what now??

[storm_man]

I just cant see how the NRL can proceed with the no points to win for remainder of season.Will they still be on TV if so its not going to bring much of a audience in is it.Its just not proactive.

Yes because the results are still not a foregone conclusion (if we play, which i think we will)... If we win matches, the opposition gains no points and thus it still affects the race for the 2010 premiership. If the opposition was gained those points prior to the match, then it would be utterly pointless.

[Diehard_Storm]

As much as I hate thinking this...I think today the Melbourne Storm died...and so did NRL in Victoria.

I am so absolutely devastated I cannot bear to think of how this will all unfold, suffice to say there's little light at the end of the tunnel.

The ANZAZ test:  Probably move to Suncorp.

The New Stadium:  Will lucky to pull 5,000 a game.

The Players:  Will feel hurt and will look to secure another contract somewhere else.  It will only take a few to leave, before the exodus begins.

News Limited:  Waldron will be the scapegoat Im sure.  News will emerge clean despite being the Board.  This will allow them to exit the NRL as they've been looking for.  They wont want to prop up the Storm now.  Guaranteed.

I am devastated for the players, us fans.  The memories we had, some of them are best days of my life.  Now forever tainted.  I can never look back on these days with fondness ever again.  I keep thinking this is just a bad dream that I'll awake from.  Sadly, I dont think it is.

[moody89]

We have the right to feel disgusted and betrayed, but we should remember that we were supporting the players - not the administrators. I'm copping it left right and centre from my friends but its nothing compared to how the storm players and coaching staff must feel. This is their livelihood - we can't abandon them now... at the end of the day the storm might be just a memory in 2011 because of loss of sponsors, players etc.... but we should not go down without a fight. We should turn up to every game and cheer loud and proud for our boys, because everybody knows that they didn't know anything that was going on. If they want to end us, then we should force them to do so on our terms... not theirs.

[tugga]

We will not survive this.

Come tomorrow i highly doubt Melbourne Storm will exist.

I think a month is more more realistic.
The club is losing money. All sponsorship will be pulled. The $1.7million  the club now has to pay in fines is crippling enough as it is. Surely the big name players will look elesewhere or maybe even go overseas to escape the scrutiny.
I don't think the club can survive even in the short term.
NSW is now one step closer to what they always wanted.

[Ice]

We have the right to feel disgusted and betrayed, but we should remember that we were supporting the players - not the administrators. I'm copping it left right and centre from my friends but its nothing compared to how the storm players and coaching staff must feel. This is their livelihood - we can't abandon them now... at the end of the day the storm might be just a memory in 2011 because of loss of sponsors, players etc.... but we should not go down without a fight. We should turn up to every game and cheer loud and proud for our boys, because everybody knows that they didn't know anything that was going on. If they want to end us, then we should force them to do so on our terms... not theirs.

Well said. Anyone who wants to jump off the boys now then good riddance to them.

[Bourbon Rat]

Sent this Email to a lot of friends here & overseas

GUTTED SHATTERED DISAPPOINTED ANGRY

And those were just my 1st reactions

I think about the amount of expensive talent that left Storm over the past 5 years

I think about the young blokes that came though to become heroes

I think about the rejects that came from other clubs

I think about what they achieved 'on field' & the 'band of brothers' culture that I saw close up

And all that was taken away by the actions of a few bent bean counters

Not sure If I want to continue supporting those people
Not sure if there will be a club left to support

I have to support the players since what they've done 'on field' & off field for fans can't be faulted - Yet the people at the top end of the club don't deserve that support.

[STORM 2007]

I've just woke up and seen this and i can't believe what i'am reading. Unbelieveable the amount of deception and i just don't see where the club goes from here.

This is a real test for supporters to stick behind the team. What's going to happen with the players? Will we have a team next year?

Do we still get to keep World Club Challenge Trophy?

[bula]

If it turns out the players and Bellamy were involved, I dont know if I could support them. But whoever is involved needs to go, then we can start fresh.
The club wont fold, NO WAY IN HELL!!
The NRL need the Storm, hell we could even have a name change, a whole new facelift.

[tugga]

If it turns out the players and Bellamy were involved, I dont know if I could support them. But whoever is involved needs to go, then we can start fresh.
The club wont fold, NO WAY IN HELL!!
The NRL need the Storm, hell we could even have a name change, a whole new facelift.

Melbourne Bears?

[Tempest]

We have the right to feel disgusted and betrayed, but we should remember that we were supporting the players - not the administrators. I'm copping it left right and centre from my friends but its nothing compared to how the storm players and coaching staff must feel. This is their livelihood - we can't abandon them now... at the end of the day the storm might be just a memory in 2011 because of loss of sponsors, players etc.... but we should not go down without a fight. We should turn up to every game and cheer loud and proud for our boys, because everybody knows that they didn't know anything that was going on. If they want to end us, then we should force them to do so on our terms... not theirs.

Well said. Anyone who wants to jump off the boys now then good riddance to them.

It may come out that some of the boys knew. It may come out that Bellamy knew. Or maybe they had no idea. One thing that is sure, none of us know yet which it is. I refuse to believe that every player and coach knew about it, and there have got to be at least some of them who are as gutted as we are.

But - it wasn't Waldron or the accountants running 90 m to score. It wasn't them who pulled off tries worthy of Superman. It wasn't them toe to toe with the biggest packs in the competition. Fiddling the books didn't make that happen. It was the players, the Storm, and until it comes out who knew and who didn't, I will stand by the boys.

[Surandy]

News Limited:  Waldron will be the scapegoat Im sure.  News will emerge clean despite being the Board.  This will allow them to exit the NRL as they've been looking for.  They wont want to prop up the Storm now.  Guaranteed.

It really makes you wonder why they suddenly became so hell bent on exiting the NRL. What was their motive with the sudden push towards an Independent Commission?

Perhaps they wanted out before the shit hit the fan much as Waldron did, but unlike Waldron News Ltd had the ARL & QRL holding them back from exiting too quickly.

[Diehard_Storm]

It really makes you wonder why they suddenly became so hell bent on exiting the NRL. What was their motive with the sudden push towards an Independent Commission?

Perhaps they wanted out before the shit hit the fan much as Waldron did, but unlike Waldron News Ltd had the ARL & QRL holding them back from exiting too quickly.

My money is they finally realised they were in above their heads in conflicts of interest.  Now, they may be complicit in fraud.  I find it hard to believe they had no knowledge of this.  If News Ltd journos like Phil Rothfield heard rumours for years and it was some big 'in joke' for awhile - how could their employer not know.

Watch this space - but this stench is quickly becoming far far stronger. 

[absentee]

Loyalty aside - and I support the club 100% - I have serious concerns about our future.  It's going to take a miracle for us to overcome all of this - and even if we do, our reputation will be tarnished forever.

[Phantom]

Class Action against the Gang of Five.

[sliat_1981]

Any 'fans' want to revise their opinion now? You can start apologising tonight.
So much for us not surviving this