Watch what you say!
THE Melbourne Storm fiasco has taken a new twist, with club chief executive Ron Gauci threatening to sue a tram driver for defamation over comments he posted on social networking websites during last year's salary cap scandal.
Mr Gauci, appointed CEO of the National Rugby League club in July last year, has sought compensation and an apology from 28-year-old Melbourne Storm fan Jamie Koo, of Sunbury.
Mr Koo posted comments on websites describing Mr Gauci as ''a News Ltd puppet'' and ''in the exact mould of John Hartigan himself''.
Mr Hartigan is the chief executive of News Ltd, which owns the Melbourne Storm.
According to a legal letter obtained by The Age, the comments have caused Mr Gauci ''distress, embarrassment and humiliation''.
The spat between the tram driver and the Storm boss dates back to Mr Koo's eviction from a NRL match against Cronulla in August last year.
As reported in The Age at the time, Mr Koo was evicted for displaying anti-News Ltd banners at the match, including one that read: ''We support our players and staff, not News Ltd.''
Mr Gauci later told media that Mr Koo, who has been a member of the Storm since its admission to the NRL in 1998, was evicted from the match for abusive behaviour.
Mr Koo responded by uploading a video to the sports website madfan.com.au. In the video he said Mr Gauci's allegation that he was evicted for being abusive was ''totally and utterly false'' and ''rubbish''.
According to Mr Gauci's lawyers, Mr Koo defamed their client in the video by suggesting he is a liar.
In the video, Mr Koo also states: ''I honestly don't think he [Gauci] is the independent man that he claims. He is a very loyal man to his employer, who are News Ltd.''
Mr Koo added: ''I'm not going to be scared off by these bully boy tactics which are typical of News Ltd.''
Many Melbourne Storm fans migrated to the madfan website last year amid claims that comments critical of News Ltd were not being allowed on forums on the club's official website.
The fans claimed that News Ltd was denying their freedom of speech.
Between September 17 and October 19 last year Mr Koo also posted several comments on the ''Storm Man'' fan page on the Facebook website. Included in those comments was one that likened Mr Gauci to Mr Hartigan.
On Facebook, Mr Koo also wrote that Mr Gauci ''is having his strings pulled by Mr Hartigan'', ''is a puppet'' and is News Ltd's ''fresh-faced assassin''.
In October last year Mr Koo received a letter from the firm Stephens Lawyers and Consultants, acting for Mr Gauci.
In the letter, lawyer Julian Stephens states that Mr Koo's remarks are ''seriously defamatory'' and that Mr Koo's remarks suggest Mr Gauci ''is not acting in a professional manner, is not carrying out his duties as CEO, is a bully and is not fit for the office that he holds''.
The letter demands that Mr Koo publish an apology on the websites, that he offers compensation to Mr Gauci for damages, and that Mr Koo gives a written undertaking not to publish any more material.
A mediation meeting between the parties was held at the office of Melbourne Storm on November 17 last year. It was attended by Mr Gauci and his legal team and by Mr Koo and his brother, Inspector Richard Koo of Victoria Police.
Inspector Koo is a former police prosecutor and a senior member of the legal and corporate policy unit of the Victoria Police.
Mr Gauci's lawyers last week sent Mr Koo a deed of undertaking to sign. They want the tram driver to agree, in writing, not to publish or republish any more statements regarding their client.
In return, Mr Gauci says he will not begin legal proceedings against Mr Koo.
Mr Koo has been given until tomorrow to agree to the terms of that deed.
Mr Koo told The Age yesterday that he had not done anything wrong.
''I cannot apologise for something I did not do,'' Mr Koo said. ''I will not be signing the deed.''
Mr Gauci was not available for comment.
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/l...119-19wmr.html
Mr Gauci, appointed CEO of the National Rugby League club in July last year, has sought compensation and an apology from 28-year-old Melbourne Storm fan Jamie Koo, of Sunbury.
Mr Koo posted comments on websites describing Mr Gauci as ''a News Ltd puppet'' and ''in the exact mould of John Hartigan himself''.
Mr Hartigan is the chief executive of News Ltd, which owns the Melbourne Storm.
According to a legal letter obtained by The Age, the comments have caused Mr Gauci ''distress, embarrassment and humiliation''.
