Storm for Wooden Spoon - Betting Suspended

[Aeetee]

Why?

 

[The Brizz]

I have heard that Slater was the once player who may have been approached for this deal and actually said he wanted to have nothing to do with it. Just a rumour but I will gain a huge amount of respect for him if this is true.

 

[Kimlo]

I have heard that Slater was the once player who may have been approached for this deal and actually said he wanted to have nothing to do with it. Just a rumour but I will gain a huge amount of respect for him if this is true.

Sign him for the Broncos if true!
OR Smith or even Inglis!

I hope we get one of them 3.

 

[Charmamba]

I have heard that Slater was the once player who may have been approached for this deal and actually said he wanted to have nothing to do with it. Just a rumour but I will gain a huge amount of respect for him if this is true.

+1

I can see how that would be true as well.

Smith is a Logan boy so "lie cheat steal" is his motto.
Inglis is not a real Qlder so explains him.

Slater is a Country Qld boy.. as much as i hate him he would have more respect.

 

[Kaz]

The Brizz

I heard that Slater wanted it written in his contract, so it was counted towards the cap.

 

[Kris]

Smith is a Logan boy so "lie cheat steal" is his motto.

That is lame.

 

[Nashy]

SO they're named. But we still accuse them of knowing and cheating?

 

[Foordy]

Craig Bellamy vows not to walk away from embattled Melbourne Storm

MELBOURNE Storm coach Craig Bellamy has vowed to rebuild the shattered club, and welcomed the NRL's continued investigation into the salary cap rorting which shocked Australian sport.

In a prepared statement read before media at the Storm's soon-to-be new home at Melbourne's rectangular stadium, Bellamy said the 48 hours since the NRL hit the club with heavy penalties for salary cap breaches - including stripping their two premierships - was the toughest of his and his players' sporting lives.

With his players standing behind him, Bellamy said he would not walk away from the club and urged fans not to either.

But he said he welcomed the NRL's continued probe into the club after it was revealed the Storm had been involved with long-term salary cap breaches involving clandestine player payments.

"The two things they can never take away are our dignity and our integrity," Bellamy said in his statement, before refusing to answer media questions.

"We know we will be investigated. We welcome that.

"I love this club. I love these players. These players love our club. This is a great club, a strong club, a very proud club.

"This is why we stand here today united. We aren't going anywhere. We ain't going to surrender."

On Thursday, the Storm had their two premiership wins in 2007 and 2009 stripped, told to pay back $1.1 million prizemoney, and fined another $500,000 for the breaches.

The club also will play the rest of the NRL season for no premiership points, starting with Sunday's match against New Zealand Warriors at Etihad Stadium.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl ... 5857757477

I think Bellamy needs to look up the definition of "INTEGRITY". [icon_lol1.

Personally, i have no sympathy for the club or any players that were aware of what was going on... my sympathy is for the fans of the club. IMO, Bellamy is the type of coach that would know about everything that goes on in his club (including exactly how much the club is paying its players).

 

[ddd]

The Brizz

I heard that Slater wanted it written in his contract, so it was counted towards the cap.

That what came out of Widlers' report, that Slater clearly stated that he wanted his full contract put under the salary cap, which to me indicates something fishy, why would you feel the need to say something like that if you didn't know something was up? This is purely speculation, but perhaps this is indicative of past behaviour?

 

[m1c]

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/s ... 5857835965

Sorry but after reading this I can't fathom how anyone could dare defend the players.

Those involved need to be de-registered for the remainder of the year.

 

[Kaz]

IMO: The players knew it was dodgy, but Slater was the only one to say something.

 

[ddd]

MELBOURNE Storm players were given boats, cars, tens of thousands of dollars in shopping vouchers and paid-for home renovations in the salary cap rort that has disgraced the club.

The Sunday Telegraph last night learnt of the widespread largesse that was sprayed on the club's elite players by the club, over and above the "official" contracts lodged with the NRL.

One senior Kangaroo and Origin star had an official $400,000 contract lodged with the NRL, but also had a $550,000 secret second letter of agreement, details of which were handed over by dumped acting CEO Matt Hanson at his home on Friday.

The player's second deal contained a $20,000 gift voucher for a big national electrical and furniture retailer and a $30,000 boat, which The Sunday Telegraph has seen parked in his undercover garage.

Hanson handed the hidden letters of offer for four senior Storm players to stunned NRL and News Limited executives (News Limited is the publisher of The Sunday Telegraph).


At least one of those offers included a free car for the player's partner. Another gave a player $30,000 in home renovations. It is unclear what taxation arrangements were made between the club, players and their agents for these "gifts".

Three of the players were publicly named last night for the first time.

Channel Nine cited three superstars of the game: Greg Inglis, Billy Slater and Cameron Smith. Inglis and Smith had signed the letters of agreement but Slater had not signed a letter of offer, all of which were handed over by Hanson.

News Limited, which owns the club, has publicly stated there is no evidence the players were in on the salary-cap rort orchestrated by disgraced former CEO Brian Waldron, as they may have had no reason to doubt the validity of their deals.

"There is no evidence the players knew they were part of an elaborate scheme," News Limited spokesman Greg Baxter said.

"The letters were written in such a way that players reading them could be forgiven for not thinking they were doing anything illegal."

NRL salary cap auditor Ian Schubert has long held suspicions about salary cap rorting at the club.

The official $400,000 contract held by the star player granted the shopping vouchers and free boat would certainly have raised serious suspicions as being "light" for a match-winning player of his calibre.

All up, the four players were receiving $700,000 between them over and above Melbourne's $4.2 million cap for 2010, $400,000 of which has already been paid.

The Storm squad and their coach Craig Bellamy made a dramatic and defiant public appearance at AAMI Park, their new Melbourne home ground, yesterday.

Bellamy declared the team would "never surrender" and would begin rebuilding in tonight's home game against the New Zealand Warriors.

But The Sunday Telegraph has learnt that during a secret meeting on Friday, the players "robustly discussed and argued" about pulling out of tonight's game.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...-salary-cap-rort/story-e6frewt0-1225857835965

M1c's link - certainly makes for interesting reading, damning reading

 

[Jeba]

Some more news on the betting front. TAB have already put up prices for the Storm's round 11 clash with the Bye.

Bye - $1.01
Storm - $9001

 

[Aeetee]

They knew... scumbags. Coach knew scumbag.....

 

[Charmamba]

Some more news on the betting front. TAB have already put up prices for the Storm's round 11 clash with the Bye.

Bye - $1.01
Storm - $9001

Whats the odds on a draw? :P

 

[Jeba]

Some more news on the betting front. TAB have already put up prices for the Storm's round 11 clash with the Bye.

Bye - $1.01
Storm - $9001

Whats the odds on a draw? :P

Those prices are the "Including Extra Time" prices. Prices for the result at the end of 80 minutes will be released closer to the game.

 

[Fozz]

I don't think that the article proves the players knew the club was providing that stuff outside the cap. They could have been told they were receiving the goods as in kind payments.

 

[Aeetee]

Yeah like Shane Warnes mum gave him THAT tablet.