Andrew Webster in The Australian
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/tripp-of-the-tongue-peter-vlandys-denies-favouritism-towards-melbourne-storm-and-zac-lomax/news-story/414f948cb92878c7c7f6022ac4083bee
ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys has slammed talk he wants rugby league outcast Zac Lomaxto join the Melbourne Storm as a favour to their chairman, bookmaker Matt Tripp, declaring: “If there’s one person I wouldn’t help, it would be him.”
As Parramatta and Lomax head towards a showdown in the NSW Supreme Court on March 2, all sorts of theories are getting around about why the NRL has seemingly pitted itself against the Eels.
One is looming broadcast negotiations. A strong Storm is critical. The other is V’landys helping Tripp because of their long-term relationship through racing. Eels officials are conscious of it, even if they haven’t expressed it publicly.
“Matt Tripp took me all the way to the High Court in the race-fields case, which has generated billions of dollars for racing,” V’landys told his column in a lengthy interview this week. “He’s the last person I’d help.”
The Eels are sceptical. They’re expected to argue in court that a phone hook-up involving V’landys, Tripp, Beach, and RLPA boss Clint Newton was more “ambush” than mediation. They will also tell the court the Storm were privy to possible salary cap implications if they did not release Lomax – information that could only have come from the NRL.
From the very beginning of this dispute, their rich leagues club has told Beach and chief executive Jim Sarantinos that it will back them until the bitter end.
Why should they cave in? Lomax told them he wanted a release from the final three years of his deal to play in a competition that appears to have been conceived on the back of a beer coaster.
If Lomax was naive enough to walk away from one contract without any real certainty around the R360 competition, it’s on him.
V’landys bristles at the claim he’s sided with the Storm in this dispute.
“I’m not keen for Zac Lomax to join Melbourne,” he insisted. “He can join whatever club that wants him. If the Wests Tigers want him, I’d be just as happy for him to go them. Or if Manly want him. I just don’t want Zac Lomax to be lost to rugby league.”
Replies
Plus, he thought we are weak and will toe the line as we and many other clubs have for the last so many years. Finally one has cracked and they do not know how to respond so they go to the media to plead their case and has made it worse.
Thats exactly right LB, no one has stood up to them in the way that we have. We have kept infront of everything theyve thrown at us and kept our cool which has annoyed them even more. I feel once this is all done and dusted the NRL will have completly new leadership at the top
I hope Moretti and Richie are not injured because they only played 10 and 20min of the cup trial lol. I didn't notice any injury
Nvm Moretti back on the field. Weird his opening stint was 10min
How are you receiving the coverage ea. Bar ?
Yes
Strange how they are using him, was he an HIA assessment?
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