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
So I assume the filthy storm are now involved in the case!?!?
shame on the NRL for siding with these absolute grubs 😡😡😡
tbh Im not sure based on the nrl agreeing and reaffirming to side with these dirty pool players that there shouldn't be a case of someone stepping down from nrl!!
Tripp, Abdo & Ugly Pete has gots to go.
For once I can honestly say that Im glad we play by the book and don't have hundreds of K's in TPAs extending our cap! Storm poking the bear big time in comparison to our legit spend!
Really hoping some journo has enough integrity to ask the Storm just what kind of "punitive salary cap" measures they were proposing or alluding to?
But the optics of this are shocking. Eels lose a rep player which the Storm say if you don't hand him over to us for not much we're going to ask the NRL to punish you even more.
Prof. Daz that question needs to be asked as it puts the integrity of the NRL at a much wider risk, this was not versed in away that implies it has not been done before! or even accounts as a "special request".
Kudos to our club leaders in fighting the good fight. Storm resorting to blackmail and bullying to get their own way. It is all coming out now. If the NRL is a genuine impartial organisation and if the Storm are found complicit in this process, they should come down heavily on the Storm. Point deduction or fine. If the NRL fail to do this, 1EE members need to start a fan led petition across all fans to remove Vlandys
But Eelovution NRL showed their cards already by siding with this rubbish convo that the storm felt easy about discussing with them already!! happy to ignore the contract release terms we have registered and in place.
it's absolutely disgusting!
thank God we have the kahunas to fight for whats right.
"If the NRL is a genuine impartial organisation"...good joke you put in there Eelvo
WOW!!!
So Tripp is now the consigliere for the vlandys/abdo mafia?
No...wait up, I got that arse about...“Hi Andrew, not getting anywhere at this point, can you apply the blow torch on parramatta [sic] to get this done....Blandys/Abdo are the hit-squad for the Tripp criminal enterprize.
Finally we know where we stand, our assigned role. We are to sit in the corner and give thanks for the scraps we are thrown while Tripp wets his beak with our roster. "Hey Andy, bring our blowtorch over, we're not getting anywhere with this reluctant one here. Let's get this done (it's obviously a win for us). We can go celebrate at Kens of Kensington with Petey for afters party. (Storm will pick up the Tab)
I wonder which other of the clubs has access to The Blowtorch? Who else is "connected" to the family business?
Hey Pop-Pop, am I still over-the-top in stating that Ugly Pete and Abdo gots to go?. They were obviously neck deep in this. So we hit them straight & sideways: Court, Leak & Bleat. It's working, we just have to not flinch
The ONLY reason anyone ever got to find this out is because Messrs Beach & Sarantinos have both Spine and Guts intact and they are having none of it. They correctly saw this as a fight for our future premiership chances and are doing Elliot Ness proud.
Oneway Tripp, Bugsy Abdo and fucking Ugly Pete are Made Men and Untouchable. Our valiant fighters Jim, Matt, Arthurs sc and everyone who leaks and bleats in public are fitting them for some Blue Circle boots to help them sleep with the fishes.
If heads don't roll over this it shows that our game is run by Aussie Vince McMahon and we are all in WWE already
It's one thing to ask for a certain favour but it's even worse on the NRL if they actually went through with the request.
Especially when the whole agreement had apparently been registered with the NRL.
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