Denis, do us all a favour and shut up.....

[The Colonel]

Storm told to go north
By Dean Ritchie
May 13, 2004

PARRAMATTA chief executive Denis Fitzgerald has ensured a fiery confrontation between his club and Melbourne this weekend by declaring last night the Storm should be closed down and relocated to the Gold Coast.


Storm coach Craig Bellamy lays down the law.

The always outspoken Fitzgerald believes the NRL should shift Melbourne for the start of next season.

"Promoting rugby league in Melbourne is akin to promoting beach volleyball in Iceland," Fitzgerald said.

Fitzgerald's comments drew immediate criticism from Melbourne's interim chief executive Frank Stanton.

The NRL is considering adding a 16th team to the competition in 2006 but the game's chief executive David Gallop said there were no plans for Melbourne to be moved.

Fitzgerald, chairman of the NRL club council and a 25-year rugby league administrator, said Melbourne's owner News Limited was "wasting its money" on the Storm.

"The Melbourne Storm are doing nothing for rugby league in Victoria," Fitzgerald told The Daily Telegraph.

"Rugby league is up against a religion in Victoria. If rugby league can't kick on after the Storm won a premiership in 1999 then it never will.

"Imagine if the Sydney Swans won the AFL in their second year? How big would that be?"

Fitzgerald said he preferred Gold Coast over the two other candidates for inclusion – Wellington and the Central Coast.

"It should be the Gold Coast," Fitzgerald said. "The area up there is crying out for a team. Melbourne's owner, News Limited, is pouring millions of dollars into the Storm every year for no result. News Limited would be better devoting that money to an area where rugby league is No. 1."

Stanton hit back last night, saying: "Denis is entitled to his opinion but the facts are Melbourne is here and here to stay for quite a while yet."

Parramatta and Melbourne are now sure to meet in a spicy contest this Sunday from 3pm at Parramatta Stadium.

"There are thousands of kids on the Gold Coast who should have a career path into their own NRL team," Fitzgerald said.

"If the Gold Coast doesn't have a side in the near future then I'm sure the AFL will quickly be setting up a new club."

Stanton said his club should be supported by the Sydney rugby league community – not rejected.

"If the AFL had adopted the same attitude, the Sydney Swans and Brisbane Lions wouldn't have been such successful franchises," he said. "Instead of knocking Melbourne, people in rugby league should start supporting the club."

Gallop said the Storm was working toward improving their crowd figures. "The Storm are genuine title contenders this season," he said.

"They would be the first to acknowledge there is room for improvement in their crowds and they are working hard on that.

"Melbourne is a hard nut to crack but there is a firm commitment to the Storm and they are an important part of our competition."

The Daily Telegraph

Why make comments like this leading up to a match....... have to start calling him Mundine shortly! :roll:

 

[parra pete]

Where is what he said NOT TRUE?

 

[PARRA_FAN]

Can we expect another thrashing? #-o

 

[El Diablo]

I actually agree with him. I can't see Melbourne ever offering anything junior wise.

They were better off keeping the Reds.

 

[The Colonel]

Where is what he said NOT TRUE?

Where did I say I didn't disagree with what he has to say and whether it was true or not? Three days out from an important game only gives them more fuel....... like getting beaten by the Sharks wasn't enough. :roll:

 

[strider]

Yeah - true or not true is not hte point.....no need to give them a reason to fire up....mind you the paper has probably led him on and blown it out of proportion.

 

[El Diablo]

Yeah - true or not true is not hte point.....no need to give them a reason to fire up....mind you the paper has probably led him on and blown it out of proportion.

It wouldn't surprise me if they rang him knowing we're playing them this w/e :lol:

 

[Redback71]

the thing is youd think he was the head of the nrl or something cause his comments always make the paper

 

[Misty Bee]

Yeah, inexperienced Denis sucked in by the media :roll:

The way he is going, Parra might friggin well and un on the GC!

 

[bradeel]

This one's particularly interesting for me coz i am an Eels fan living in the rugby league wilderness in Melbourne and i gotta tell you all, he's 100% right. As much as its in my personal interest to have the Storm down here coz i get to see the one game a year when the Eels come to town and at least there's a little bit of stuff in the media about NRL, the fact is noone here gives much of a toss about the Storm or league. Yes, there are a band of loyal supporters who get out to the games and love the Storm and i dearly wish that the game would take off more, but the bulk of Victoria cares about one thing in winter - AFL. Its going to take years of persisting with the Storm experiment before any headway is made at a junior level and in terms of generating big crowds. Its just not part of the culture down here. By the way, I am not a Victorian as such - I was living in Sydney for 25 years and supporting the Eels before moving down to Melbourne a few years ago.

