Parramatta salary cap article- SMH

Discussion on anything to do with Melbourne Storm - games, players, rumours - anything!
Post Reply
User avatar
LESStar58
Tropical Cyclone
Tropical Cyclone
Posts: 2138
Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2004 6:50 pm
Location: balls deep in your love...
Contact:

http://m.smh.com.au/rugby-league/parram ... o1m2o.html
The NRL has a salary cap case which haunts them, ahead of their inevitable but very reluctant action to deduct premiership points from the Eels.

In 2010, when the administration of David Gallop was considering a punishment against the Storm for salary cap breaches over four years, it was decided to strip the Melbourne club of the 2009 minor and major premierships, the 2008 minor premiership, together with a fine and the added sanction of playing for no points in the current season.
During the tense discussion in Gallop's office, the code's then salary cap cop, Ian Schubert, pointed out that the Storm had been warned of salary cap breaches back in 2006.

So, within an hour of rapid justice, the Storm lost the 2007 premiership, as well as the minor premiership from the previous year and, later, a World Club Challenge title.

Parramatta has breached the salary cap five of the past six seasons. The club has been asked repeatedly since July, during which time it has been in constant dialogue with the NRL over governance reform: "Have you anything else to declare?"

The answer, repeatedly, has been a definite, no.

The NRL has been constantly lied to over third party breaches which have subsequently surfaced.

Both the Storm and Parramatta committed breaches over a period of years of similar amounts; both clubs had been warned, although the Storm was not offered multiple opportunities to confess. In fact, after being presented with charges and given five days to respond, chairman Rob Moodie flew to Sydney and voluntarily met with Gallop.

The difference between the two clubs on sanctions for salary cap abuse is that Parramatta has no current titles, trophies and premierships to lose.

The NRL is desperate for Parramatta to be a force in the west. A resurgent blue and gold army will deliver attendance figures and TV ratings, both precursors to the corporate sponsorships which are under-whelming for a major Australian sport.

Fox Sports ratings have increased significantly this year, and while Nine's numbers are down, this was expected because of simulcast viewing.

Collectively, ratings are up and Thursday night football has been a winner at the gate.

A winning Eels team would drive the up arrows even higher, ahead of a re-built Parramatta stadium and a bulwark against the growth of an AFL-resourced Greater Western Sydney club.

However, a 10 premiership points penalty would be a death sentence on the Eels' 2016 season, relegating the club from top eight to bottom of the ladder.

But what other sanction can the NRL impose? Monetary fines don't work. The Eels have been hit with fines for breach of salary cap rules five years of the past six.

Last year the club was fined $525,000 for salary cap breaches in 2014. Parramatta became the first club in history to breach all four club salary caps.

The slippery Eels' subsequent denials to the NRL of any further breaches has taken the case out of the court of incompetence into one of wilful disregard for the rules.

The Storm's 2007 breach was $450,000, although the club disputes this.

Melbourne officials suspect the forensic report of the News Ltd hired accountants, which has not been released publicly, added in every possible excess to sex up the size of the sin.

Yet the Storm had the 2007 premiership added to their sanctions because of a decision Moodie insists was made in less than one hour.

Furthermore, the Melbourne breaches involved the club guaranteeing third party agreements which the club say was necessary in a city where the AFL dominates commercial opportunities for sport.

Subsequent to the Melbourne punishment, the NRL decided to allow marquee player allowances, meaning a club can guarantee third party deals, currently to a ceiling of $800,000.

So, much of what the Storm did is now allowed, while evidence is accumulating that the Eels have exhausted all their marquee allowances and have embraced the illicit third party deals as well.

OK, some will argue that a sanction imposed by one NRL administration should have no relevance to another.

However, a key plank of all administrations is that a strictly enforced salary cap is vital to a balanced 16-team competition and the avoidance of lopsided results.

Furthermore, the NRL's Integrity chief, Nick Weeks, has studied the Storm's breaches and punishment as part of his anticipated action against the Eels but that is a story for another time.
glennb
Monsoon
Monsoon
Posts: 1747
Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2005 9:35 am

Read this article and thought it was very interesting. I will be very surprised if the Eels loose premiership points.
User avatar
LESStar58
Tropical Cyclone
Tropical Cyclone
Posts: 2138
Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2004 6:50 pm
Location: balls deep in your love...
Contact:

The apologists are out in force at league unlimited.

It'll be Greenbergs big first test as CEO for sure!
User avatar
yourhero
Tropical Cyclone
Tropical Cyclone
Posts: 5945
Joined: Mon Jan 04, 2010 7:27 pm
Location: Brisbane, QLD

Honestly? Soft gloves on to help a Sydney team through "an unfortunate event".

When it came to light that Waldron had orchestrated the Storm rorts, the then chairman got to the bottom of it and gave the NRL everything. For that, they doubled the punishment (07 Premiership) for only a modest cap infringement.

