Storm for Wooden Spoon - Betting Suspended

[ddd]

Seriously all the players can no longer claim 100% innocence in this matter:

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,865 ... 66,00.html

Melbourne Storm's senior players have snubbed meetings with salary cap breach investigators.The news came as NRL investigators found Cam Smith had three contracts.

[quote:1lfflhk2]Despite the allegations, Smith has denied he was aware of any rorting.

It is also claimed other instances of Storm stars having more than one contract have been uncovered.

It can be revealed 10 Storm stars were due to front accounting firm Deloitte in the past fortnight, but none had appeared.

Mr Baxter said Deloitte, appointed by News to unravel the complex player payments, had attempted to reschedule the meetings, but the players' managers and agents had not co-operated.

"We have tried to interview them repeatedly and it's pretty disappointing they haven't bothered showing up," he said.

Honestly - why wouldn't they show up? I've always been told if you've done nothing wrong and have nothing to hide then you have nothing to fear. Only reason not to co-operate is they knew exactly what was going on and are guilty as.[/quote:1lfflhk2]

Not showing up is typical of the attitude that the Melbourne team has been displaying since the whole story broke - we've done nothing wrong, we've been hard done by, seriously, they all need to man up and lie in the beds that they have made - if they're blame that needs to be appointed to player managers, they need to cop it too.

Friday night, Cam Smith said he had nothing to play for, he's getting paid, what, three contracts, so he's getting paid, that's one, Bellamy said how the team had their "dignity and integrity" wouldn't these be motivators to keep putting, two & most seriously of all, the fans (& sponsors), the people who pay the three contracts with merchandise and gate prices, but sure they've got nothing to play for.

If I was a Melbourne fan, I'd be pretty upset hearing my Captain say that - does this mean that the purple and white means nothing to Cam Smith?

Seriously this hard done by attitude was old after the first week, we're months on now and this routine of the petulant little child stamping his feet, claiming innocence with the bikkie crumbs on his face is getting embarrassing

 

[Dexter]

I think he said they had nothing to lose not they had nothing to play for.

 

[Bucking Beads]

WOW, Cameron Smith is going to lose a hell of alot when all this mess is sorted out. I wonder what will happen to any of the players who knew they were getting paid outside the cap.

 

[Flutterby]

Should never be allowed to play rep football for starters - IMO deliberate rorting (or knowledge of it happening without speaking up) of the cap is causing more damage to the game than Issy signing for AFL

 

[Kimlo]

Should never be allowed to play rep football for starters - IMO deliberate rorting (or knowledge of it happening without speaking up) of the cap is causing more damage to the game than Issy signing for AFL

That I can agree to.

 

[Black Philip]

To be honest, IF he is guilty of agreeing to rorting the cap while being fully aware of what was happening, I think he should be banned for a pretty lengthy period.

 

[Coxy]

To be honest, IF he is guilty of agreeing to rorting the cap while being fully aware of what was happening, I think he should be banned for a pretty lengthy period.

I would say 2 years....same as drug cheating.

 

[Bucking Beads]

To be honest, IF he is guilty of agreeing to rorting the cap while being fully aware of what was happening, I think he should be banned for a pretty lengthy period.

I would say 2 years....same as drug cheating.

I agree but do the powers that be have the balls to do it?? This is doing some serious damage to the game no doubt about, Brian Waldron & co have alot to answer for. [icon_thumbs_do

 

[Flutterby]

Can't argue with either of those posts

 

[Kimlo]

To be honest, IF he is guilty of agreeing to rorting the cap while being fully aware of what was happening, I think he should be banned for a pretty lengthy period.

I would say 2 years....same as drug cheating.

BUTTTTTT If Inglis, Slater, Smith and Cronk are all aware they were cheating the cap banning all 4 would be a massive loss talent wise to the NRL and you can just imagine the AFL swooping on the former 3 just for cheap publicity because they won't have to compete with NRL clubs so they can just offer decent contracts, not crazy ones.

I'm not saying they shouldn't be but the consequences for the ban would definitely hurt the product of our game because they are 4 superstars.

 

[Fozz]

He should be fined the difference between the registered contract and the real contract.

 

[Kimlo]

He should be fined the difference between the registered contract and the real contract.

One thing is for sure, that grub can NOT be the next Australian or QLD captain, no way in the world.

 

[ddd]

He should be fined the difference between the registered contract and the real contract.

I like that idea, but I can't see it working

They'll never get banned, particularly as the NRL want's the best product on the TV for the upcoming deal, but fines, that'll learn them, then drive them out of town screaming how they were hard done by and go overseas or to other codes, lucky for the dog smith he's a huge figure in the game and as such, he could have been sitting there with a smoking gun and face covered in coke and he'd still get off scott-free

It will be interesting to see what comes of this though

 

[ningnangnong]

To be honest, IF he is guilty of agreeing to rorting the cap while being fully aware of what was happening, I think he should be banned for a pretty lengthy period.

I would say 2 years....same as drug cheating.

BUTTTTTT If Inglis, Slater, Smith and Cronk are all aware they were cheating the cap banning all 4 would be a massive loss talent wise to the NRL and you can just imagine the AFL swooping on the former 3 just for cheap publicity because they won't have to compete with NRL clubs so they can just offer decent contracts, not crazy ones.

I'm not saying they shouldn't be but the consequences for the ban would definitely hurt the product of our game because they are 4 superstars.

Would the AFL want to associate themselves with cheats though?

There needs to be some kind of agreement across all the codes.

 

[Bucking Beads]

All 3 will no doubt be snapped up by the Rebels...

 

[Charmamba]

A judge said he would be "staggered" if the NRL could not quickly produce key documents relating to salary cap penalties imposed on the Melbourne Storm.

The case returned to court on Wednesday as the parties prepare for a likely August hearing.

NRL barrister Michael Colbran told the court he needed time to locate documents requested by the Storm about the decision-making process surrounding the penalties.

Justice Tony Pagone said most of the documents should be at "the fingertips" of the NRL.

He said he would be "staggered" given the recent investigation, if the documents were not readily available.

Storm barrister Pat Zappia said the club wanted access to documents detailing the timing of the press conference to announce the penalties.

He said the timing could represent evidence of pre-judgment of the penalty.

http://www.nrl.com/news/news/newsarticl ... fault.aspx


Looks like the NRL might be screwing up their side of the case..... Will the Storm be in the finals?

 

[Dexter]

No probably not. Apparently some of the paperwork wasn't done thoroughly because the Storm CEO agreed to all the penalties at the time, now these nuffies have gone to court and they may win initially but the NRL will then go back and do it all properly.

The Storm should just STFU and cop it sweet, can you imagine if they win the case at least temporarily and then go on to win the GF.
What a f@ck up, Gallop will have to present the trophy and at the same time be working to strip them of the premiership all over again.

 

[Fozz]

Actually I hope they win because that means every team can cheat the salary cap from now on.