So unfortunately i'd have to say that there's a fair bit of merit in Fitzgerald's arguments even though they're a little unkind to the Storm and their supporters. Sure, it'll fire them up in time for this weekend's clash with our boys, but I reckon Fitzy's got his head screwed on his shoulders just fine. Has it ever occurred to any of you that maybe he is actually trying to fire up the opposition supporters into actually bothering to turn up to Parra this weekend - any Sydney based Storm fans or any of those debating whether to make the trek up to Sydney this weekend for the game would now be determined to come along to the game and PAY THE TICKET PRICE. This is what most drives Dennis Fitzgerald and frankly i don't blame him.

 

[strider]

Well Dennis is spot on really....fact is, Victorians are ignorant, self centred, closed minded fools when it comes to sport (did I leave anything out?)....Sydney and Brisbane have grown to have an appreciation for Aussie Rules - I personally think its not a bad sport....yet Victorians will NEVER give anything else a go - full stop end of story.

 

[Misty Bee]

Denis might be right, but as Colonel said, the timing is poor. The last time he sprouted re Melbourne, Manly and SOuths it did nothing but get the rest of the NRL to pour shit on Parra.

If Denis wanted to get opposition fans into Parra, why not have a shot at clubs that HAVE fans in Sydney, like Penrith, Saints, Wests or the Bullscum, and try and get a decent gate!

I think there is plenty of reason to have Melbourne relocate the the Gold Coast, with the Central Coast making a 16 team comp. But I feel the the NRL/NEws/Storm haven't been real serious. Junior development, the crux ofany such moves, has been shoddy. Sadly, League has a fantastic junior product with mini and mod league, and I know the presence of teams in Adelaide and Perth sparked a lot of junior interest there.

But that argument has nothing to do with Fitzgerald. Sometimes I think he just gets bored, and fantasises about teams moving or merging. I mean, he wanted us to mergewith Canterbury. Sure sign that a few iced vo-vo's are missing from the picnic basket!

 

[bazza]

Imagine how wonderful the NRL would be if Dennis was running things

 

[strider]

Merge with Canterbury :shock: - god no!!! - we'd all have to hate ourselves then....when was that?....I remember the merger that almost went ahead with Balmain which would have resulted in the Parramatta Tigers - I think I could have at least lived with that in some way.

 

[Twizzle]

Funny howe the same ppl that stick up for BS, also stick up for Fitzy.

Take the blinkers off guys.

What he said may or may not be true, but its a good ways to fire up the opposition 3 days before the game.

Why is it that Fitzy some times think that he is the press release secretary for the NRL.

You don't hear other CEOs come out and comment on matters that don't concern their club. Is he looking for Gallops job.

If he is, good (and take BS with you).

 

[Suitman]

Funny howe the same ppl that stick up for BS, also stick up for Fitzy.

Take the blinkers off guys.

What he said may or may not be true, but its a good ways to fire up the opposition 3 days before the game.

Why is it that Fitzy some times think that he is the press release secretary for the NRL.

You don't hear other CEOs come out and comment on matters that don't concern their club. Is he looking for Gallops job.

If he is, good (and take BS with you).

Watch out Twiz,

With comments like that, you'll be next on parapetes hit list.

Suity

 

[Hollywood Jesus]

Ah, you gotta love the bloke!

It's like that show that used to be hosted by Bill Cosby, "Kids say the Darnedest Things!"......................but it's now "Fitzy says the Craziest Things!"

:lol:

 

[Eelectrica]

Will to really provide extra motivation to the players though?

The angle I'm looking at is the feeder club for melbourne is up in brisbane. I'd imagine their would be a few players who think relocating to the Gold Coast would be a wonderful idea. Even the coach still has family in brisbane I believe.

 

[parra pete]

Funny howe the same ppl that stick up for BS, also stick up for Fitzy.

Take the blinkers off guys.

What he said may or may not be true, but its a good ways to fire up the opposition 3 days before the game.

Why is it that Fitzy some times think that he is the press release secretary for the NRL.

You don't hear other CEOs come out and comment on matters that don't concern their club. Is he looking for Gallops job.

If he is, good (and take BS with you).

Funny how the same people who are anti Brian Smith are anti Denis Fitzgerald. Don't you like the TRUTH. If statement like that are needed to fire up a team in the NRL thay are pretty poor standard.
Surely, the pride of the Storm players itself would have them fired up for a good game. Fancy thinking statements in the Press are going to have them fired up. Grow up kids.
I WANT the STORM fired up. I WANT Parra fired up. Makes a much better game. If you don'yt like seeing GOOD TOUGH games, stay home and wathch the NETBALL. You are carrying on like a mob of bloody sheilas.

 

[TheParraboy]

Interesting how Fitzys makes these comments come before the team we play against ? happens usually against souths, manly etc, lower ranked sides we play at home.

got some extra coverage (that Parra are playing storm on sunday) which otherwise would not have been mentioned

Fitzy you smooth operator , you 8)