Storm star's paper trail rort
AN UNDISCLOSED financial arrangement between a senior Melbourne Storm player and one of the club's independent directors - believed to be worth six figures - will be revealed as part of the embattled club's salary cap rorting.
Details of the deal will be among several revelations when the findings of the Deloitte investigation into the club are released by the club's owner News Limited early next week.
Three of the Storm's stars, captain Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Greg Inglis, are understood to each be getting around $175,000 above their $400,000 contracts registered with the NRL.
Storm players maintain they had no knowledge of any payments outside the cap.
Ironically, the alleged deal with the director could become legal next year should the NRL board approve the planned changes to the marquee player allowance.
Under the new rules, a single player could be paid as much as $300,000 outside the salary cap by a club benefactor, such as a director.
The Storm's four independent directors are chairman Rob Moodie, Peter Maher, Petra Fawcett and Jayco caravan king Gerry Ryan.
Lawyers for the quartet will return to court on Monday to secure a trial date in their action against the NRL's salary cap penalties.
The Deloitte investigators spoke to less than half of their targets, and didn't interview the players, but did seize several filing cabinets and computers, including those of coach Craig Bellamy. They also talked to several staff members during the lengthy investigation.
Players declined to talk to Deloitte under legal advice from their managers.
Despite the pending release of the report, the players will play the Bulldogs in Adelaide tonight unmoved by the prospect of being implicated.
But their frustration is growing because their futures remain uncertain while club officials wait for a clear salary cap picture.
The situation was addressed by club officials last week in a meeting with the players and frustration was the prevailing mood.
"They just want to get their heads around where they might all be next year," a Storm insider said.
"They don't care about the rest because they are confident they did nothing wrong. But they just want to know what is going on for their futures."
News Limited spokesman Greg Baxter said the significance of the report demanded the necessary time be taken to ensure everything was correct before releasing it.
Teenage winger Justin O'Neill won't take his place in Storm's line-up tonight after hurting his ankle during the week. He will be replaced by Chase Stanley.
