Melbourne Storm Salary Cap Breach. What would it do to the Swans.

[Damien]

The Storm were going to struggle to survive with News Ltd to pull the pin on the $6 million a year they chip in.

Today's announcement effectively signs their death warrant, as they will now lose most of their better players and there is no doubt the coach Bellamy will walk as well as this has ruined his reputation as one of NRL's greatest coaches.

The final death knell will be the major sponsors in ME bank and HOSTPLUS pulling the pin sometime in the next 48 hours.

Sad, but you can't expect to survive when pulling a massive swifty like that.

DST

Yeah they are in serious trouble and News Ltd were very keen to sell the Storm off this year and stop propping them up (part of the deal towards removing their 50% ownership of the NRL)

However, John Hartigan (News CEO) suggested today that News Ltd want to support them back to being a "great club", which may suggest they will either stay on as owner until all is sorted OR create a new ownership structure and give the Club a golden handshake.

They are in an extremely weak position though if News does decide to pull the plug, despite all their succcess they still needed 6 million from News each year to survive, what the hell will happen without News Ltd and no doubt, a lack of success from now on?? It's massive for the NRL south of the border.

Carlton had so much support from fans/corporates, didn't lose premierships or comp points, it just made it harder to rebuild quickly due to the Draft Pick situation. Canterbury likewise had a lot of support and were able to recover quickly. Both clubs had a much stronger base than the Storm.

[SwansFan1972]

It would be put up the shutters and blow out of town time. 25 plus years of hard slog down the drain.

As a fan, it would destroy every positive memory of your club's finest moments. Imagine being stripped of the 2005 flag! It is inconceivable and a complete tragedy for all the innocent parties involved. For those in the know, they should be barred from any involvement in the code for life.

Will be interesting to see how long Waldron remains at the helm of the new Melbourne Rugby franchise "The Rebels" (that was his current job, presumably until today)! One would hope he has dignity enough to resign and disappear into a very deep, very dark hole somewhere.

And this also serves as a stern reminder that tattoos celebrating a sporting victory are a really bad idea! Just buy the replica cup and take a few pics on grand final day - they can be dumped in bins or hidden in a cupboard if the worst happens!

[Damien]

It would be put up the shutters and blow out of town time. 25 plus years of hard slog down the drain.

As a fan, it would destroy every positive memory of your club's finest moments. Imagine being stripped of the 2005 flag! It is inconceivable and a complete tragedy for all the innocent parties involved. For those in the know, they should be barred from any involvement in the code for life.

Will be interesting to see how long Waldron remains at the helm of the new Melbourne Rugby franchise "The Rebels" (that was his current job, presumably until today)! One would hope he has dignity enough to resign and disappear into a very deep, very dark hole somewhere.

And this also serves as a stern reminder that tattoos celebrating a sporting victory are a really bad idea! Just buy the replica cup and take a few pics on grand final day - they can be dumped in bins or hidden in a cupboard if the worst happens!

Don't get me wrong here, losing the 2005 Flag would kill me and I'd probably live in denial forever, but I think the real killer here for the Storm recovering is the fact that they have to play for 4/5 months for nothing. It HAS to kill your club doesn't it? I can't imagine anything worse in terms of following your footy team, I can't imagine anyone who isn't a real hardcore fan bothering to turning up.

By the time 2011 comes around, will they bother jumping on board again? I just can't see them recovering from having to play dead rubber after dead rubber.

[Triple B]

I just can't see them recovering from having to play dead rubber after dead rubber.

Richmond seem to be surviving through it.

[ash3]

If it happened to Sydney, it would be the end of us.

I hope its the end of the Storm, pack that crap up and send it back to Sydney. Its not wanted here.

[DST]

Don't get me wrong here, losing the 2005 Flag would kill me and I'd probably live in denial forever, but I think the real killer here for the Storm recovering is the fact that they have to play for 4/5 months for nothing. It HAS to kill your club doesn't it? I can't imagine anything worse in terms of following your footy team, I can't imagine anyone who isn't a real hardcore fan bothering to turning up.

By the time 2011 comes around, will they bother jumping on board again? I just can't see them recovering from having to play dead rubber after dead rubber.

That's if they play another game.

With the fines to pay, sponsors terminating and News Ltd potentially walking away and stopping the cash supply right now they could be in liquidation within weeks.

DST

[hot potato]

Very soft examination of it all on their Footy Show. Fatty and Gould just floundering. Guess they haven't had time to take it in.

Remaining 20 Storm games a complete non-contest, if they go ahead.

HP

[DeadlyAkkuret]

If it happened to Sydney, it would be the end of us.

I hope its the end of the Storm, pack that crap up and send it back to Sydney. Its not wanted here.

It was, but not anymore. The Storm had a pretty strong supporter base.

[SwansFan1972]

Don't get me wrong here, losing the 2005 Flag would kill me and I'd probably live in denial forever, but I think the real killer here for the Storm recovering is the fact that they have to play for 4/5 months for nothing. It HAS to kill your club doesn't it? I can't imagine anything worse in terms of following your footy team, I can't imagine anyone who isn't a real hardcore fan bothering to turning up.

By the time 2011 comes around, will they bother jumping on board again? I just can't see them recovering from having to play dead rubber after dead rubber.

Agreed. The timing is dreadful (any time would be I guess) but this early in a season it is just horrific. It upsets the competition - the NRL also has an uneven draw, so some teams were drawn to play the Storm twice (presumably these games will be mostly walkovers whether they take place or not - certainly playing for pride will carry them for one or two weeks at best). Results, gate receipts, TV, fans - all are immeasurably affected.

When the NRL took action against the Bulldogs in 2002, it was two or three weeks out from the finals, and the Dogs hadn't actually won anything via their deceit, so the ramifications were far more isolated to that club. The current situation compares like 9.0 earthquake versus a relative tremor in 2002 (even though it seemed to be the end of the world to many back then). Also, the history of the game is trashed, Parramatta and Manly are tormented by what might have been and the stain of cheating forever now hangs over the 2007 and 2009 seasons.

One can only hope that those responsible are punished heavily for what they have done.

[ash3]

It was, but not anymore. The Storm had a pretty strong supporter base.

I'd hardly call an average crowd of 14,000 people a strong base when the AFL can pull double that to a bottom of the ladder battle!

[DeadlyAkkuret]

You're comparing the support of an NRL team to AFL teams in Victoria?

[T-bag]

Won't be a problem. There's no need to fear, GSW will be here!!!!

Wasn't Waldron in charge of the Saints before swapping codes? He seems to be the one they are putting out to hang.

I wonder if the AFL have a quiet look at the Saints books during his time there just in case.

Why would you bother, they haven't won anything

[Primmy]

Very soft examination of it all on their Footy Show. Fatty and Gould just floundering. Guess they haven't had time to take it in.

Remaining 20 Storm games a complete non-contest, if they go ahead.

HP

Not surprised at Fatty, never the best at laser style investigative journalism. Gould, well, not enough time to absorb whowhatwhenwhy!

[caj23]

Won't defend Storm's actions but the penalties seem way over the top, doubt a Sydney team would have received the same.

If NRL wants a national competition they've just shot themselves in the foot because I can't see the Storm surviving these penalties

[giant]

Not surprised at Fatty, never the best at laser style investigative journalism. Gould, well, not enough time to absorb whowhatwhenwhy!

Gould has a surprisingly good column in today's SMH.