The spat between the tram driver and the Storm boss dates back to Mr Koo's eviction from a NRL match against Cronulla in August last year.
As reported in The Age at the time, Mr Koo was evicted for displaying anti-News Ltd banners at the match, including one that read: ''We support our players and staff, not News Ltd.''
Mr Gauci later told media that Mr Koo, who has been a member of the Storm since its admission to the NRL in 1998, was evicted from the match for abusive behaviour.
Mr Koo responded by uploading a video to the sports website madfan.com.au. In the video he said Mr Gauci's allegation that he was evicted for being abusive was ''totally and utterly false'' and ''rubbish''.
According to Mr Gauci's lawyers, Mr Koo defamed their client in the video by suggesting he is a liar.
In the video, Mr Koo also states: ''I honestly don't think he [Gauci] is the independent man that he claims. He is a very loyal man to his employer, who are News Ltd.''
Mr Koo added: ''I'm not going to be scared off by these bully boy tactics which are typical of News Ltd.''
Many Melbourne Storm fans migrated to the madfan website last year amid claims that comments critical of News Ltd were not being allowed on forums on the club's official website.
The fans claimed that News Ltd was denying their freedom of speech.
Between September 17 and October 19 last year Mr Koo also posted several comments on the ''Storm Man'' fan page on the Facebook website. Included in those comments was one that likened Mr Gauci to Mr Hartigan.
On Facebook, Mr Koo also wrote that Mr Gauci ''is having his strings pulled by Mr Hartigan'', ''is a puppet'' and is News Ltd's ''fresh-faced assassin''.
In October last year Mr Koo received a letter from the firm Stephens Lawyers and Consultants, acting for Mr Gauci.
In the letter, lawyer Julian Stephens states that Mr Koo's remarks are ''seriously defamatory'' and that Mr Koo's remarks suggest Mr Gauci ''is not acting in a professional manner, is not carrying out his duties as CEO, is a bully and is not fit for the office that he holds''.
The letter demands that Mr Koo publish an apology on the websites, that he offers compensation to Mr Gauci for damages, and that Mr Koo gives a written undertaking not to publish any more material.
A mediation meeting between the parties was held at the office of Melbourne Storm on November 17 last year. It was attended by Mr Gauci and his legal team and by Mr Koo and his brother, Inspector Richard Koo of Victoria Police.
Inspector Koo is a former police prosecutor and a senior member of the legal and corporate policy unit of the Victoria Police.
Mr Gauci's lawyers last week sent Mr Koo a deed of undertaking to sign. They want the tram driver to agree, in writing, not to publish or republish any more statements regarding their client.
In return, Mr Gauci says he will not begin legal proceedings against Mr Koo.
Mr Koo has been given until tomorrow to agree to the terms of that deed.
Mr Koo told The Age yesterday that he had not done anything wrong.
''I cannot apologise for something I did not do,'' Mr Koo said. ''I will not be signing the deed.''
Mr Gauci was not available for comment.
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/l...119-19wmr.html
There's a Storm brewing in Melbourne and it's forecast to hit Sydney on October 2
to be completly honest and i think the guy is nice and really kool but he kind of deserves to be in trouble cause he never gave Mr Gouchi a chance
the first time i met Gouchi i knew he was real and wanted to help the storm and not work against then
anyway thats just my opinion you dont have to agree with me
the first time i met Gouchi i knew he was real and wanted to help the storm and not work against then
anyway thats just my opinion you dont have to agree with me
I think the guy is an idiot. He has got himself into a lot of trouble over something that should never have gone this far, just because of fixed ideas and a that a relentless personal attack on the Storm CEO.sallymay wrote:to be completly honest and i think the guy is nice and really kool but he kind of deserves to be in trouble cause he never gave Mr Gouchi a chance
the first time i met Gouchi i knew he was real and wanted to help the storm and not work against then
anyway thats just my opinion you dont have to agree with me
Good on the Storm for taking legal action, it may stop defamatory comments on social site including forums and the like.
There's a Storm brewing in Melbourne and it's forecast to hit Sydney on October 2
Isn't it the same guy who was blathering on about being friends with a close family member of Gallop or Gauci (can't remember which). All his posts seem a bit over the top to me (slightly fanatical? obsessed?). I'm all for free speech etc but I don't know about how far you take it when it becomes personal. Might be a bit more to it than what's appeared in print. Was interested to read about his support person at the mediation. Thinks he's got the right / protection to say whatever he thinks - doesn't work that way...
