Betting Plunge of Saints Spoon

[na exa]

great read 75.


altough i'd say , recomend 'breathing out' first

...ie : get em to concentrate on getting that stale air out of their lungs ,
coz the 'in breath' looks after itself.

[Milton66]

Jumping at shadows people. Take a deep breath......then breathe out.....

Waldron was faced with an impossible task at Storm. To get the team to a premiership and to bring new sponsors and members to the club. All of this was expected to be achieved with none of the sorts of concessions that the interstate AFL teams have/do receive when they start up in our league. He had to get results and he used a less than desirable method to do so.

Now not to defend the man, but there are quite a few questions about other teams in the NRL. Just no evidence. Manly is one team that's name keeps bobbing up. This would never have even surfaced (storm salary cap rort) had their not been a whistle blower. So how many other teams are getting away with this in the NRL? Are you only accountable if you have the whistle blown on you? Are there ANY checks and balances in the NRL? Perhaps Brian was doing what was required (and what everyone else in the NRL was doing) to get an edge? Hell, it worked didn't it? They created a dynasty, only to have it come crumbling down around them when they were caught out. Was it a calculated risk or sheer stupidity and dishonesty? Depends on who you ask.

Personally, I feel that the NRL could fall like dominos if the truth about the degree of salary cap rorting within the clubs was ever to surface. The NRL hierarchy did nothing to help their cause with their knee jerk reaction to this situation. They should have sat and waited this out for awhile and gathered more information. These sanctions could come back to bite them if other similar issues within the NRL where to surface.

I read an interesting blog from a Sydney reporter today calling for an amnesty on salary cap rorting ALA what the AFL did a few years or so back within our league. Claims nearly all the NRL teams are rorting the system in one way or the other. Some of the smug Sydney and Queensland fans who have been bagging Melbourne Storm should be very careful. Karma has an awful way of biting you on the butt when you least expect it.

The NRL seems to be run very much like a backyard operation. From what I have 'heard', the AFL checks and balance system is pretty comprehensive. Also, due to systems in place (such as the Veteran's list and acceptable 3rd party payments for example), there is seldom a need in AFL to rort the salary cap (with the exception of sheer stupidity). The NRL needs to look at revamping their Salary Cap systems. Their 'national' NRL competition is about to revert back to a bi-state competition that the AFL will encroach (and potentially over run) with the introduction of the new AFL teams in Queensland and Sydney. Really shot themselves in the foot IMO.

Spot on and well written.

It will be interesting to see if other clubs get caught.

The NRL has set a dangerous precedent with their knee-jerk reaction.

What if the runners up are awarded the premiership retrospectively against the Storm... then they are also found to be rorting?

Then what? Where does it end?

The NRL is run like a chook raffle, and whilst I don't condone what happened, you are correct in saying that he did what he had to do.

Storm took NRL to a new level of professionalism. One required across the entire competition if they are serious about being a force against AFL and soccer.

[Mr Magic]

I'm not sure if their rules allow for it, but If the NRL are actually serious about getting to the bottom of all of this, I'd be calling in all teh leading player agents for alengthy chat.

I'd be asking them what they know.

I'd be asking them to produce all tehir contract documents, including for players who have left teh Storm to go to other Clubs.

I'd even be asking for copies of players' tax returns (that's ultimately how Carlton got caught - the salary declared on a player's tax return was greater than what had been declared to the AFL)

My guess is that the players' agents would not want to co-operate in such an investigation.

Maybe I'm naive, but I believe Waldron believes all the other NRL Clubs are doing something to rort the salary cap and so far, Storm is the only one who's been caught (through a whistleblower)

Kind of reminds me a bit of the AFL Drugs Policy - the salary cap investigation you have, when you don't want to catch any cheats.

[saint75]

There are some intriguing bits and pieces floating around that leaves food for thought.

Firstly, the reporter in Sydney that wrote the blog I made reference to in my previous post got wind of this story on Monday. How and why was this leaked? This was no random act of kindness.

Secondly, why has Waldron been made the scapegoat? Do they honestly expect us to believe that he woke up in the middle of the night with this brilliantly diabolical plan all on his own? That he actually executed this with the knowledge of only one other when clearly this was a plan that required the knowledge and agreement of many to make it work so effectively for 5 years?

Thirdly, the same reporter was in contact with Brian Waldron by phone right up until the proverbial 'poo' hit the fan on Wednesday when Waldron was no longer taking calls. Waldron was confident that nothing would come of it and it was a slight breach in regard to player x's salary and everything would be smoothed over. Why was Waldron so confident early on that everything would be smoothed over? He was clearly being kept informed of the investigation but was being fed a different story to what was actually going on.

Finally, how can Cameron Vale (the accused whistle blower) claim no 'participation' in fraudulent goings on, yet 'apparently' had information at hand to bury Waldron when they had a falling out? The same Cameron Vale that was the Chief Financial officer of storm for 2+ years? This statement makes him one of 2 things: a liar or grossly incompetent at his job.

This story continues to throw up inconsistencies. Will be watching this one play out quite closely.

[Mr Magic]

There are some intriguing bits and pieces floating around that leaves food for thought.

Firstly, the reporter in Sydney that wrote the blog I made reference to in my previous post got wind of this story on Monday. How and why was this leaked? This was no random act of kindness.

