Should we go to court to claim our premierships back?

[Cerne Abbas Giant]

I believe we were denied natural justice and that the NRL process was unfair.

Fact: The NRL system is flawed.
Fact: The salary cap system is flawed.
Fact: We won those premierships in 2007 and 2009. There is no need to strip us of that. Penalise us other ways if it makes them feel better.
Fact: Melbourne is being used as a punching bag and smokescreen to cover up the failings of the NRL and the widespread rorting that happens in other clubs.

If News won't help us with serious reform, then we will take News Ltd down. This court case will be a catalyst to get rid of the conflict of interest News has in the game.
If we go bust we will resurrect ourselves one way or another.

 

[Non Terminator]

I thought you'd be over this. Fellow fans would disagree.
Mate, twist it however you want, systems may be flawed, but while they're here they remain the rules. The Storm broke them.

 

[Cerne Abbas Giant]

I thought you'd be over this. Fellow fans would disagree.
Mate, twist it however you want, systems may be flawed, but while they're here they remain the rules. The Storm broke them.

Mate, I see it this way. we went over the speed limit because of a faulty cruise control in a car manufactured by the NRL.
They've taken everything away from us. We have nothing to lose.

 

[kia ora storm]

I can see your point but we have to think about any further damage to the Melbourne Storm brand and start thinking about rebuilding the club. A court case would be lengthy and protracted with a big financial cost attached. It could split the fans as well in the end which is what we don't want to happen.

 

[LESStar58]

I believe we were denied natural justice and that the NRL process was unfair.

Fact: The NRL system is flawed.
Fact: The salary cap system is flawed.
Fact: We won those premierships in 2007 and 2009. There is no need to strip us of that. Penalise us other ways if it makes them feel better.
Fact: Melbourne is being used as a punching bag and smokescreen to cover up the failings of the NRL and the widespread rorting that happens in other clubs.

If News won't help us with serious reform, then we will take News Ltd down. This court case will be a catalyst to get rid of the conflict of interest News has in the game.
If we go bust we will resurrect ourselves one way or another.

Agreed on all 4 points mate. However we broke the rules and I don't see what any sort of legal posturing is going to achieve other than giving the fans a ton of false hope. Plus, I'm no lawyer but I don't see what merit our case could possibly have...

 

[adamkungl]

Mate, I see it this way. we went over the speed limit because of a faulty cruise control in a car manufactured by the NRL.
They've taken everything away from us. We have nothing to lose.

Lol. terrible analogy. More apt would be that the Salary Cap rules are the speed signs. Whether or not you agree with it, you still get in sh*t if you get caught exceeding the limit.

 

[little_aza]

I can see your point but we have to think about any further damage to the Melbourne Storm brand and start thinking about rebuilding the club. A court case would be lengthy and protracted with a big financial cost attached. It could split the fans as well in the end which is what we don't want to happen.

100% agree Kia. I just don't think it's worth damaging the Storm, or the NRL, any further. Like Belle said in another thread, I'm sick of this, and I'm quite sure everyone else is too. The time is to rebuild. If we do this honestly, and work hard, we'll get some respect back when we do well next year. But whinging after cheating won't help this at all.

 

[Talanexor]

The Melbourne Storm will gain the respect of fans and the rest of the rugby league community when they win a premiership honestly and develop their own juniors.

Until then, they're just a bunch of cheating pr*cks who deserve every punishment the NRL gave them and then some.

 

[Frank_Grimes]

Fact: The salary cap is clear and defined.
Fact: Melbourne systematically and deliberately cheated this cap.
Fact: They won premierships and minor premierships as a result of this cheating.
Fact: An alarming majority of Storm fans actually believe that they still deserve those accolades.
Fact: Legal proceedings will be pointless and will only further damage the Storm brand.
Fact: An even more alarming majority of Storm fans couldn't give a rats about this.

 

[drago brelli]

Melbourne supporters. There's no point in going to court. News Ltd won't support the challenge. Move on, your team is illegal. Gallop handed down a tough but fair punishment. The Melbourne situation may even be worse when the investigation is complete.

 

[Kilkenny]

The Storm will clearly not drag this sorry saga thru the Court system.

Initiating legal action thru the Courts would surely involve bringing all the facts out into the open and that is surely not what some individuals would want to see occur.

 

[Molly]

The Storm will clearly not drag this sorry saga thru the Court system.

Initiating legal action thru the Courts would surely involve bringing all the facts out into the open and that is surely not what some individuals would want to see occur.

This is right, the scope of such an action will have individuals scattered right throughout the NRL concerned, not just in Melbourne. A court case has the potential to have wide reaching ramifications. I believe its best not to go down this path for the games sake.

 

[Cerne Abbas Giant]

Lol. terrible analogy. More apt would be that the Salary Cap rules are the speed signs. Whether or not you agree with it, you still get in sh*t if you get caught exceeding the limit.

There's a lot of apprehension in your post. We all know Nick politis' pocket is deep. He is also a protected species.

 

[Noa]

Fact: The salary cap is clear and defined.
Fact: Melbourne systematically and deliberately cheated this cap.
Fact: They won premierships and minor premierships as a result of this cheating.
Fact: An alarming majority of Storm fans actually believe that they still deserve those accolades.
Fact: Legal proceedings will be pointless and will only further damage the Storm brand.
Fact: An even more alarming majority of Storm fans couldn't give a rats about this.

FACT: There but for the grace of god.

 

[Noa]

Of course we should go to court, the process was diabolic. Anyone who cant admit that is a fool and shouldnt be taken seriously.

 

[fanaticeel]

As an eels fan I concede you won 2009 premiership. However this course of action could lead to funding from News Ltd to stop. Then no matter how many supporters you have you'll fold. Pull your heads in and take your medicine.

 

[melbourne_belle]

Of course we should go to court, the process was diabolic. Anyone who cant admit that is a fool and shouldnt be taken seriously.

The process was diabolical Noa but you have to think, would it be worth it? We can't go biting the hand that feeds us, News are what is keeping us afloat at the moment.
News clearly don't want anything to do with any type of legal action and if News pull out of the Storm we are pretty much done.

I don't even know if I would want the premierships back, I would prefer if we re-built the club honestly and abide by the salary cap and then come out and kicked some ass in 2011 boi :lol:
Sometimes maybe you just need to cut your loses and move on. Its easy for me to say because I didn't work hard to win those premierships like the players did but living in the past for too long will f**k up our clubs future.

 

[melbourne_belle]

If we go bust we will resurrect ourselves one way or another.

Thats ridiculous. Too many people have worked far too hard for the past 13 years for us to dig our own grave and have to start all over again. Too many decent inroads have been made for League in Victoria on the back of the Melbourne Storm brand for us to give it all up and have to start again.

 

[Frank_Grimes]

FACT: There but for the grace of god.

CORRECTION: There but for a management NOT treating the laws of the game with complete and utter contempt.

 

[Slammin_Saint89]

Umm...what premierships? Had to double check but could only find the one that they got in '99