3 Storm players under investigation..

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We just need to confirm it as unfounded rumours can be dangerous forvthose who speak them.

Guys please keep an eye on this post just in case
 
Dan link said:
We just need to confirm it as unfounded rumours can be dangerous forvthose who speak them.

Guys please keep an eye on this post just in case

Danny Weidler and a female reporter from The Sunday Tele are already talking about it.. Should be in the papers tomorrow morning, if not, then the Sunday footy shows.

But I'll let you know as soon as I find out any further developments.
 
It was reported on Ch 9 that letters of offer/promise for those 3 blokes have been given to the NRL.  Slater's specifically states that it must be under the salary cap.
 
Liueli of Brookvale link said:
[quote author=ads link=topic=183145.msg260686#msg260686 date=1272102985]
What's the source?

Danny Weidler.. And another source.
[/quote]

Weirdler !!! LOL. I'd rather trust what I read on Wikipedia then what comes out of that imbeciles mouth.
 
Reported on the news they were under investigation.

Thanks for the tip mate. Sorry for the doubt, hope you. Can understand the motive behind my apprehension
 
Chip & Chase link said:
[quote author=Liueli of Brookvale link=topic=183145.msg260700#msg260700 date=1272110198]
[quote author=ads link=topic=183145.msg260686#msg260686 date=1272102985]
What's the source?

Danny Weidler.. And another source.
[/quote]

Weirdler !!! LOL. I'd rather trust what I read on Wikipedia then what comes out of that imbeciles mouth.
[/quote]

Im With Chip on that one... just another grovelling knob trying to make sensational headlines instead of reporting the facts. If any of the players are implicated, and that's a big IF then it will come out in the wash over time. Not in the first couple of days during the hype.
 
I'm so already over this to be honest. Just let them play on, and bring it back to the footy. We beat them 40-0, we beast them at Olympic park last year, we beat the at Etihad this year...

it's all good.

I just miss the Rugby League in all of this. Beers. Pies. Sundy Arvo...sitting with other Manly fans...calling the lads home...

That's what it should all be about.

Put it this way. If it weren't for The Storms ability to be better than most other teams (for WHATEVER reason), there wouldn't have been such a high benchmark set, meaning lower teams would have less to aspire to, meaning the quality of football at the moment is actually better for Melbourne Storm (again, regardless of how and / or why).
 
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.

With no NRL points to play for, the team debated whether it was worth playing on. At the same meeting, a mortified Bellamy hauled in sacked chief executive Matt Hanson to front the coaches and players, demanding he reveal the full extent of the club's salary-cap rorts.

Yesterday, their collective decision became clear. In a dramatic three-minute address, the coach and his players, none of whom said a word, faced the media for the first time just before a planned fan day. Bellamy left no doubt as to where they stood.

"We stand here today united ... we ain't gonna surrender."

Moments earlier, shoulder to shoulder, they slowly walked across their new ground towards the media pack. Bellamy read a prepared statement. He was stoic, but at no stage did he declare his own innocence, nor that of his players.

Instead, he said, they "still had their dignity".

"This has been - without doubt - the toughest 48 hours of our sporting life," Bellamy said.

"We have been gutted with what has transpired in recent days. Our greatest accomplishments and [the things] we cherish most [have] been taken away."

Bellamy said the investigations would be welcomed by the football group. He professed his love for the Storm, which has been stripped of its 2007 and 2009 premierships.

"I love this club," the Melbourne and NSW State of Origin coach said. "I love these players. These players love our club. This club is a great club. It is a strong club a very proud club. This rugby league club has a huge role to play in Victoria - which we are most proud of.

"We will not walk away from this challenge ... we will stand up for ourselves and fight our way back from here. That fight starts today. And tomorrow it starts on the field."
 
