Is this a Bernie Madoff story of the NRLworld?

[serfty]

I believe News Limited "Owns" Storm.

As far as Player Payment rules go, each team must have at least 25 contracted players.

The minimum that a player can be paid per season is $55K; so that's a base $1,375,000.

That leaves just under $3M to spread around in payments over the $55K.

http://www.rlpa.com.au/images/uploaded/CLEAN & FINAL - NRL - RLPA - v8 Unregistered Agreement.DOC

 

[JohnK]

NO, you have been reading the same and hearing the same, however, you are putting a one eyed spin and opinion on something that is very contentious.

You selectively quoted my first sentence which was used tongue in cheek and totally neglected the second paragraph.

"I feel sorry for some of the players but the management has rorted the system. It does not really matter about the severity of the penalty but it is clear that they had no respect for the current rules in place and exploited them knowing they could be caught."

The keyword here is management. At no point did I call the players cheats!!!!

I'm sure more will come out in the wash, and *some* players may indeed be able to be called "cheats" because of what they knew and were complicit in, but certainly not at this stage, and I would be very surprised if it wasn't restricted to just a few players, if any at all.

In my opinion (and in the opinion of a many "experts") the players that received payments under the table knew exactly what was going on as the additional payment would have required a separate contract in addition to their formal NRL contract. How many players received additional payments under the table? Let's wait and see.

 

[munitalP]

You selectively quoted my first sentence which was used tongue in cheek and totally neglected the second paragraph.

Absolutely - your first sentence does not indicate that you mean management - it is a blanket statement across the team and management.

 

[JohnK]

Absolutely - your first sentence does not indicate that you mean management - it is a blanket statement across the team and management.

How do you make that assumption? I am extremely confused by your logic. Here is my original quote.

All I can say is "CHEATS"!

Notice how there is following the word "CHEATS"! I wonder what means or should I have used instead?

I am off to grab another beer....

 

[Dee Thom]

I am off to grab another beer....

Grab one for me too JohnK, I'm a bit brain tied, and tired, after the past few pages of this topic...............

Cheers Dee

 

[drron]

NO, you have been reading the same and hearing the same, however, you are putting a one eyed spin and opinion on something that is very contentious.

As was reported on FOX last night, the players were given contracts to sign by management, they were not privy to others contracts and when you are talking small numbers (10-20K) over the years, very unlikely to have known that they personally were breaching salary cap. Also, Israel what ever his name is plus a couple of others, released from the M-S due to salary cap - is this a club knowingly breaching the cap? The management are FRAUDS, but never call the players CHEATS - it is wrong, you know it and so does it seems most of the media who are trying their hardest not to use the word cheat - mind you, news ltd is not so refrained.

Except News own the Storm so their interests would be in playing down the implications.Note they also deny knowledge.
Anyway I took John is saying the club cheated,management is definitely part of the club and cheating can be used when fraud of this nature is perpetrated.In fact John did go on and specifically note management.
Munital I think the two of you are on the same page.You just have different life experiences and so interprate the written word differently.Lets not drag up the whole Melbourne Vs Sydney thing-enough of that is happening outside this forum anyway.:shock:

 

[samh004]

The Sunday Herald Sun says documents seized from Hanson show at least Greg Inglis and Cameron Smith had signed contracts that gave them thousands of dollars in shopping vouchers, cars, boats and home reno's.

The top players knew.

 

[straitman]

The Sunday Herald Sun says documents seized from Hanson show at least Greg Inglis and Cameron Smith had signed contracts that gave them thousands of dollars in shopping vouchers, cars, boats and home reno's.

The top players knew.

This does not mean they had any idea about how this applied to the salary cap. The average footballer is just that and is not a rocket scientist!

I wonder when NRL management knew about all of this :?: Was it only in the last few weeks or earlier :?: If earlier then why was there no action before now :?: If just recently what is wrong with their processes that this can go on for so long :?:

David Gallop comes across to me as an arrogant SOB who is, in his mind, right even when he is wrong :!:

 

[samh004]

It said in the paper this contract was an additional contract to the $400,000-odd contract they officially signed.

I think the Storm got a raw deal, but if you're a player and sign 2 contracts, with a difference of $150,000, no matter how many knocks you've had you're not that naive. Though this seems to only be top players per the newspaper.

 

[drron]

It said in the paper this contract was an additional contract to the $400,000-odd contract they officially signed.

I think the Storm got a raw deal, but if you're a player and sign 2 contracts, with a difference of $150,000, no matter how many knocks you've had you're not that naive. Though this seems to only be top players per the newspaper.

Sam third party endorsements are legal under the salary cap so all top players would have at least 2 contracts.
Read the SMH report on the same papers-

News Ltd yesterday claimed Storm players and coach Craig Bellamy were not privy to salary-cap rorting based on the documented evidence the company had inspected. The question of whether the players were in on the Storm's cheating has been raised after former acting chief executive Matt Hanson handed over the files to News on Friday. The documents, which detail illegal payments to three players, were subsequently forwarded to Schubert. They refer to payments due to have been made this year and are disguised as third-party sponsorships.
''At this stage we have told Craig Bellamy that we fully support him,'' said News Ltd's director of corporate affairs, Greg Baxter. ''He has told us he knew nothing about it and that the players knew nothing about it.
''We have no evidence to suggest otherwise. We are supporting him and the players.
''When you read the evidence, as I did [on Friday] afternoon, there is really nothing in these letters that, as a player, you would have picked up and said, 'gee, that looks odd'. There is nothing to suggest that any player was involved.''

So still no evidence the players knew.

 

[samh004]

I stand corrected then. Different newspapers report the facts differently.

 

[JohnK]

Anyway I took John is saying the club cheated,management is definitely part of the club and cheating can be used when fraud of this nature is perpetrated.In fact John did go on and specifically note management.

Anyway that is what I was saying but munitalP can not accept my reasoning.

No point in carrying on the debate further as we are not likely to achieve agreement....