Storm players asked to supply contracts

[waveydavey]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/s ... 5877696865

Storm players asked to supply contracts

    * By James Phelps
    * From: The Daily Telegraph
    * June 10, 2010 12:00AM


MELBOURNE Storm players were yesterday asked to hand over copies of their contracts when they finally meet with Deloitte - the firm hired to conduct an internal investigation into the club's salary cap cheating.

The Melbourne squad, minus their State of Origin stars, sat down with the investigators for the first time at an extraordinary meeting at Melbourne HQ.

Accountants Deloitte asked the players to hand over copies of their personal contracts so they could be checked against those supplied by the club.

Sources close to the Storm yesterday said both the players and their managers are reluctant to do so because of privacy concerns.

"They are worried their contracts will be handed over to News [Limited, publishers of The Daily Telegraph]," said a source close to the Storm.

"They have some issues with privacy that need to be sorted out and they didn't get the guarantees they needed yesterday. They don't want their incomes being leaked to the papers."

News Limited spokesman Greg Baxter yesterday said the players' privacy would be respected.
"Any information provided by the players will be covered by a confidentiality agreement between the player and Deloitte."

During the meeting, the players were told their managers had not been co-operating with investigators and that the extent of the rorting appeared to be less than reported in recent weeks.

Two points here:

1. News Ltd papers have been leaking all the seemingly confidential Deloitte investigation findings, why would players have any confidence whatsoever that their contracts would remain confidential? And I believe that Baxter has been one that's been quoting figures in press releases?

2. The extent of the rorting is less than reported - so News Ltd papers can't even get that bit right when it's leaked to them!!!

[StormFront]

Given that they are the only source the leak can come from.
Can an agreement be made up and signed - binding them

Mind you I would not trust them at all or News Ltd.

The shyte that had been in the papers is unreal with
figures plucked from the air to suit each story.

If Deloitte have the NRL contracts - not sure why they need
the players ones...


On another note - should they not also do a swap for the NRL
and others paper work that they said they can not put there
hands on straight away which has the potentional to hold up the
court case.

[Mattpoet]

didn't realise that the players were the ones on trial here!

a stalling tactic direct from david ballsup perhaps?

[Storm Spirit]

Not a hope in hell would I provide my private employment Contract to a firm that is engaged to undertake a non statutory review.

Neither should the Storm players.

They should only provide their Contracts where legislation dictates that they must........not to some informal sham of process undertaken by the biggest clowns in corporate history (the NRL....in case you were wondering whom I was referring to !!).

Privacy is paramount....you don't even have to provide your tax file number to the ATO if choose not to...they will tax you at the highest marginal rate if you don't...but by law you have a choice not to give it to them.

Who the hell do the NRL and Deloitte think they are....the Gestapo ???

[Woody]

Yeah right....ever since this started the audit " findings" have been leaked to the News Ltd media as fast as somone could pack up their calculator and pick up the phone. As if anyone in their right mind would chance their private details to a bunch of people who have proven that they have no idea what discretion is let alone respect for privacy

[steaming stormer]

If the rorting appears to be less than recently reported, maybe it's not that anything has been leaked... maybe it has just been gutter journalism at its worst.  Making shit up and unfortunately, the thing with Tabloid journalism is that the mud they throw often sticks

[bula]

Is my understanding right in that the papers can say whatever they want as long as they say alleged?

[madstorm]

Hahaha it is alleged David Ballsup is a toss pot!!!

[LESStar58]

it's just the next step in the square dance, people.

NRL need time to get documents so in the interim have Deloitte ask for their contracts.

Look, if it gets this resolved faster then I'm all for it but I understand players concerns. Maybe lawyers on behalf of the players can draw up an agreement to make sure it's strictly confidential. Or maybe the toothless tiger that is the RLPA can step in.

[Bourbon Rat]

Hahaha it is alleged David Ballsup is a competent & honest administrator !!!

Edited to illustrate how the term 'alleged' can be misused for journalistic effect 

[Thor19]

I think the article mentioned that there would be confidentiality agreements and Baxter said that this would be respected.

But with News Ltd track record in this area - I wouldn't be putting my details across. There needs to be more assurance that just confidentiality agreements. This will be another reaosn for "player non-co-operation".

I don't understand why everyone wants this drawn out. If we are talking about the same thing in October then the team will be forced to break up

Is that the agenda? Or is it a witch hunt by News LTd?

[jellyhead]

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

That doesn't sound like the amount is coming down? 

[The Eagle]

If it did it wouldnt sell as many newspapers....

[Bourbon Rat]

If it did it wouldnt sell as many newspapers....

Or as much organised,sectionalised space on Fox.com 
I hope the 'higher education' boffins are keeping copies of this stuff.It will be required reading for journalism majors in the art of trial by controlled media 

Love this bit.

John Hartigan has said that anybody at the club or anybody associated with the club who was either involved in these breaches or was aware that they were taking place and was somehow complicit in them, there would be consequences for those people," Baxter said.

Does this include the two bozos making said threat 

[StormFront]

In my experience those that make the most noise and the biggest threats
are the ones that have something to hide and the most to loose.....


No officer I am innocent I swear ........
I wasnt even there ......
I have an alibi .......
Thats not my signature .....
I was misquoted - thats not what I meant (two sets of books comes to mind).....