Sort of kills the idea the players had no idea what was going on doesn't it B_E. I would certainly notice if my boss chucked a boat my way
 
Is an article over here today which is a good read, unfortunately no link to it on the net that I can find

They got hold of a "well-known NRL identity" who was a forner NRL insider. Here are some of the quotes from the article

"The salary cap was never discussed by the players. But then again, it didn't need to be. The players involved would have known about it"

"Players aren't ignorant, they know what's going on when they are offered side agreements. But can you blame the players ? They are only trying to maximise their earning power and they've only got a short time to cash in. It's not them but the administrators who are cheating the system"

On Bellamy, who he didn't believe would have known

"I know of a couple of players who signed with the club and didn't even meet Craig until they'd already put pen to paper. At most clubs, the players usually deal with the head coach before signing. I never really knew Craig but I know he will feel like he's been stabbed in the heart with this"
 
Here you go Dan, nothing to worry about :)
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/secret-seven-storm-stars-payments-under-the-microscope-20100424-tked.html

THESE are the names you have been waiting to read.

Billy Slater, Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk, Dallas Johnson, Brett White, Michael Crocker and Steve Turner - seven of Melbourne's highest-profile representative players - will have their payments scrutinised as part of the ongoing salary-cap rorts investigation into the Storm. There is no suggestion the players - nor their managers - were complicit in cheating the system.

The superstars have played an integral role in the Storm's on-field success in recent seasons. All bar Turner have gone on to play for the the Kangaroos. Johnson (Catalans), Crocker (South Sydney) and Turner (Canterbury) are no longer at the club which, ironically, cited the need to stay under the salary cap as the reason for releasing them.

Another person of interest to the NRL's ongoing investigation is Andrew McManus. The concert promoter, who has brought acts including Fleetwood Mac and Whitney Houston to Australia, has been questioned by salary cap auditor Ian Schubert over his game-day role with the Storm. In an interview with the Herald during the week, McManus said Schubert had inquired about payments of between $5000 and $7000 he made in previous years to Cronk and the since-departed Turner and Crocker for appearances at his Melbourne Cup marquee and other promotional outings.

A Storm fan, McManus has been employed by the club to provide pre- and post-match entertainment. A well placed source said McManus was ''tight'' with disgraced former Storm CEO Brian Waldron, the man dubbed the architect of Melbourne's systematic rorting of the cap.

McManus told the Herald on Thursday, and was reported Friday, that Schubert had cleared him of any wrongdoing in relation to the Storm's rorting. However, NRL boss David Gallop confirmed McManus was still under investigation over his involvement with the club and player payments.

''Certainly. Ian has been talking to him over a considerable period of time. Yes [he is still of interest],'' Gallop said.

McManus did not return calls yesterday.

National Nine News last night reported payments to an additional player - Storm superstar Greg Inglis - were also being scrutinised by investigators.

News Ltd yesterday claimed Storm players and coach Craig Bellamy were not privy to salary-cap rorting based on the documented evidence the company had inspected. The question of whether the players were in on the Storm's cheating has been raised after former acting chief executive Matt Hanson handed over the files to News on Friday. The documents, which detail illegal payments to three players, were subsequently forwarded to Schubert. They refer to payments due to have been made this year and are disguised as third-party sponsorships.

''At this stage we have told Craig Bellamy that we fully support him,'' said News Ltd's director of corporate affairs, Greg Baxter. ''He has told us he knew nothing about it and that the players knew nothing about it.

''We have no evidence to suggest otherwise. We are supporting him and the players.

''When you read the evidence, as I did [on Friday] afternoon, there is really nothing in these letters that, as a player, you would have picked up and said, 'gee, that looks odd'. There is nothing to suggest that any player was involved.''
 
Team P W L PD Pts
3 3 0 48 6
4 3 1 28 6
3 2 1 10 6
4 2 2 39 4
3 2 1 28 4
3 2 1 15 4
3 2 1 14 4
2 1 1 13 4
2 1 1 6 4
3 2 1 -3 4
3 1 2 0 2
3 1 2 -5 2
3 1 2 -15 2
3 1 2 -22 2
3 1 2 -36 2
2 0 2 -56 2
3 0 3 -64 0
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