Storm for wooden spoon??

[stormfan]

Storm backed for wooden spoon, NRL betting suspended

A leading bookmaker has suspended betting on the NRL wooden spoon after fielding several bets for premiers Melbourne to finish last.

Title favourites Melbourne are currently fourth on the NRL ladder after four wins and two losses and have been the subject of a salary cap investigation.

The NRL has been investigating a third-party agreement between Storm captain Cameron Smith and FoxSports. Under salary cap rules, third-party agreements do not count under the salary cap as long as the club played no part in negotiating the deal. The deal has been queried as the Storm is wholly owned by News Limited and FoxSports is part owned by News along with Consolidated Media Holdings.

According to a report in the Herald-Sun last week, NRL auditor Ian Schubert has also insisted three other third-party deals must count under the Storm's salary cap along with the termination payment to Origin star Dallas Johnson.

"We took three bets to win $10,000 and another to win $8000 for the Storm to win the wooden spoon all within 10 minutes of each other this morning," said Sportingbet Australia spokesman Bill Richmond.

"You don't take a series of bets like that unless someone knows something and we have suspended betting on the wooden spoon as a result.

"Melbourne is now our worst result for the wooden spoon despite the fact they are premiership favourites."

In 2002, the Bulldogs were deducted 37 competition points and fined $500,000 after being found guilty of salary cap breaches totalling more than $1 million in two seasons.

It took the Bulldogs from the top of the table to eventual wooden spooners.

The New Zealand Warriors were docked four points in 2006 for less serious breaches, but the punishment ultimately cost them a finals berth

AAP and smh.com.au

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/rugby-l ... -td91.html

[Kettles]

Can't in all honesty get my head around this.
Wooden spoon?
someone is pulling someone's leg.
Even if they have a shocker, they could not finish lower than Cronulla, surely???

[Kettles]

(apologies for replying to my own post...the first sign of madness don't you know)

Some people in the know may have been privy to Storm about to be docked massive points (a la Canterbury all those years ago), to consign them to a negative points margin. That's the only way this is going to occur, obviously.

[Michael :P]

If they do it RIGHT now we'll still make the finals.

[stormfan]

It just goes to show that the Sydney media will do anything to try and bring the club down. They know that no Sydney-based clubs can match us on the field, so the only way to ensure that we don't make a 5th straight GF is to pull our points.

[routy21]

This doesn't sound good...

NRL poised to strip Melbourne Storm of points over salary cap breaches

· Karl deKroo and Paul Malone
· From: The Courier-Mail
· April 22, 2010 11:34AM 

PREMIERS Melbourne Storm are braced to lose NRL premiership points as a result of salary cap violations.
Storm officials are in Sydney today for discussions over the outcome of NRL salary cap auditor Ian Schubert's investigation into player deals.
Leading sports bookmakers Sportingbet Australia this morning suspended wooden spoon betting after a series of bets on the premiers at $251 to finish last.
Rumours swept league circles today that the Storm would lose their premiership points and face a hefty fine.
It is understood any fine or sanction won't be retrospective, so Melbourne's 2009 premiership is not threatened by the findings.
The fine is likely to be at least a large six-figure amount, with rumours it could go as high as $1 million.
Asked by The Courier-Mail this morning if the Storm has been stripped of their eight premiership points, NRL chief executive David Gallop said: "There hasn't been that decision. There hasn't been (a decision on a fine).
"I can't really comment on anything that is going on with the storm at the moment. I have said before we are investigating a number of issues. it's the same position.
"I'm working on it as quickly as I can."
A loss of eight premiership points would not end Melbourne's chances of making the final eight, but even the mental strength of a team which has made the past four grand finals, winning two, would be tested.
Canterbury were stripped 37 premiership points in 2002 and were also fined $500,000.
The Warriors were the most recent violators of the salary cap, starting the 2006 season with a four-point deficit and having to operate under a reduced salary cap, as well as pay a $430,000 fine.
Sportingbet Australia chief executive Michael Sullivan said the wooden-spoon bets set off alarm bells as the Storm were favourites for the premiership.

[StormHibs]

I guess the thing is how many they dock. If we lose what we've got now, we could most likely still make the finals. However they could dock us any number and leave us in negative points with no hope.

Another question is how do we all feel supporting a club that knowingly breaks the rules. Even if the rules are stupid, and the penalties draconian?

[steaming stormer]

I believe the club when they have said they have cooperated and effectively had sign-off on the deal in question.  This is a major worry though as to what has actually been going on behind closed doors

[tugga]

This doesn't look good.

[Play the ball]

The part I find confusing, everyone knew, even the fans on the street that Cam Smith signed a deal with fox sports , why has it taken over a year to look into it .

[CaptainKlutz]

The part I find confusing, everyone knew, even the fans on the street that Cam Smith signed a deal with fox sports , why has it taken over a year to look into it .

And I 'spose Anasta and Kimmorel do that Fox NRL Tactics for nothing also.

[stormfan]

The part I find confusing, everyone knew, even the fans on the street that Cam Smith signed a deal with fox sports , why has it taken over a year to look into it .

Because it took that long for the NRL to get their s**t together

[Ice]

Gallop will be holding a press conference at 4pm today. I don't like the sound of that. At all 

[MENACING*STORM]

I would say we will get fined but no points deducted.  
I don't think it will be as bad as the Bulldogs copped a few years ago.

Okay I'm off to pray to God, Buddha, Mohamed, Ganesh, Zues and any other deity to help us get off

[routy21]

Gallop will be holding a press conference at 4pm today. I don't like the sound of that. At all 

This is not good..