Explosive courtroom documents obtained by The Sydney Morning Herald has revealed that the Melbourne Storm asked the NRL to "apply the blow torch" to Parramatta to release Zac Lomax.
A slew of documents released in the Supreme Court revealed that during a phone call between Storm chair Matt Tripp and Eels supremo Matthew Beach on January 13, that the Eels again rejected a $200,000 release fee.
“During the telephone call, Mr Tripp referred to the possibility of punitive steps being taken by the NRL against Parramatta Eels in relation to its salary cap if Parramatta Eels did not agree to the proposal being put forward by the Melbourne Storm,” according to a document the Eels tendered to the court.
“This assertion by the Melbourne Storm was intended or had the tendency to exert pressure on the Parramatta Eels in circumstances where the NRL had never communicated such a stance to the Parramatta Eels.”
It was further revealed that an alleged text from Storm CEO Justin Rodski to NRL CEO Andrew Abdo on January 21 was used to try and have the NRL pressure the Eels into a release.
“Hi Andrew, not getting anywhere at this point, can you apply the blow torch on parramatta [sic] to get this done.
Rodski added: “Lomax staying in the NRL is obviously a win for the game.”
It's what we always suspected. The Storm trying to bully their way into a deal that would favour them. They should be expelled from the competition.
Replies
Pops, some realistic points.
The PR optics are disastrous, yet the wider transcript is missing. Without that we’re inferring and guessing what the NRL actually said in reply to the Storm.
Still, HQ, PLV, Abdo, the Storm heads, broadcasters and key stakeholders will be sweating on March 2nd. D-Day. If it happens, when more damning details are likely to emerge after this warning shot.
Just playing Devils' advocate here. Hypothetically, in the best-case scenario for HQ, the response to the Storm might have been something along the lines of: “I understand your frustration, but we can’t intervene in that way. While we want Lomax playing, we have to act fairly and respect Parramatta’s registered agreement.”
The point is we don't actually know. Yet.
Regardless of how the case pans out legally, or if a swap deal ever eventuates, we have won the majority of the battles and stood our ground, fighting the good fight.
Nrl is corrupt plain and simple. This case will finally confirm what most fans have been thinking.
Is this a start of a revolution? Will the little man now feel empowered to dictate more fairness?
I remember someone saying the NRL will punish us by having games fixed against us, though fans will click on. We are not dumb, though they believe we are.
this could burn down NRL leadership LB and you can be sure the new guy will be loathe to fuck with us
If it's deemed the NRL try to punish us, then the Australian Rugby League Commission must do their job, sack or replace the chairman in V'Landys and / or replace the NRL CEO Abdo. Job is then done. I think people may be forgetting how the structure of Rugby League has been set up, exactly for these types of issues.
I wonder if the Abdo/vlandys blowtorch was still warm from when Gus got it applied to the Tigers re: Galvin
Icing on the cake right now would be for another club to come out (e.g. Tigers) and claim something similar was done to them (e.g Galvin).
Abdo has to go for being Tripp's gimp. No confidence in Abdo either. Make him him go to centrelink.
Any c*unt that is an NRL head that has/ is conspiring against us and taking sides need to be sacked. Dame goes for V'ladys.
This could have all been avoided if Storm wasn't greedy lol. Howarth and 400k fee. Just pay that up and do a fair deal lol. Now it's time to take them to the cleaners
Whilst it is great the eels are exposing both the storm and the NRL i can't help but feel we are going to be the loser out of this.
If this isn't exposed to the level it should be and gets swept under the carpet with Abdo and V'landys both remaining in their current roles they will come after us hard.
Don't expect any favourable draws, fair decisions at the judiciary, refereeing decisions and you could probably throw in some random salary cap breaches on our part.
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