRL were to strip Cronulla of their 2016 premiership, he would quit the game immediately.

“I will say this to Cam: be very careful what you wish for. We went in and self-reported a $50,000 discrepancy and the CEO thought that was all it was,” Gallen said.
“It turned out to be a $700,000 discrepancy. Maybe you don’t want the NRL going back and searching those books particularly when they were found to be $3.7 million over the salary cap over five years. Three of those years they were $1 million over the salary cap, compared to the Sharks. We were $750,000 in illegal third-party payments that were intended to be paid. The NRL found that they were not even all paid.”

Donaghy said he didn’t see Gallen’s comments live, but urged him to worry about his own club — not Melbourne.
“I think Paul should worry about Cronulla,” Donaghy said.
“I missed the show and the comments but it’s important to put Cam’s comments into context.
“He wasn’t coming out saying Cronulla’s premiership should be stripped. What it’s saying is drawing a comparison between recent clubs who have had salary cap strife have been treated as opposed to how Melbourne were treated back in the day.

“There is a different view around salary cap sanctions [now] and we think that’s the right view.
“What happened back in the day was vastly different to how some clubs have been treated.
“From a club stance I think at some point it would be worth the Commission looking back into the process that was taken and whether the penalties were manifestly excessive for what took place — particularly when you benchmark it against recent incidents and occurrence of salary cap breaches.”
The NRL has confirmed the Sharks were salary cap compliant when they won the title in 2016.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...s/news-story/fd7ad0dd5a5adf358893a8be682743ad

 

[Sproj]

What should happen:

Cronulla gets their premiership taken off them as well and actually have to sit out a season with no points.

What will happen:

Storm will get their premierships reinstated and a full apology given to the club and especially Smith with fines to be repaid into Smith's personal bank account.

 

[Alec]

However, Gallen said if the NRL considered taking away their maiden premiership, he would quit the game altogether.
“If we got (our premierships) taken off us I would throw my ring away and I would quit the club immediately. It wouldn’t sit well with me. I would quit (rugby league altogether),” he said.

Fucking do it NRL!

 

[Allo]

Fucking do it NRL!

Wait until he has most losses, then do it

 

[Porthoz]

Fucking do it NRL!

Pfft... promises. He'd just start crying and whingeing.

 

[Morkel]

Seriously, this has me pretty close to Done with the NRL. Not only are Cronulla allowed to keep a premiership from a year they were found to have players receiving illegal payments, but it’s entirely possible the NRL will cave to The Most Influential Person In The Game and re-instate the cheatingest team ever’s premierships?

And before anyone says it’s not gonna happen, that’s what people here said a year out from Trump being president. On a dumbness scale the NRL and the USA are hard to split.

 

[broncos4life]

The whinging from Smith and the Storm here is exactly why I will never forgive or forget their rorting.

I hear people say all the time that it is time to move on from their cheating and respect and admire what they have achieved since but **** that. If they had showed even a hint of contrition or remorse, then sure, but they never have and never will.

 

[Foordy]

The whinging from Smith and the Storm here is exactly why I will never forgive or forget their rorting.

I hear people say all the time that it is time to move on from their cheating and respect and admire what they have achieved since but **** that. If they had showed even a hint of contrition or remorse, then sure, but they never have and never will.

it also makes our 2006 victory all the sweeter knowing that they were cheating ***** and still lost to us

 

[Morkel]

Regardless, the players shouldn’t be regarded as cheats for their administration’s incompetencies; I agree with Gallen on that point. When you take performance enhancing substances, well, you’re a definite cheat.

The players knew. They were complicit. Someone like Inglis may have been a bit more naive but Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk are diligent in everything they do. They knew.

 

[Foordy]

It’s no secret that we did our fair share of salary cap rorting for premierships or opportunities of premierships. It amazes me how soon fans forget and start pointing fingers at others.

accusations from jealous Sydney media and fans, but never proven ... unlike the Storm.

Regardless, the players shouldn’t be regarded as cheats for their administration’s incompetencies; I agree with Gallen on that point. When you take performance enhancing substances, well, you’re a definite cheat.

Don't be naive ... of course the players knew ... you can't tell me that Cameron Smith isn't smart enough to realise there is something dodgy going on when he is signing a second contract with a different value on it to his first contract

 

[tommy]

Smith was his own manager at the time too I remember reading somewhere.

 

[Big Pete]

Smith was his own manager at the time too I remember reading somewhere.

Sort of.

Smith was in-between managers when he began negotiating his contract extension in late 2008. Initially John Ribot stepped in and helped Smith negotiate a couple of terms before Smith's current manager Isaac Moses was brought in mid-way through negotiations.

 

[Nashy]

It’s no secret that we did our fair share of salary cap rorting for premierships or opportunities of premierships. It amazes me how soon fans forget and start pointing fingers at others.

Links? I only recall us being done once in recent times for an overspend of around $10k.

 

[broncos4life]

It’s no secret that we did our fair share of salary cap rorting for premierships or opportunities of premierships. It amazes me how soon fans forget and start pointing fingers at others.

That's big call to make without proof, wheres your proof?

 

[broncos4life]

Where’s the proof that smith, Cronk and slater (Inglis) knew? Or is it different strokes for different folks?

We had almost the whole QLD team and almost half the National team... taking understanding of course. Naievity at best.[/QUOT
So no proof, just baseless accusations.

 

[tommy]

Where’s the proof that smith, Cronk and slater (Inglis) knew? Or is it different strokes for different folks?

We had almost the whole QLD team and almost half the National team... taking understanding of course. Naievity at best.

They signed 2 contracts.

 

[Huge]

What should happen:

Cronulla gets their premiership taken off them as well and actually have to sit out a season with no points.

What will happen:

Storm will get their premierships reinstated and a full apology given to the club and especially Smith with fines to be repaid into Smith's personal bank account.

I thought the NRL had investigated Cronulla and found that they were under the cap in 2016. They've said that repeatedly. Do you know differently and how did you come by this knowledge. I assume you have evidence.

I mean that must be the case as you think their premiership should be taken off them and made to sit out a season without points. I'm sure you must have evidence as it would be strange and irrational to make those demands without it.

 

[broncos4life]

I’m at work. No time

Maybe in future you should wait until you have the time to make the accusation and provide the proof at the same time, rather than just the accusation making it appear that you don’t have the evidence to back up your claim.