To be honest I think Melbourne will ride this and come out the other side, although not unscathed. I notice sponsors are deserting in droves, which if they had any b@lls they would sit back and think about before reacting. Sure nobody wants negative publicity, but if they just sat tight for now then made a big deal about being part of a new, fresh and honest storm I am sure they would be better thought of.



Waldron seems to be behind much of this according to the press and he deserves what he gets. Only worry is what will happen to some of the innocents. I heard Ray Warren saying this morning that it is most likely the fringe and lower paid players who will suffer rather than the superstars. With that in mind, I hope Gareth Widdop is okay in the fallout. Sure he could find another club, but I reckon he still needs to continue his apprenticeship at the Storm before he moves on.

What of their future? many will turn their back on the club for the rest of this season at least, with there being nothing to play for, compunding the financial implications massively.



Melbourne is already an AFL city by some stretch, this could increase it by a few inches at least

There's no room under other clubs salary caps to take on the superstars, so the only route would be SL or RU. Even then I think there would be limited take up. This will really show which players wear the badge with pride and are willing to tough it out. We already know Cooper Cronk does, so lets see which other ones come out fighting. The ones who dont then good riddance.

the decision not to allow them to pick up any points for the rest of season is stupid. how can fans and players be motivated to go watch or play. think a certain way to get the club to fold.

Gus Gould was saying on the rugby this morning that the Storm should pick however many players it takes & pay them off to get under the salary cap, then let the rest of them play on obtaining points etc for the rest of the season starting from this weekend.

Maybe we can get a few on dual contracts??

I'd be very surprised and shall carefully word this but the main point and whether its bad luck is that 'they got caught' and others must be checking their books very carefully now, it sounds harsh, maybe it is, maybe its NRL actually stamping down on this, clubs should be encouraged to play by the rules set down and agreed with their knowledge, i dont think its anything new.

I was really disapointed when the SL franchises were dished out and the first thing some of the luckier clubs did was go out and sign a load of Aussies, not quite what they were told to do i.e. invest in Stadia and youth development.

I would encourage our buffoons to sit up and take notice and act accordingly if irregularities are found in our game, our games not as strong as theirs though so i doubt we would. Sometimes you do wonder how clubs make salary caps with lower attendances, granted theirs sponsors and sugar daddies and other mechanisms, it should be about Rugby and not money though, so i applaud the NRL for putting the dignity of the game in the long term first.

I may have got it wrong, but I'm sure I read somewhere that they would not be awarded any points at all this season.

you r right there mate, they will be bottom of league on a big fat zero come end of the season,

I'd better hide my Storm merchandise now.

that shirt i got u signed will be worth nothing now,,,

Storm do not despair.

Look to Halifax to see there is a light at the end of the tunnel.



You are not the only club to have their entire points for the season deducted because of salary cap irregularities.

In 2003 Fax recieved the same punishment, also Fax finished the season as the winners of the wooden spoon with no points.



Keep the faith, mighty Storm and soon you will be flying as high as us.





Seriously though i hope for the fans sake they get through this.