Mickyd39
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http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...orm-players-deserve-better-20100607-xpu1.html
Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy says his players are being treated like lepers by away fans and deserve better.
The Melbourne men were under attack last Friday night from a vocal band of Parramatta supporters who branded them cheats following the exposure of their salary cap rorting.
Some called for the visitors to hand over the NRL premiership trophy to the Eels whom they beat in last year's grand final.
The Storm players received their first hostile reception at Canberra Stadium. Photo: Getty Images
While Melbourne players said after Friday's 24-10 loss they weren't upset by the taunts, coach Bellamy stood up for his men on Monday.
"Our guys are a bit frustrated from what we copped from the crowd as soon as we got there but we can't control what the crowd do," he told radio station SEN.
"The players felt a little bit unloved at times, we are treated like lepers at most of our away games."
Show them the money . . . Bulldogs fans taunt Storm players. Photo: Getty Images
Investigators from accounting firm Deloitte, employed by the NRL to audit the club and unravel the extent of the salary cap scandal, have allegedly found that Storm skipper Cameron Smith had three contracts with the Storm, while other players also had multiple deals.
There are also claims some Melbourne players almost certainly knew that some of their payments came from third parties in ways that would not be counted towards the salary cap.
Players, including Smith, and officials are refusing to comment until the investigation is complete, with the matter also before the courts.
The police watch on as Eels fans cheer during Friday night's game against the Storm. Photo: Getty Images
Storm chairman Rob Moodie and the club's three other independent directors have taken legal action against the NRL, claiming the league's chief executive David Gallop broke NRL rules and denied the Storm due process in stripping premierships and points.
The matter will return to the Victorian Supreme Court for a further directions hearing on Wednesday.
Bellamy said he felt his players deserved better from away fans, but conceded it was a situation that they would have to accept.
A Storm fan shows his support as an Eels fan wears a "dirty cheats" jumper in Storm colours. Photo: Getty Images
"At the end of day everybody left at our club are good people and we probably don't deserve that," he said.
"But we can't control what the crowd do, they pay their money and they can go along and do what they like.
"We have to get used to that because we're obviously going to cop more of it."
The Storm have won four or their six matches since they were ruled ineligible to win points this season and Bellamy said they would continue to be a force regardless of the lack of reward.
"The only thing we can do is play footy, and we've got to as best we can even though there's no reward, the reward is our fans we have to play well for them and for our teammates and we've got a certain amount of pride in what we do and that's the approach we have," he said.
Boo friggin hoo!
Suck it up you cheating merkins.
Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy says his players are being treated like lepers by away fans and deserve better.
The Melbourne men were under attack last Friday night from a vocal band of Parramatta supporters who branded them cheats following the exposure of their salary cap rorting.
Some called for the visitors to hand over the NRL premiership trophy to the Eels whom they beat in last year's grand final.
While Melbourne players said after Friday's 24-10 loss they weren't upset by the taunts, coach Bellamy stood up for his men on Monday.
"Our guys are a bit frustrated from what we copped from the crowd as soon as we got there but we can't control what the crowd do," he told radio station SEN.
"The players felt a little bit unloved at times, we are treated like lepers at most of our away games."
Investigators from accounting firm Deloitte, employed by the NRL to audit the club and unravel the extent of the salary cap scandal, have allegedly found that Storm skipper Cameron Smith had three contracts with the Storm, while other players also had multiple deals.
There are also claims some Melbourne players almost certainly knew that some of their payments came from third parties in ways that would not be counted towards the salary cap.
Players, including Smith, and officials are refusing to comment until the investigation is complete, with the matter also before the courts.
Storm chairman Rob Moodie and the club's three other independent directors have taken legal action against the NRL, claiming the league's chief executive David Gallop broke NRL rules and denied the Storm due process in stripping premierships and points.
The matter will return to the Victorian Supreme Court for a further directions hearing on Wednesday.
Bellamy said he felt his players deserved better from away fans, but conceded it was a situation that they would have to accept.
"At the end of day everybody left at our club are good people and we probably don't deserve that," he said.
"But we can't control what the crowd do, they pay their money and they can go along and do what they like.
"We have to get used to that because we're obviously going to cop more of it."
The Storm have won four or their six matches since they were ruled ineligible to win points this season and Bellamy said they would continue to be a force regardless of the lack of reward.
"The only thing we can do is play footy, and we've got to as best we can even though there's no reward, the reward is our fans we have to play well for them and for our teammates and we've got a certain amount of pride in what we do and that's the approach we have," he said.
Boo friggin hoo!
Suck it up you cheating merkins.
