Who might go ???

[Storm Spirit]

personally I think cam and coops might stay on....

think GI will probably go...maybe Billy as well.

Tolman definitely will not sign a new contract.

Finchy should walk now...the way the club has f%$#ed him over is a digrace.

Lima will finally make it to Wests...maybe even this year if he can.

just my opinion...not based on any fact

[PurpleBlooded]

For me, i can't see the club surviving this & subsequently mean all players gone

[storm_rhinos]

They say its about 700k this year - if GI/Cam/ Billy are on 500k that means one of their standing plus one other - or maybe 3-4 mid range players..or an across the range pay cut

We can survive  - we will..

The strange thing is it doesnt seem to be *direct* payments that have been the issue - its things like FBT of agents fees. ... they are parasites anyway.

[glennb]

I will support Storm and I will be there on Sunday,  but I think they might as well shut the door now.  Everyone wants Newslimited out of Rugby league, this has helped.  They want an indenpent commission, this has helped.  The NRL did not like us being so successfull, this has put a stop to that.  Sometimes I even think they do not want a team in Melbourne.

I think Billy and Cam will go.  Maybe Cronk.  A lot of our younger NSW cup players will also be looking elsewhere now.

[Rose Madder]

I will support Storm and I will be there on Sunday,  but I think they might as well shut the door now.  Everyone wants Newslimited out of Rugby league, this has helped.  They want an indenpent commission, this has helped.  The NRL did not like us being so successfull, this has put a stop to that.  Sometimes I even think they do not want a team in Melbourne.

I think Billy and Cam will go.  Maybe Cronk.  A lot of our younger NSW cup players will also be looking elsewhere now.

It is not the NRL or any body else that may or may not want a team in Melbourne who has caused all this,it is Brian Waldron,the guy has brought this club to its knees...one might say on purpose,he did come from AFL when all is said and done,and who wants rid of The Melbourne Storm more than they do??? Brian Waldron should be jailed for fraud!!

You watch the vultures swoop now,there a lot of talented players going on the market!!

[glennb]

You are right Rose, but the pushiment the NRL just handed down is what is going to kill Storm and NRL in Victoria.  If they had just taken this season's points (ie the Bulldogs & Warriors) it would not be so bad.  1.7 million over 5 years is not a lot when you divide it.  Back in 2007 Smith, Slater, Greg, and espically Cronk were not as big names are they are now.  The amount we were over the salary cap must have got bigger year after year.

[L4TM]

Brian Wadlron had a questionable reputation in AFL ranks before he even joined the Storm.  Word had it if he didn't walk he would've been marched out the door anyway.  I love my Storm and will be going to the game Sunday for sure.  I am also an avid AFL fan (Essendon) but I have a love for both sports and believe the two combined add to the sporting landscape that is Melbourne.  The Storm are an integral part of this.  Rest assured, if the NRL were as serious about Storm succeeding as the AFL have been with Brisbane and Sydney in particular, today's outcome would've been much less severe.  The fact News Ltd had to get involved in the Storm and the Cowboys to keep their head above water financially says a great deal about the NRL's preparedness to make a truly national competition work.  The fact Steve Mortimer today slammed the NRL's penalties and accused them of not helping the Storm enough in their formative years speaks volumes for how Gallop is liked/respected amongst rugby league clubs and officials, they just can't express it publicly because Gallop has essentially gagged them.  

Anyhow, I'm off topic.  I cannot see many of the "fab four" staying.  I hope like al of you they all do but financially it doesn't seem possible.  For what it's worth, I think Smith and Slater will stay.  Unfortunately I think we'll see GI in a Broncos jersey very soon and Cronk, Lima and Finch will all be in rival jerseys sooner rather than later.  

The fact remains, we all need to get to the games and support our team because they need us now more than ever.  If we drop off as supporters/members, the club is definitely doomed.  If we stick by the club and rock up to games like we have before, we have a chance at not only survival but prosperity in the future.  Great clubs show strength in adversity.  The Bulldogs were able to win a premiership 2 years after their unprecedented penalties, we must keep the faith.

