Storm for Wooden Spoon - Betting Suspended

[ethos]

Yeah well Storm fans leaving the code (understandably) is an absolute tragedy for the game.

That's what makes me the saddest, especially considering they were really starting to make an imprint in Melbourne. Their crowd averages were on the rise and would have no doubt been boosted further with the new stadium.

 

[gUt]

To underline what a fkn tragedy this is, the Storm have the third highest home crowd average so far this season. And this is BEFORE the new stadium is open.

 

[Bannermania]

To underline what a fkn tragedy this is, the Storm have the third highest home crowd average so far this season. And this is BEFORE the new stadium is open.

lol. fark. forgot about that.

lol, wanna split the bill for that badboy? oh wait, they can't.. YOU HAVE TO PAY US YOUR PRIZE MONEY kents.

 

[Hatchy]

how could they not know? they have had to sign extra contracts! unless they are all as dumb as fence posts, they knew

Dude, they would have been given the "NRL" one first to read or for their managers to read. Then come signing time they sign that one and then they say "now sign this duplicate" they would not have read it as well. Involving the players would only increase the risk of the thing.

Lol are you reading what you are writting. You cant honestly say that they didnt read their contracts before they signed them, thats the first thing they would of done. FYI when a large extra sum of cash gets given to you for no apparant reason alarm bells would be ringing.

Im almost 100% sure that the players who were on the "secret contracts" would of known what was going on. I want the players who cheated to be named and shamed.

They cheated and there is no other way to put it. I am so pissed off rite now and to be kncoked out of the competion the last three years by a team of scum bag cheaters makes me sick to the stomach.

I couldnt care less if the storm go bankrupt and get kicked out, you play with fire you get burnt. **** You Melbourne Storm

I never would have thought of that. But your right, I am off it, being knocked out by a bunch of f****** cheats is making me so pissed. :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

 

[Beachy]

Should Schubert and staff be investigated as well, seems there was a very well informed leak to certain ppl with big amounts of cash to back the Storm for the spoon. This stinks as well.

a) bets started coming through last night. By this time it would've gone beyond Schubert and his team and been widely known throughout the NRL, News Ltd etc.

b) it was hardly big money being thrown around. My info is the largest bet was around the $250 mark which is far from an earth shattering amount

 

[Ari Gold]

What were the TAB paying though? If I have some inside info, TAB is the last place I'm going for strong odds [icon_razz1

 

[westical]

The punishment predictions at the start of this thread are rather hilarious in hindsight!

 

[Twiztid]

Should Schubert and staff be investigated as well, seems there was a very well informed leak to certain ppl with big amounts of cash to back the Storm for the spoon. This stinks as well.

a) bets started coming through last night. By this time it would've gone beyond Schubert and his team and been widely known throughout the NRL, News Ltd etc.

b) it was hardly big money being thrown around. My info is the largest bet was around the $250 mark which is far from an earth shattering amount

Someone or people put 3 x $10,000 and 1 x $8000 payments for the Storm to get the spoon earlier today, before betting was suspended. Someone had insider knowledge and I hope the payment is not honoured, as that information was gained in advanced, similar to insider trading.

 

[Black Philip]

Should Schubert and staff be investigated as well, seems there was a very well informed leak to certain ppl with big amounts of cash to back the Storm for the spoon. This stinks as well.

a) bets started coming through last night. By this time it would've gone beyond Schubert and his team and been widely known throughout the NRL, News Ltd etc.

b) it was hardly big money being thrown around. My info is the largest bet was around the $250 mark which is far from an earth shattering amount

Someone or people put 3 x $10,000 and 1 x $8000 payments for the Storm to get the spoon earlier today, before betting was suspended. Someone had insider knowledge and I hope the payment is not honoured, as that information was gained in advanced, similar to insider trading.

Can that be considered a criminal matter?

 

[QUEENSLANDER]

im intrigued as to where the $700k over the cap went?! who are their big stars? smith, slater, inglis and cronk. matty johns just cleared up on his show that cronk was on a very low wage. all the other players are just mid level players, maybe blair and lima on a bit more, but their team this year isnt any better than any other team. i guess they just mustve had to pay smith and the likes more to keep them in melbourne.

and to all those that just go "the players knew, they signed 2 contracts".. how fucken stupid are u lol. can u imagine the paperwork they would have to sign? there would be contracts, insurance, 3rd party deals, non-disclosure statements, the list goes on. There is nothing to suggest they knew, until actually proven that way

 

[Twiztid]

Can that be considered a criminal matter?

Dad came home and was listening to 2UE on his way home. There is a sports show on with Greg Alexander and he said that it shouldn't be honoured because it would be considered in that light. So, it will just be a wait and see thing. Maybe it was Waldron? [icon_lol1.

 

[Beachy]

Should Schubert and staff be investigated as well, seems there was a very well informed leak to certain ppl with big amounts of cash to back the Storm for the spoon. This stinks as well.

a) bets started coming through last night. By this time it would've gone beyond Schubert and his team and been widely known throughout the NRL, News Ltd etc.

b) it was hardly big money being thrown around. My info is the largest bet was around the $250 mark which is far from an earth shattering amount

Someone or people put 3 x $10,000 and 1 x $8000 payments for the Storm to get the spoon earlier today, before betting was suspended. Someone had insider knowledge and I hope the payment is not honoured, as that information was gained in advanced, similar to insider trading.

