Not AFL, but biggest footy story EVER!!! Storm outed!!

[Saint Bev]

Well, I just feel sorry for the fans, it would be heart breaking and also for the runners up and their fans.

PS. Can someone tell me how to join the other forum pls.

[35...LEGEND]

Well, I just feel sorry for the fans, it would be heart breaking and also for the runners up and their fans.

PS. Can someone tell me how to join the other forum pls.

Click on user groups at top of page,go to access general forum,click view info,should be able to get in from there.
Hope that help's.

Cheers

[joffaboy]

"Brian commenced as CEO with the Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League, in November 2004"

So Waldron has been gone six years.

[Thinline]

Storm owned by News Ltd. Stinks to high heaven. Have always been uncomfortable at the depth of media ownership of Rugby League. The game is simply not that popular. But media ownership leads to different perceptions.

As to News Ltd fingering BW as the architect...Put yourself in the room when it was being discussed.

BW 'Guys. I've been playing around with the numbers and I've come up with this cunning foolproof plan involving untraceable third party player payments [goes on to fill in the details]. Might be a bit of a fifty fifty call, but it'll mean we'll keep Billy Slater for an extra three years. Waddya reckon?'

News Ltd executives sit their in awe of his bewitching accounting. 'That is seriously the beast freakin' plan I've ever heard. You're awesome, BW. Lets do it!'

So who is the most wrong?

The architect of the 'house' that collapsed?

Or the owner who built despite the bodgy 'construction'?

[Eastern]

Evidently the salary Cap Auditor found a second set of books in another room.
Reminiscent of the "Blues" who got done by the AFL Auditors who found "notes" on the Blues Books indicating cheating.


So if you are going to cheat...don't leave the evidence around!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I thought I heard that the second set of books were found in THE SAME ROOM, in a different filing cabinet !!

[remboy]

I'm not sure what the point of getting them to play for no points is. Why would any of the players or coaching staff bother trying? Is that going to jeopardise the integrity of the comp. Everybody in the AFL is against tanking but this seems to be giving a club every reason to give up for the rest of the year.
I couldn't see the point in risking injury when there is nothing at the end of it. Might as well have just kicked them out of the RL for the year.

[ausfatcat]

some of the players will still want to go on so they can get representative game in the origin and aussie side

[saint75]

Some are jumping at shadows re-Waldron and his involvement at the Saints. He was also at Richmond so they have cause to be concerned as well if one was to follow that line of thought.

This whole issue has some interesting ramifications. if Storm was able to get away with this for 5 years (and would have continued to do so if a disgruntled former employee had not blown the whistle), how many other NRL teams do you believe are doing the same thing? Would they (the NRL head honchos) have acted as harshly against a much loved and respected Sydney or Queensland team if they were involved in salary cap breaches? Makes you wonder......

NRL has just taken a MASSIVE hit. The AFL must be sitting back and smiling right about now.

On Brian Waldron, I will reserve judgement until more details unfold. I find it hard to believe that he concocted this scheme all on his own. I feel that there is a lot more to unfold.....a story as large as this one is going to cause quite a few casualties. Will be interesting to see if Brian will show up on his regular gig with KB and Balmy on SEN at 10.00am tomorrow. I know where my money is on that one.

[Saintsfan]

A heap of chest beating going on 'The Footy Show' lynching Brian Waldron.

[saint75]

A heap of chest beating going on 'The Footy Show' lynching Brian Waldron.

They should be VERY careful before they start pointing fingers, especially if they are not positive that there own backyards are clean.....

Also, find it ludicrous that they are chest beating when the death knell has been sounded for expansion of their sport throughout Australia. Are they arrogant enough to believe that their sport (which struggles to get anywhere near the crowd numbers that the AFL does in Australia) is going to grow and prosper after this?

I will say it once again, the AFL would be sitting back and smiling.

[Sainter_4_life]

Sheahan fires his first shot at the saints:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrls- ... 5857161511

There was an extra dimension for the AFL fraternity given the involvement of recently departed Storm CEO Brian Waldron, a former Richmond and St Kilda administrator.

Which led to inevitable queries about some of St Kilda's player contracts - such as Fraser Gehrig and Aaron Hamill - during Waldron's tenure at the club.

[st.byron]

Couldn't care less about the Melbourne Storm and rugby league. Boring as hell to watch and even more bogan than Formula 1. And if Murdoch's empire takes a hit so much the better.

[stinger]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl-m ... 5857159485


"Today, Waldron stands accused of masterminding the biggest rort in rugby league's 102-year history.

