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
Interesting that it has now been confirmed as i suggested at the start. That the mediation process between the Eels and the Storm/Lomax had the NRL smack in the middle of it.
There are kick backs coming left right and centre, love this if it finally gets exposed. The unbalanced playing field that occurs behind the scenes with salary caps and player signings is being thrust into the limelight. Those reporters that pretend they are covering league, hang your heads in shame by not writing about it and exposing it for what it is. Scratch my back , scratch your back is there for all to see.
BE how dare you, don't you understand Melbourne are the victims here. Being bullied constantly by NSW media for years and the jealous little brothers, we will take them down for however long it takes. Parra are being unreasonable and should just let Melbourne have Lomax out of good will as they gave us Ryles (with a stipulation of not signing players for 12 months) and Pezet (who was a free agent).
Seriously, people like you that try to make Melbourne the criminals when we should be manipulating the game so they stay good and we get more TV money.......oh wait that seems to be happening constantly.
haha, Sorry Mr Tripp and Mr V'Landys. I gave myself an uppercut and I've now seen the light. Can I now have my brown paperbag full off kick backs please, And I promise i'll toe the line from now on.
Tripp will take it from here now as co-chairman of NRL.
Make no mistake, V'Landys is in this up to his eyeballs. He thought he could simply bulldoze this through. He thought as Chairman of the NRL he had the ultimate authority and could simply decree what was to happen. Sorry Peter, the NSW Supreme Court would like a word. Maybe sit this one out. V'Landys has been caught red-handed favouring one club over another. This is magnificent!!!
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
Stevo, I think the Storm, Broncos, Souths and Rorters have all stood up to him, could that be why they seem to get favours when counting salary cap monies. All have or have had $15million dollar teams in a $11million salary cap era. All these teams seem to have a red phone hotline straight to the boss when needed. The big end of town is run by the big boys. Perhaps we are starting to find our big boy pants in the wardrobe.
Things are not given in the NRL they are taken.
That definetly makes alot of sense Blue Eel. We are no longer the sleeping giant, we are awake now
Glad Pete is ok about him joining a different club st last...coz clearly Melbourne aren't gonna release any of the three we wanted to us per our offer (nor do they want to come). So we move onto the open market of the other fifteen now hopefully.
... or Lomax plays union, boxing, MMA or PlayStation.
his bed
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