21 nuffies at $50k each = $1050000
Leaves $750k each for the fab four.
Ok - extreme, but trim them down to 500k leaves only $1 million to spread around 21 players.
In other words - see NQ's roster with Thurston, or the Knights with Joey in his latter days. Nowhere near the top. Para has shed plenty to keep Hayne who is nearing that level. Affected are Kingston, Mateo, Inu, Cayless, Hindmarsh, Kris Keating, Kingston, Grothe - about a third of the roster.
Unless it's the Fab Four with the bears reggies, the Storm are in huge trouble keeping them.
And this is clogging up the player market - which is why Hartigan sacked the board because their petty mindedness was rogering the comp as well!
Clubs are hanging off to see which one of the fab 4 are going to blink first. As a result, other Storm refugees may find it hard to get a deal, because of the old "if we don't get Inglis then we'll go for Blair" mentality. And this roadblock is clogging up movements at other clubs.
There has to be change at the high end of Melbourne's roster - and quick.