"He appears to be the architect of the whole shooting match," ashen-faced News Limited chief executive John Hartigan said

"In my view, if we're to be honest as a company and sport, we should look further than rugby league. We don't want people like that in sport in Australia."

[Enrico_Misso]

Remind me again why Waldron left StKilda?

Didn't it have something to do with extra curricular activities

[parky]

**cough** all those that said Grant was a control freak ****cough*** perhaps **cough*** he knew ***cough*** salary cap ****ok*** when he was over seeing it ***cough*** car deal*** bottom draw** cough*** st kilda ok *** because our best interests were looked after by some of those on the inside and made sure it was all fixed for compliance***cough*** suddern departure*** cough nothing to do with us now. nothing to see her Ando cause we were protected (ie complied with rules) by our own back then. good luck to those that like to cheat it's not our way. GO SAINTS

[Mr Magic]

Sheahan fires his first shot at the saints:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrls- ... 5857161511

There was an extra dimension for the AFL fraternity given the involvement of recently departed Storm CEO Brian Waldron, a former Richmond and St Kilda administrator.

Which led to inevitable queries about some of St Kilda's player contracts - such as Fraser Gehrig and Aaron Hamill - during Waldron's tenure at the club.

Well given that Waldron didn't get to be CEO at St Kilda until 2002, and both Hamill and Gehrig were already at the Club by then, someone please tell me how Waldron would have had anything to do with thier contracts?

[iwantmeseats]

Couldn't care less about the Melbourne Storm and rugby league. Boring as hell to watch and even more bogan than Formula 1. And if Murdoch's empire takes a hit so much the better.

oi, formula one rocks, and Im not a bogan. Not as good as it was 70/80/90's, but its a valid sport.

[Captain Impossible]

Yeah, poor players...played their hearts out, for nothing

I think one can assume that players knew all about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is absolute bullsh#t speculation and the height of ignorance. I respect your normally astute opinion on matters AFL but to assume that Melbourne players knew what the total player payments were OF THE ENTIRE TEAM is a joke and pure fantasy.

How about some facts:

The Storm were found to be 1.7 million over the cap over a 5 year period.

So that's $340k per year. Not only that but $700k was THIS year (2010) leaving $1 million over 4 years.

So therefore it's actually $250k per year.

Spread that 240k over the entire list and players on average might receive maybe an extra 10k to 30k per season.

This really smashes your argument:

A)You assume that every player KNOWs what every other player is earning. Impossible

B) Even if that were true you assume that every player was aware of Melbourne's salary cap. Unlikely, like the AFL the NRL has different caps for different teams. (I suspect very few Rugby League players know what their total player payment cap is for their side).

C) Additionally, like the AFL, players are entitled to payments outside the salary cap from 3rd party sponsors like the Chris Judd VISY deal therefore confusing the figures even further.

So, having established that is pretty much impossible for a player to know the exact figure that their team mates are being paid, and the fact that even if they did, they would not have anyway of calculating whether this was over the cap, your statement is stupid at best, and defamatory at worst.

Pull your head in idiot. You might not like Rugby League but the Melbourne Storm players play with heart and soul every week fighting in a significant 'anti Melbourne' competition without complaint. To accuse these players of deceit reflects poorly on you. Just like the Saints players, they have fought for respect and premierships. More often than not they have won. It is not their fault that dodgy accountants and officials blatantly broke the rules and have destroyed their premiership medals.

I pity your insecurity, there is plenty of room for other sports in Melbourne.

[Sainter_4_life]

Yeah, poor players...played their hearts out, for nothing

I think one can assume that players knew all about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is absolute bullsh#t speculation and the height of ignorance. I respect your normally astute opinion on matters AFL but to assume that Melbourne players knew what the total player payments were OF THE ENTIRE TEAM is a joke and pure fantasy.

How about some facts:

The Storm were found to be 1.7 million over the cap over a 5 year period.

So that's $340k per year. Not only that but $700k was THIS year (2010) leaving $1 million over 4 years.

So therefore it's actually $250k per year.

Spread that 240k over the entire list and players on average might receive maybe an extra 10k to 30k per season.

This really smashes your argument:

A)You assume that every player KNOWs what every other player is earning. Impossible

B) Even if that were true you assume that every player was aware of Melbourne's salary cap. Unlikely, like the AFL the NRL has different caps for different teams. (I suspect very few Rugby League players know what their total player payment cap is for their side).

C) Additionally, like the AFL, players are entitled to payments outside the salary cap from 3rd party sponsors like the Chris Judd VISY deal therefore confusing the figures even further.