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Michael :P
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Dont think this is the smartest move by the Storm....and now we know why the memberships are late 
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Diehard_Storm
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Whilst I dont agree with all things said, and the manner said - I am surprised the Storm are resorting to bullying fans - and threatening legal action.
The best thing for Gauci and co to do, is to bloody well get on with sorting out memberships, sponsors and focus on getting on with playing footy.
I've personally not read anything that would seriously cause 'distress, embarrassment and humiliation' to the CEO - but maybe I'm on the wrong sites. Either he needs to toughen up or get used to it. There's a lot of groundwork he needs to make it. Get some runs on the board Mr Gauci and you'll find supporters falling into line.
Threatening them with lawsuits aint a great way to endear you to the Storm faithful.
The best thing for Gauci and co to do, is to bloody well get on with sorting out memberships, sponsors and focus on getting on with playing footy.
I've personally not read anything that would seriously cause 'distress, embarrassment and humiliation' to the CEO - but maybe I'm on the wrong sites. Either he needs to toughen up or get used to it. There's a lot of groundwork he needs to make it. Get some runs on the board Mr Gauci and you'll find supporters falling into line.
Threatening them with lawsuits aint a great way to endear you to the Storm faithful.
my opinion is its 1 guy speaking his mind, get over it! there is plenty of worse things said in the world and media than that, and taking it as far as legal threats is ridiculous.
it was a bad year for the club and fans and things are going to be said! when your the new CEO of a damaged club i think you have bigger things to worry about than 1 mans comments on forums.
it was a bad year for the club and fans and things are going to be said! when your the new CEO of a damaged club i think you have bigger things to worry about than 1 mans comments on forums.
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Michael :P
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Jamie was leading the pack as far as trying to get another version of events out there. Its no co-incidence they are going after him.
Diehard_Storm wrote:Whilst I dont agree with all things said, and the manner said - I am surprised the Storm are resorting to bullying fans - and threatening legal action.
The best thing for Gauci and co to do, is to bloody well get on with sorting out memberships, sponsors and focus on getting on with playing footy.
I've personally not read anything that would seriously cause 'distress, embarrassment and humiliation' to the CEO - but maybe I'm on the wrong sites. Either he needs to toughen up or get used to it. There's a lot of groundwork he needs to make it. Get some runs on the board Mr Gauci and you'll find supporters falling into line.
Threatening them with lawsuits aint a great way to endear you to the Storm faithful.
I tend to agree. There were plenty of people ( me included) that were convinced that Gauci was a News Ltd puppet and many people voiced that on this site and others. The fact that he has done little tangible since his appointment but tell us all how lucky we are to have News Ltd running us doesn`t really help. It was the members that stuck with the team all of the through the crap of last year and I dare say there are still plenty of fans with frayed nerves that really aren`t interested in what he thinks but want to see what he is going to do to improve the situation. So far this year it would appear that nothing much has changed. He can use whatever spin he likes but so far this year the only active thing we have seen from Melbourne Storm ( as an entity, rather than the team) is that the new CEO is sueing a member, the memberships still haven`t been sent out, we are going to be cutting close to the first week of play to get them again, and that`s assuming that they don`t stuff them up in a rush to get them out. So far Mr Gauci, apart from the law suit, it pretty much seems to be same old same old
Melbourne Storm is not taking the legal actions aganist this guy. Gauci is. It is his time and money, so he can do what he wants. But I agree he should be spending his time on managing the club. He could be using his time to get sponsor, sending out memberships and advisting the fact the while Melbourne is still having good weather and day light savings they are playing in at home.
Fair point glennb and you`re right it is his time and money. I just think, as we have both said, he currently should have more immediate and pressing issues to be concentrating onglennb wrote:Melbourne Storm is not taking the legal actions aganist this guy. Gauci is. It is his time and money, so he can do what he wants. But I agree he should be spending his time on managing the club. He could be using his time to get sponsor, sending out memberships and advisting the fact the while Melbourne is still having good weather and day light savings they are playing in at home.