Parra on the other hand have refused time and time again to provide any details to the NRL. It is only when somebody internal to the club sends new evidence to the media, do the NRL even bother to ask more questions. No openness. No honesty.

What do Parra get? A promise not to strip points if their board resigns for almost identical rort methods as the Storm.

Wow. That'll show them NRL.
Bullucked
Monsoon
Monsoon
Posts: 1014
Joined: Sat Jun 09, 2012 9:23 pm

And this is where the great sport of Rugby League is farked.
Storm Spirit
Tropical Cyclone
Tropical Cyclone
Posts: 2350
Joined: Mon Sep 29, 2008 11:49 am
Location: Under the Black Dot

yourhero wrote:Honestly? Soft gloves on to help a Sydney team through "an unfortunate event".

When it came to light that Waldron had orchestrated the Storm rorts, the then chairman got to the bottom of it and gave the NRL everything. For that, they doubled the punishment (07 Premiership) for only a modest cap infringement.

Parra on the other hand have refused time and time again to provide any details to the NRL. It is only when somebody internal to the club sends new evidence to the media, do the NRL even bother to ask more questions. No openness. No honesty.

What do Parra get? A promise not to strip points if their board resigns for almost identical rort methods as the Storm.

Wow. That'll show them NRL.

This whole differential treatment of a western suburbs Sydney team for mass salary cap rorting proves how the treatment of Melbourne Storm by the NRL only 6 years ago was grossly unfair and completely biased.

It's a FARKING disgrace.
Remember this day, men, for it will be yours for all time
Mattpoet
Tropical Cyclone
Tropical Cyclone
Posts: 6698
Joined: Mon Dec 28, 2009 3:29 pm

We should mount a legal challenge for our premierships back if they don't punish Parra with a points penalty.
User avatar
tugga
Monsoon
Monsoon
Posts: 1023
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2007 10:56 am
Location: The Graveyard

If the eels are not deducted points then I expect our premierships and minor premierships to be handed back to us.
User avatar
Danger D
Thunderstorm
Thunderstorm
Posts: 922
Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2015 12:08 pm
Location: Living next door to Alice

I don't think their cheating makes ours any more legit so can't say there's anything that would ever get us our premierships back unless there was a miracle finding that ALL clubs were rorting the cap over those years.
Parra should definitely have points deducted though as they're a real chance of making the 8 this year which means they would cost another team a spot if they were allowed to get away with what they've done.
User avatar
LESStar58
Tropical Cyclone
Tropical Cyclone
Posts: 2138
Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2004 6:50 pm
Location: balls deep in your love...
Contact:

If the reports coming out of Sydney are true they're set to be docked a grand total of EIGHT points.

With their for and against they'll be just above the Roosters in 15th assuming they don't win this weekend.

Soft. Absolutely soft.
User avatar
yourhero
Tropical Cyclone
Tropical Cyclone
Posts: 5945
Joined: Mon Jan 04, 2010 7:27 pm
Location: Brisbane, QLD

What a shock...
Storm Spirit
Tropical Cyclone
Tropical Cyclone
Posts: 2350
Joined: Mon Sep 29, 2008 11:49 am
Location: Under the Black Dot

LESStar58 wrote:If the reports coming out of Sydney are true they're set to be docked a grand total of EIGHT points.

With their for and against they'll be just above the Roosters in 15th assuming they don't win this weekend.

Soft. Absolutely soft.
The former case against Storm now needs to be re-opened and the penalties reviewed .....hopefully the Club is leading the charge.

Cant bring back season 2010.

Cant take away my heartbreak and the players heartbreak and the Club's heartbreak of season 2010.

But we should at least have the 2007 Premiership back ....if not the 2009 as well...
Remember this day, men, for it will be yours for all time
User avatar
LESStar58
Tropical Cyclone
Tropical Cyclone
Posts: 2138
Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2004 6:50 pm
Location: balls deep in your love...
Contact:

Yeah. And I want a threesome with Jessica Chastain and Amy Adams.

As nice as it would be the NRL would be made to look even more incompetent if they reopened the Storm case. Can't see the board challenging either. As well funded as Campbell and Co are I can't see them going up against News Ltd to try and get the audit made public
Storm Spirit
Tropical Cyclone
Tropical Cyclone
Posts: 2350
Joined: Mon Sep 29, 2008 11:49 am
Location: Under the Black Dot

LESStar58 wrote:Yeah. And I want a threesome with Jessica Chastain and Amy Adams.

As nice as it would be the NRL would be made to look even more incompetent if they reopened the Storm case. Can't see the board challenging either. As well funded as Campbell and Co are I can't see them going up against News Ltd to try and get the audit made public
yeah i did that 3some last week L58... :lol:

now...more importantly.... I want our Premierships back..... ;D
Remember this day, men, for it will be yours for all time
User avatar
LESStar58
Tropical Cyclone
Tropical Cyclone
Posts: 2138
Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2004 6:50 pm
Location: balls deep in your love...
Contact:

Photos or it never happened....
Post Reply