So, having established that is pretty much impossible for a player to know the exact figure that their team mates are being paid, and the fact that even if they did, they would not have anyway of calculating whether this was over the cap, your statement is stupid at best, and defamatory at worst.

Pull your head in idiot. You might not like Rugby League but the Melbourne Storm players play with heart and soul every week fighting in a significant 'anti Melbourne' competition without complaint. To accuse these players of deceit reflects poorly on you. Just like the Saints players, they have fought for respect and premierships. More often than not they have won. It is not their fault that dodgy accountants and officials blatantly broke the rules and have destroyed their premiership medals.

I pity your insecurity, there is plenty of room for other sports in Melbourne.

Just as a side note, noting it has no relevance to this issue, but your correct in saying the storm was 250k per year over the cap. When the Brisbane Lions won their 3 flags in a row they had an extra 700k per year in their cap (legally) then any other club. Seeing as 250k per year is deemed enough to strip flags, what does that say about the lions 3-peat

[Enrico_Misso]

Can someone explain to me how Dimwit can support what the NRL has done.
But when the AFL caught Carlton out, all they did was take Goddard and Wells off them.
Why is their 1995 "Brown paper bag flag" still there?

And Carlton are STILL rorting the system.

What is the substantial Visy payment to Judd in return for absolutely nothing, other than an illegal salary payment?

And what about the payments to Twitly Twatly?

[Dal_Santos_Gal]

Couldn't care less about the Melbourne Storm and rugby league. Boring as hell to watch and even more bogan than Formula 1. And if Murdoch's empire takes a hit so much the better.

Fair enough you don't care, but why bother reading the thread to start with. Some of us happen to barrack for the Melbourne Storm as well as the mighty saints.

I for one am a storm follower, the big premiership (weg) posters that I purchased now mean nothing. The joy I got from watching them two premierships now mean nothing.
I would be a more of a wreck if it happened at St Kilda but I can tell you what has happened today has shattered the storms supporters. Forget about the club and the NRL for two seconds and think how it would feel to be a supporter or a hard die supporter that goes every week and pays the club good money for a membership.
To have the glory of two premierships taken away and being told that season 2010 means nothing, you couldn't even begin to imagine.

It sure has hell wrecked my evening, no I am not a member, but I watch and follow them every week on telly. My Saints will always be my heart, but I can say I do barrack for the storm and I am shattered.

[ausfatcat]

enrico you forget the million dollar fine and the lose of other draft picks the next year as well.

Yes they rort the system as well but legally all club do the same as what they do with Judd we do it that is not outside of the AFL rules but would be outside of the NRL rules we have less stringent rules rightly or wrongly.

Storm was onlt fined 500k the other 1,1 mil was the prize money they had to pat back

[saintsRrising]

Yeah, poor players...played their hearts out, for nothing

I think one can assume that players knew all about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A)You assume that every player KNOWs what every other player is earning. Impossible

.

I assume no such thing.

And where did I say that EVERY player knew?

I said one can assume that players knew.

I would be very very surprised that if some players did not know and that others would have at least suspected.

According to the News Ltd head honcho today the mechanism for the extra payments was a drip feed of payments upto $15,000 on match days from a source that should not have gone to players.

I do not know about you but if my employer wanted to split my payments I would be asking why so.

If they did not ask why not? Ignorance can be a convenience.

[st.byron]

Couldn't care less about the Melbourne Storm and rugby league. Boring as hell to watch and even more bogan than Formula 1. And if Murdoch's empire takes a hit so much the better.

oi, formula one rocks, and Im not a bogan. Not as good as it was 70/80/90's, but its a valid sport.

Fair enough. I reckon it's as boring as batshit along with sniffy ball(rugby) and couldn't care less if both of them disappeared overnight. Each to their own.

[saintsRrising]

This is not King's Cross you know and these aren't policemen who likes strippers and what not

5 years worth of cheating would as a minimum mean that goodly number of players would have known, even if not all knew.

Why would they know. They just get a salary. I dont think the extra is paid in brown paper bags.

Don't know about the paper bags.

But the News Ltd head honcho stated today that the mechanism used was to make payments of upto $15,000 from a source that should not have gone to players.

Now you may be casual with your remuneration, but I like knowing exacting when and where my payments are made (and my remuneration varies widely).

Ignorance can be bliss.....and perhaps XYZ players just did not look into where the money was coming from. But if so you really need to consider why not.

But hey...I am the type of guy that thinks the Judd Ambassordorship is an AFL endorsed rort. "Claytons Cheating".