Thats how its done in Spain ( and Greece, Italy and.....)

When did this happen?

Whilst that would be fair, it wouldnt be practical. Parra finished runners up to the Storm so they should be more agrieved than Leeds, and they wont be claiming last years NRL title. Its best for other clubs to just get on with it, they have damaged the sport and deserve everything that they get. At least Leeds will get the £50,000 WCC money

Will we?

The prize money that is being returned to the NRL is going to be divided among the other 15 clubs not just given to the runners up.

I realise a chief executive cannot know everything that goes on in an organisation. BUT, he remains ultimately responsible for all levels and activities underneath him. Surely heads must roll, his first.

Not the WCC money, just the NRL prize money. The WCC money is suppost to go to Leeds now....

I wasn't suggesting the WCC money go to the NRL just commenting how the NRL appear to be saying they will be distributing the monies returned across the other clubs not just handing it over to the runners up.

I'd await the RFL's decision on any monies eventually returned rather than assuming Leeds will be cashed up.

It should go to Leeds. As for the monies being split between all the NRL teams. How else could they have done it?? Had Storm not cheated they might not of got anywhere near the GF. Its the only fair way.

I thought it was the who CEO coughed when the NRL Internal Audit team found some dodgy files in a back room of the club and they in effect rumbled him! The second set of books and files were at his house I understand! Might not be the CEO, could be the FD, but certainly a senior employee of the club.

It is the board that are saying they knew nothing about these extra payments... but as many major club sponsors are often on the board and these third party payment were clearly being funded somehow....???

This story is not over by a long way, expect long term player suspensions, tax, criminal investigations and possible people 'serving time'!

It an unbelievable story, I too am stunned. All I can think of is do the people involved not have a love for Rugby League? Why would they want to cheat? Its a beautiful sport and a great competition, all involved are making a living out of the sport even if Melbourne did stick to the rules. So why would they want to cheat? If every club did what they did then the sport would be in turmoil. Did they get any satisfaction out of this? If they didn't get found out would they have looked back after they had retired and been proud of their 'achievements'. Something to tell the grandkids about and all that. If I was in a position to run or have part control of a big club I would be driven by the excitement of going head to head with the the other organisations on a fair basis. I would get no satisfaction what so ever from doing anything like this. Makes me sick.

At the end of the seaon after they'd made their England debuts.
The RFL published results of that seasons SC audits and Saints were fined for what was described as a "minor breach" because the aforementioned youngsters got bonuses as part of their contracts for making their international debuts.
I'm sure someone on the Saints forum can concur this aswell the RFL argued that the "bonuses" put them over their cap allowence for that season whilst Saints argued that they shouldn't of been punished for producing international players and that they'd made the break through quicker than anticipated which i completely agree with and i still think that the 1st 25K or so should not be counted on the SC for players that come through the clubs acadamy!

Great thoughts mate but naive imo.
It comes down to greed pure and simple and hopefully this will be the 1 and only case of it's kind and the sanctions imposed will clean up the sport in this area.

I'm all for a end of season competition for Wigan,Bradford,Hull,Saints and Melbourne Strom if a suitable title for this competition could be found.

News Limited are not happy bunnies at all - [urlhttp://media.theaustralian.com.au/multimedia/graphics/100422-new-condemns-storm-management.pdf[/url

Taken from the VT.

Can we have Greg Inglis please?? Hehe!

www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 5857182615

www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 5857182615

According to the Footie show the auditors found the mysterious file containing details of the 2nd set of books after being tipped off about it's location in the club offices by a former senior employee. Once confronted they then admitted to the deception and handed over the paperwork that was held in a secret safe in the CEO's house. Utterly bizarre stuff and I'm sure Russell Crowe is already penning the film version of it.

I can't see how the rest of superleague could lay claim to the wcc fee though. Different story with nrl winnings.

Graham and Gardner wasn't it, not Graham and Roby?

Tbh mate i thought it was Graham and Roby but you could be right

Tbh I thought it was just Gardner in 2007 until I did a bit of research and Graham's name cropped up as well. I'll accept a score draw.

Quite possibly, but I bet he will be the 'in your face' lone internal auditor knowing something is not quite right at Melbourne and he is determined to find the truth. He will discover the file by sneaking into the club house
dressed as the Melbourne Storm club mascot during an important play-off game. He will need more information and will of course break into the evil CEO's house at the dead of night to uncover the files and bring the club down!

Of course there will be car cases, guns, fights, a love interest 20 years younger than him and a pointless sex-scene that will enable said female love interest to show the world her most prized assets! Possibly, there might also be a bit of staged managed Rugby League in there too!

This is the bit I am a little uneasy with. Given the length of time covering this up, and the severity of the over payments, i'm suprised other clubs have not asked them to be banned altogether this season pending investigation/trial for next year.

Storm have cheated in the first fixtures of this season, so teams facing them up to now have been under an unfair advantage.
Similarly teams about to face Storm could be under an unfair advantage as this may galvanise the squad, or diversly they may not bother to turn up.

Then there is a visit to the teams this season who have finished behind them inprevious seasons, what sort of reaction is that going to bring not only from opposition players but also the crowds?

A sad day for the game down there and with the points I mentioned above there will be no outcome that pleases everone.

Finally, as always it's the poor supporters who will suffer. Following their hero's week in week out for this to happen to what is, cheating or not, a quality/champion side. They will be ridiculed from oppostion fans throughout the league, when it's not their doing. I for one would be absolutly gutted if this was my team.

...and the Americans will find the file and then invent a machine to decode it.

Sounds familiar!