Incorrect ... the bets were to WIN those amounts, which at the bigs odds the Storm would've been, doesn't take a big bet [icon_wink

The bets will be honoured, and will be paid out at the end of the season (assuming another team doesn't get caught out that is)

 

[Beachy]

What were the TAB paying though? If I have some inside info, TAB is the last place I'm going for strong odds [icon_razz1

Dunno ... everyone had their markets suspended by the time I got to work today [icon_lol1.

 

[shadow]

all the people commenting on players knowing should back off until the investigation reveals this or not. No one knows yet exactly how the rorting was done, some of the assumptions in this thread are foolish...for now we just don't know. if confirmed the players were aware, then go nuts condemning the players.

 

[Charmamba]

all the people commenting on players knowing should back off until the investigation reveals this or not. No one knows yet exactly how the rorting was done, some of the assumptions in this thread are foolish...for now we just don't know. if confirmed the players were aware, then go nuts condemning the players.

But its the Storm... yeah F**K slater i blame him

 

[Twiztid]

Incorrect ... the bets were to WIN those amounts, which at the bigs odds the Storm would've been, doesn't take a big bet [icon_wink

The bets will be honoured, and will be paid out at the end of the season (assuming another team doesn't get caught out that is)

You are correct. The way it was reported on Ray Hadley, it was bets of those amounts. Seeing as I am not that much of a beating man, I probably got Ray's details wrong.

 

[Jeba]

I'm just not getting this 'doomsay whistle' mentality.

My hatred for the Storm is obvious, so I will start by saying yes I do feel sorry for their fans, and on the basis of innocent until proven guilty I feel sorry for the players. Still hate them, but feel sorry for them.

But have a look at the same situation in 2002 with the Bulldogs, one of the powerhouse clubs of the NRL. At the time we were thinking Rugby League would never recover, but 8 years later and crowds in Sydney are on the rise and crowds in Brisbane are as strong as they have ever been. Not to mention Origin games are selling out in Sydney and Melbourne which was previously a near impossible task. Yes, some fans will walk away from the game, but good riddance to them! In the short term crowds may be down in Melbourne, but remember they have a brand new stadium, and despite all that's gone on, they have a fantastic Rugby League team, and if they keep playing good football for the rest of the season I am sure the majority of supporters will stay. There would be plenty of Storm fans out there that I reckon wouldn't have gone to see them play because of that craphole Olympic Park, but they will come through the gates at the rectangular stadium. Maybe their new stadium is their saviour!!!!

And as far as expansion goes, well, the sky is not falling. The only team that is in the pipeline at the moment is the Central Coast, and I would say there is no chance that this will affect their plans to big for their own team. No chance. By the time we want to start looking at Adelaide, Perth etc (who are years away, at least a decade IMO), this situation will be well behind us and the Storm may have even won a Premiership or two between now and then (but let's bloody well hope not!!!).

Yes, the road to recovery will be tough but I am confident they will get there.

 

[Anonymous person]

f#$% some of you guys are dense.

lets have a look at some salary cap infringements by a certain team we all love, then decide if the punishment Melbourne received is fair or not.

1. Broncos, 2001, $118,314 over the cap. Included an undisclosed payment of $50,000.
2. Broncos, 2002, $115,067 over the cap. Fully disclosed.
3. Broncos, 2003, Undisclosed guarantee to player via 3rd Party Entity
4. Broncos, 2006, Unapproved TPA
5. Broncos, 2007, Unapproved TPA
6. Broncos, 2009, Playing an Unregistered Player. No contract or Registration. Rnd 1 and Rnd 6

all up ~$200 000 in fines were handed out to the Broncos for salary cap breaches. since 2000 there have only been 4 years where the broncos did NOT breach the salary cap!

now correct me if im wrong, but didnt something pretty significant happen with the Broncos in 2006? hmmm what was it......oh thats right, we won the premiership! so if we are all to agree with stripping melbourne of their premierships then surely we would all agree that the broncos should be stripped of their 2006 title, correct?

also, melbourne knocked up out in 2007 with their salary cap breaching team......but we were also breaching the salary cap. we'll call that one even. 2009, same thing - salary cap breaching melbourne knock the salary cap breaching broncos out. we'll call that one even too hey?

if that doesnt show you that the Storm have been treated unfairly, youre biased - plain and simple.

i dont think theres any coming back from this for the storm, the NRL has just handed them a death sentence.
- noone will want to sponsor the storm, and expect all of their current sponsors for this season to pull out over the next week.
- their fans will leave in droves. their new stadium will be lucky to get 2000 people to it on its opening game.
- say goodbye to season members, and say hello to refunds or court action from the members.
- say goodbye to the players. there is the possibility that they might 'rally' and want to stick together, but geez......$700k over this year apparently, and thats with a team with 7 or 8 'nobodies'. they must also be pretty disillusioned with the club at the moment.
- the melbourne storm have been in financial distress for years, only being kept afloat by handouts from the NRL and News Limited. they will not be getting these handouts anymore, thats for certain.

so unfortunately its goodbye Melbourne Storm IMO.