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Rumours and Stuff

viole02

Juniors
Messages
385
1. Papalii
2. Simonsson
3. Penisini
4. Kelly
5. Russell

The least experienced is Papalii and he has played half a season.
Tbf its still one of the worst backlines in the nrl (bottom 6) but i got a soft spot for all of them since they play for us and honestly the boys can get it done. Just wish we had a little more speed and/or meters coming out of our own half
 

King-Gutho94

Referee
Messages
20,258

Melbourne Storm chair Matt Tripp’s Las Vegas jaunt set to delay Zac Lomax’s NRL return

Storm chairman Matt Tripp’s Las Vegas jaunt has thrown Zac Lomax’s NRL return into further doubt, with Parramatta pulling off a courtroom power play.

Zac Lomax may be forced to wait even longer to find out whether he is given the green light to return to the NRL with Melbourne after the Supreme Court delayed his hearing to allow Parramatta’s legal team to grill Storm chairman Matt Tripp.
Lomax’s courtroom stoush with the Eels is due to begin in earnest next week and the Storm had hoped to have some clarity around his future by Round 2.
However, the Eels legal team successfully argued in court on Tuesday that they should be allowed to cross-examine Tripp in person.
The only problem was that Tripp flew out of the country on Tuesday and isn’t due to return until March 11.
As a result, the court ruled that Parramatta would be allowed to cross-examine Tripp in person on March 13, meaning Lomax is unlikely to be available for three weeks or more.
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Parramatta fans are standing firm on contract sanctity, but the court evidence just changed the game. If the alleged "Secret Deal" with the Melbourne Storm is true, should the NRL block the move entirely?
Tripp, the majority owner of the Storm, has been a central player in the Lomax chase, having initially opened talks with his management and personally made attempts to broker peace with the Eels.
Those attempts have fallen short and the Storm boss will now be forced to give evidence in person as part of the Lomax legal case.
Parramatta’s legal counsel Arthur Moses SC argued that the Eels would be disadvantaged if Tripp was allowed to appear via video link.
He also revealed two Parramatta officials, believed to be chief executive Jim Sarantinos and head of football Mark O’Neill, had cancelled trips to Las Vegas so they could give evidence in person.
Parramatta’s legal team will cross-examine Storm chairman Matt Tripp in Sydney.

Parramatta’s legal team will cross-examine Storm chairman Matt Tripp in Sydney.
“Mr Tripp is not only a witness is this case, he is a centre player in respect of this saga,” Moses said.
“He is the one who of course who made the initial contact with Parramatta in respect of Lomax going across to the Storm.
“He is the one who has given comfort to Mr Lomax by having the Melbourne Storm not only reach an agreement with him in respect of him playing with the Storm subject to contractual terms, but also indemnifying him in respect of the restraint that is now being said is invalid.
“Him and his lawyers not only assisted in the drafting of it, but agreed to its terms. He is a strategist behind the matter - he is not a witness. We say he is an actor in respect to this.”
Zac Lomax’s wait to return to the NRL has been delayed further. Credit: NRL Images.

Zac Lomax’s wait to return to the NRL has been delayed further. Credit: NRL Images.
The Storm are due to open their season against Parramatta on March 5 and then play the Dragons in Round 2 on March 13.
Lomax will be out of contention for those games given the revised court dates.
Melbourne then play bitter rivals Brisbane on March 20 and while Lomax may be available for that game if he is successful in court, he may need some time to get up to speed given he had been prevented from training with the Storm.
So how desperate are the Storm

There busting there balls to get Lomax in the door but there wanker of a chairman decides his USA junket is more important to delay the case by another 2 weeks.

There seems to be assumption in the media we will settle before the court case.

Unless Melbourne offer us a fair deal which is a player (Howarth, Stefano or Coates) it ain't happening.

Why would we back down now we have come this far.

Every time i see comments from Arthur Moses in these pre-court hearings he is carving up the Storm & Tripp slice by slice.

Or dare i say applying the Blowtorch on Tripp and Melbourne.
 

Poupou Escobar

Post Whore
Messages
101,399
Tbf its still one of the worst backlines in the nrl (bottom 6) but i got a soft spot for all of them since they play for us and honestly the boys can get it done. Just wish we had a little more speed and/or meters coming out of our own half
Well it is one of the worst, but that's because it's missing JAC and Lomax, two rep level wingers.
 

hindy111

Post Whore
Messages
67,747
Tbf its still one of the worst backlines in the nrl (bottom 6) but i got a soft spot for all of them since they play for us and honestly the boys can get it done. Just wish we had a little more speed and/or meters coming out of our own half

Surely bottom 3? It may even be the worse.
 

Eelementary

Post Whore
Messages
58,889
Joash isn't that far behind Iongi and is capable of playing as good on his day.
I am confident he will do fine.

He's a talented kid, Josh.

Biggest worry is his size - we're already small in the backs, and having him come in at fullback probably won't help.

But I suppose this is why we have 30-player squads, right?
 
Last edited:

Twizzle

Administrator
Staff member
Messages
157,814

King-Gutho94

Referee
Messages
20,258

zac, get your passport ready
Surprised the Wahs didnt mention this in the statement yesterday.

Gone flexing through the media.

But in saying that fair enough as well.

I don't have a problem with Clubs now trying to get back control of blokes leaving contracts early even if it is for legitimate compassionate reasons.

End of the day a deal will be sorted out and the warriors are entitled to some fair compensation in return.

Would Brisbane for example give up Jordan Riki or a young front rower to get Mitch Barnett.

I guess we will see if Brisbane Broncos think they are above the law like the Melbourne Storm are.
 

85 Baby

Bench
Messages
2,896
No one wants to give up decent players.
And that’s only first step of the problem. Those decent players would also have to agree to leave and go to other club.

Where’s the predictions thread? My “non-eels story” prediction is assignable contracts. Remember that, they’ll be raised before the end of this year. Next CBA is just over 18 months away
 
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