Secondly, why has Waldron been made the scapegoat? Do they honestly expect us to believe that he woke up in the middle of the night with this brilliantly diabolical plan all on his own? That he actually executed this with the knowledge of only one other when clearly this was a plan that required the knowledge and agreement of many to make it work so effectively for 5 years?

Thirdly, the same reporter was in contact with Brian Waldron by phone right up until the proverbial 'poo' hit the fan on Wednesday when Waldron was no longer taking calls. Waldron was confident that nothing would come of it and it was a slight breach in regard to player x's salary and everything would be smoothed over. Why was Waldron so confident early on that everything would be smoothed over? He was clearly being kept informed of the investigation but was being fed a different story to what was actually going on.

Finally, how can Cameron Vale (the accused whistle blower) claim no 'participation' in fraudulent goings on, yet 'apparently' had information at hand to bury Waldron when they had a falling out? The same Cameron Vale that was the Chief Financial officer of storm for 2+ years? This statement makes him one of 2 things: a liar or grossly incompetent at his job.

This story continues to throw up inconsistencies. Will be watching this one play out quite closely.

Spot on.
It will be interesting to see if the NRL atually do something proactive or if they can only act after a 'whistlblower' lays it all out for them.

I have no doubt that there are more Clubs rorting the system than just the Melbourne Storm.

The Herald Sun has a story quoting an 'unnamed player agent' stating that Waldron is correct in his assertion that all Clubs are foing it, even detailing some of the ways it's done.

I hope Waldron decides to 'blow the whistle' on everybody on this, and not just cop the whole load on his own.

[plugger66]

There are some intriguing bits and pieces floating around that leaves food for thought.

Firstly, the reporter in Sydney that wrote the blog I made reference to in my previous post got wind of this story on Monday. How and why was this leaked? This was no random act of kindness.

Secondly, why has Waldron been made the scapegoat? Do they honestly expect us to believe that he woke up in the middle of the night with this brilliantly diabolical plan all on his own? That he actually executed this with the knowledge of only one other when clearly this was a plan that required the knowledge and agreement of many to make it work so effectively for 5 years?

Thirdly, the same reporter was in contact with Brian Waldron by phone right up until the proverbial 'poo' hit the fan on Wednesday when Waldron was no longer taking calls. Waldron was confident that nothing would come of it and it was a slight breach in regard to player x's salary and everything would be smoothed over. Why was Waldron so confident early on that everything would be smoothed over? He was clearly being kept informed of the investigation but was being fed a different story to what was actually going on.

Finally, how can Cameron Vale (the accused whistle blower) claim no 'participation' in fraudulent goings on, yet 'apparently' had information at hand to bury Waldron when they had a falling out? The same Cameron Vale that was the Chief Financial officer of storm for 2+ years? This statement makes him one of 2 things: a liar or grossly incompetent at his job.

This story continues to throw up inconsistencies. Will be watching this one play out quite closely.

Spot on.
It will be interesting to see if the NRL atually do something proactive or if they can only act after a 'whistlblower' lays it all out for them.

I have no doubt that there are more Clubs rorting the system than just the Melbourne Storm.

The Herald Sun has a story quoting an 'unnamed player agent' stating that Waldron is correct in his assertion that all Clubs are foing it, even detailing some of the ways it's done.

I hope Waldron decides to 'blow the whistle' on everybody on this, and not just cop the whole load on his own.

Im not sure once you are caught dobbing in others is the way to go. Bad luck for you and take your punishment. Would you say the same if he also decided to dob in things that were happening in AFL and particularly our club. I reckon if you are caught it is your bad luck. Saying that nothing wrong with bringing others down in your club especially if they are blaming you when they knew exactly what was going on.

By the way i cant stand whistle blowers especially the ones that know what is happening but dont say anything until they have a fall out with the club.

[Mr Magic]

So plugger, it's only a crime/wrong/illegal if you get caught?

I'm not sure where you are drawing the line on 'whistleblowing'?

A criminal caught becasue of a 'whistleblowers' response to a reward is less of a criminal?

I understand that you're not happy with someone dobbing in purely because they had a fight/argument/dispute with someone - a bit like a spouse dobbing his/her partner in to the tax department over a messy divorce. The motives don't absolve the cheating do they?

And all I'm asking for is openness and transparency in this matter. Why does the NRL need to wait for a 'whistleblower' to dob a Club in?
Why aren't they capable of finding systematic rorting/cheating going on?

In case you might have missed it, we're being tarnished/smeared/targetted/whispered about/shouted about and any other term you'd like to use purely becasue Waldron worked for us 6 years ago.

Whilst the 'everybody else is doing it' is not an acceptable defense to the fact that they cheated/rorted, surely we as the paying public have the legitimate entitlement to know that what has been accused is not occuring?

Or do we just blindly accept the authorites' word that it is not going on?
I mean only last week, Melbourne Storm were not cheating either according to the NRL.
And truth be known, if Waldron hadn't had a problem with an employee, Melbourne Storm would still not be a 'cheat'.

[Leo.J]

I'm not sure we'll ever hear the truth with the Storm saga.

The reason being is that the Storm are being and have been propped up by News Corp...And low and behold the NRL are joint owned by News Corp.

News Corp, control a large chunk of the mainstream media in this country, as a result we may never hear the full story, as some big players may not want it in the public domain.

Here are some articles that may help in understanding how it all works, some are outdated however not much has changed since then...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_owne ... _Australia

http://australianpolitics.com/issues/me ... ship.shtml

http://www.smartcompany.com.au/media/20 ... ebsen.html