DIEHARD
27-07-10, 12:39 AM
England wants Storm stripped of title
THEY'VE lost two premierships, three minor premierships and all competition points this season but the pain is not over for Melbourne.
Within days, the Storm is expected also to be stripped of the last remaining honour of the Craig Bellamy era -- the 2010 World Club Challenge.
Australian Rugby League chief executive Geoff Carr last night confirmed the WCC was likely to be discussed at the Rugby League International Federation meeting being held in Singapore. It is expected English officials will press for the title to be taken from the Storm. Melbourne won the WCC with an 18-10 victory over Super League champion Leeds at Elland Road in February.
Since then, the Storm has been immersed in the salary-cap scandal. A recent Deloitte investigation confirmed the club was nearly $1 million over the cap for 2009, when it won the premiership, and in excess of $1 million this season when it won the WCC.
Those breaches have forced the club to begin shedding players. Members of the WCC-winning side -- Brett Finch, Jeff Lima, Aiden Tolman and Ryan Hoffman -- will leave at the end of this season, while centre Greg Inglis appears headed for the exit. Brisbane and Gold Coast are jostling for his services.
The Broncos have made Inglis an offer while the Titans are expected to finalise a two-year offer worth $1 million within days.
The Storm is expected to meet the shortfall between the offers and Inglis's existing deal in Melbourne, believed to be worth more than $600,000 a season.
Penrith struck another blow in the player market yesterday when it re-signed NSW winger Michael Gordon for the next two seasons.
Gordon, who made his debut for the Blues in the third State of Origin game earlier this month, had been targeted by Cronulla.
Penrith officials were delighted to retain the leading point-scorer. Goalkicker Gordon has an 80 per cent success rate this season.
"We have locked away a number of key positions and Michael was another one of those integral parts to the team," Penrith chief executive Mick Leary said.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au
THEY'VE lost two premierships, three minor premierships and all competition points this season but the pain is not over for Melbourne.
Within days, the Storm is expected also to be stripped of the last remaining honour of the Craig Bellamy era -- the 2010 World Club Challenge.
Australian Rugby League chief executive Geoff Carr last night confirmed the WCC was likely to be discussed at the Rugby League International Federation meeting being held in Singapore. It is expected English officials will press for the title to be taken from the Storm. Melbourne won the WCC with an 18-10 victory over Super League champion Leeds at Elland Road in February.
Since then, the Storm has been immersed in the salary-cap scandal. A recent Deloitte investigation confirmed the club was nearly $1 million over the cap for 2009, when it won the premiership, and in excess of $1 million this season when it won the WCC.
Those breaches have forced the club to begin shedding players. Members of the WCC-winning side -- Brett Finch, Jeff Lima, Aiden Tolman and Ryan Hoffman -- will leave at the end of this season, while centre Greg Inglis appears headed for the exit. Brisbane and Gold Coast are jostling for his services.
The Broncos have made Inglis an offer while the Titans are expected to finalise a two-year offer worth $1 million within days.
The Storm is expected to meet the shortfall between the offers and Inglis's existing deal in Melbourne, believed to be worth more than $600,000 a season.
Penrith struck another blow in the player market yesterday when it re-signed NSW winger Michael Gordon for the next two seasons.
Gordon, who made his debut for the Blues in the third State of Origin game earlier this month, had been targeted by Cronulla.
Penrith officials were delighted to retain the leading point-scorer. Goalkicker Gordon has an 80 per cent success rate this season.
"We have locked away a number of key positions and Michael was another one of those integral parts to the team," Penrith chief executive Mick Leary said.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au