Loophole that could help Storm get their premierships back

[Burgs]

Loophole that could help Storm get their premierships back

DANIEL LANE
April 25, 2010

STORM players might have grounds to appeal against the penalties imposed on their team, says a former rugby league international who became a barrister.

Kevin Ryan said the Storm might investigate whether the NRL acted properly by not convening its board of directors to decide the penalties.

The penalties were decided in a meeting between NRL chief executive David Gallop, chief operating officer Graham Annesley, auditor Ian Schubert and public affairs officer John Brady. Ryan said the Storm might be able to request an interim injunction to determine whether proper procedures had been followed.

''I wouldn't be surprised if lawyers on behalf of some of the Storm players would be looking at the NRL constitution and all of the contracts between the NRL and the officers, including David Gallop,'' said Ryan. ''They would have the view of asking whether this apparently hasty decision was properly authenticated. Did the officers have the authority to do so?

''I do admire David Gallop's courage and dedication to duty, but the action [stripping Melbourne of all points in 2010] might be premature and over the top,'' Ryan said.

NRL director John Chalk defended Gallop and the way in which the penalties had been decided. Many members of the board had been occupied with an independent commission meeting and it had been necessary for Gallop to act immediately.

''A lot of people were consulted [before Gallop's announcement] and we were all well informed of what was happening - there is not a drama because we [board members] spoke on the day,'' he said.

''As board members we realise the game needs this like a hole in the head, but we have to ensure all clubs are looked after and all people are looked after. I'm well aware, too, of the innocents … a memory that many people have cherished [grand final wins] has been taken away.''

The NRL made a statement yesterday confirming all members supported the penalties, adding a formal meeting had not been called because of a potential conflict of interest News Ltd employees faced.

[jono]

this was always going to happen.

[jargan83]

Legal action will win them no fans, they fielded an illligitimate side to win those honours and therefore the NRL have every right to strip them of said honours

[normie]

Yes. Pure and simple.
They continue to field an illegitimate side, so it's logical and fair that they recieve no points this season. Now that the players rage and frustration has been taken out on the Warriors, I wonder how long they will be able to maintain the same sort of intensity in what is now a series of exhibition matches.

[Burgs]

I'd take them seriously and be sympathetic to a resumption of eligibility if they got themselves back under the Cap for this season. They need to be able to prove that as of “today” we are no longer exceeding the salary cap.

[jargan83]

Same goes for crowd figures

Drawing a crowd was never going to be a problem for the Storm the weekend after the drama first unfolded. The challenge will be in 4 weeks after alot of the hysteria dies down will they still be able to attract a crowd when they have nothing to play for

I'd take them seriously and be sympathetic to a resumption of eligibility if they got themselves back under the Cap for this season. They need to be able to prove that as of “today” we are no longer exceeding the salary cap.

Given that they are $700K over the cap for this season alone that looks difficult. A suspicious person would think they only rorted the cap by $200K for the first year or two to test the waters, then with several back ended contracts rort the cap to the full extent

[Burgs]

And so no sympathy forthcoming

[shasta]

There is even a problem in letting them get under the cap, if it's done simply by allowing players to take a pay cut. This does not address the fact that without the rorts they would not have this squad anyway. It also potentially punishes the innocents. A suggestion from one of my workmates may have some merit. Get them under the cap immediately, let them keep the rorters - for now. Give them an incentive to win by giving them concessions from the fines for each one achieved.

[normie]

They are still an artificially created squad. It would be like letting a Bulgarian weightlifter have a gold medal today because stopped taking roids yesterday.

[jargan83]

The NRL learned it's lesson from the last side to rort the cap in 2002

And so no sympathy forthcoming

The only sympathy I have is to the supporters of the Storm as they have been robbed, not by the NRL but the Clubs corrupt management.

Jury is out on the players, some of them especially those concerned (Inglis, Smith, Cronk, Slater etc) surely would have known something was suss

[shasta]

The NRL learned it's lesson from the last side to rort the cap in 2002

Apparently not - it's still being rorted

PS. Get over it. I am.

[jargan83]

Apparently not - it's still being rorted

PS. Get over it. I am.

Not my fault the last major rort was the Bulldogs

It's not the NRL's fault the Storm kept a completely different set of salary books in a different room.

I don't know if it amusing or alarming that those books were discovered by accident

[palitu]

Not my fault the last major rort was the Bulldogs

It's not the NRL's fault the Storm kept a completely different set of salary books in a different room.

I don't know if it amusing or alarming that those books were discovered by accident

i thought it was a whistle blower, or did they find them by accident??

I hope they weren't kept in the toilet cistern...

[jargan83]

i thought it was a whistle blower, or did they find them by accident??

I've heard both.

Obviously the investigators were there looking for something, still need to find it though

[Burgs]

I find it alarming that the second set of books were even on site!
What sort of crappy fraudsters do we have these days anyway?!