[Michael :P]

The club will look at who they can afford to lose and go from there, so Imo the players who wont be here next year are out of

Billy Slater
Ryan Hoffman
Jeff Lima
Luke McDougall
Chase Stanley
Aidan Tolman - theyll try to keep him but I think he will go
Anthony Quinn

1. Gareth Widdop
2. Matt Duffie
3. Dane Nielsen
4. Greg Inglis - Theyll keep Greg, no player we have can come anywhere near to what he offers
5. Justin O'Neill
6. Dane Chisholm
7. Cooper Cronk - Will not leave. He's a leader among men
8. Jesse Bromwich
9. Cam Smith - depending on things coming up. like Greg cant be replaced
10. Brett White
11. Sika Manu
12. Adam Blair  - Leader of the polynesians, crucial to team.
13. Billy Rogers

14. Hep Cahill
15. Kev Proctor
16. Rory Kostjasyn
18. Sione Kite

That team excites me, and if we can get through the next couple of years the publicity of the Vic boys coming through like Kennaer, Fonua, Wati ect will be the making of this club

[glennb]

Smith will go.  Lockyer will retire, that is 600 grand a year.  Smith and Slater walk straight in.  Broncos have no Fullback or Hooker and they both want to go back to Queensland one day.

[glennb]

According to tonights Footy show.  Tolman is going to the Dogs and Lima is going to the Raiders.  The Matty Johns show said our foot manager had been sacked.  The Footy show said not true.

[Joe_Storm_FB_2025]

All depends on what Bellamy does.

[glennb]

According to Sydney papers.  We can not reduce player payments to get under the cap, like the Bulldogs did.  The NRL have closed this loop hole.  We must offload players.  Players (big names) could leave as early as next month.

[1999]

here is my rough breakdown

500k - Smith, Inglis
450k - Slater
400k - Cronk
300k - Hoffman, White
250k - Quinn, Lima, Blair
200k - Lowrie, Manu
150k - Proctor, Stanley, Nielsen, Tolman, Hinchy
100k - Finch, McDougall, Tandy, Cahill, Kite
50k - Norrie, Bromwich, Kostjacyn, Duffie

thats our top tier 25 man squad and if my maths are right thats about 5,000,000, give or take 700,000 over the 4.3 cap, now what id do..

Lima is going (caberra supposedly) 250k
Tolman is going (bulldogs supposedly) 150k


RELEASE

Quinn 250k (got duffie whos gonna be a star)
Hoffman 300k (bound to lose a big name but i like proc and hoffy hasnt been great as of late)
finch 100k (always gonna go)

theres 1.05m free, 350k under, bring up kelly, chisolm, Isa, makimare and fanene on 50k minimun base wages and a crack in the full time squad and youve got this team under the cap with a lil room for rep bonuses, hell i hope some of the big coin players take a cut and make it peachy.

1. Slater
2. Duffie
3. Stanley
4. Inglis
5. Nielsen
6. Kelly
7. Cronk
8. Manu
9. Smith (c)
10. White
11. Proctor
12. Blair
13. Hinchcliffe
14. Lowrie
15. Tandy
16. Kite
17. Chisholm

18. Norrie
19. MacDougall
20. Cahill
21. Bromwich
22. Makimare
23. Kostjacyn
24. Fanene
25. Isa

id be happy to see that, all based off guess work obviously and pending investigations but my point is it can be done with a good young strong roster intact.

[Michael :P]

According to Sydney papers.  We can not reduce player payments to get under the cap, like the Bulldogs did.  The NRL have closed this loop hole.  We must offload players.  Players (big names) could leave as early as next month.

If thats the case, like Phil Gould, we should be eligible for points. Even if say we have to pay the player this year to play some-where else e.g. Bill Slater goes to Brisbane, they cant afford him this year so we pay his salary for 2010.

[endo]

According to Sydney papers.  We can not reduce player payments to get under the cap, like the Bulldogs did.  The NRL have closed this loop hole.  We must offload players.  Players (big names) could leave as early as next month.

Man there are always ways around these things..

Lets say for instance that Billy has a get of contract clause and is willing to stay with a paycut?

He could in act the clause, which means storm release him, and storm can then resign him at a lower rate? (No im not waldron in disguise )

Personally.. Cut GI, he's probably payed enough to get us under the cap. Yeah he CAN be a great player. But he is inconsistent. He seems to always come up around origin time.. and finals time.

If we can get away with just cutting GI and keep the rest, its a no brainer.