Smith defenders

[Earnie the Eagle]

Unfortunately that probably means he will move into the commentary box and make watching rugby league more infuriating than ever.

..or the video ref lol.

 

[mozgrame]

I can forgive Wicks because he admitted his crime and served his time.

Smith and Co. still feel like they were hard done by and consider the stripped premierships as NRL heavy handedness.
They destroyed the comp for more than 3 years, FFS.
They all still play on the one team. That's very unlikely to happen without their cheating.
Their cheating still has advantages for Melbourne to this day.

I consider signing more than one contract on par with drug cheating and if I was running the game anyone found to have signed more than one would have been banned for life.

I have no particular interest in the storm or Smith. Whether they pleaded guilty or not is also irrelevant because they were and we all know it. Their club paid a good and fair price for their deception IMO. Good for the pricks lol

Just out of interest, how do you know that the players still feel hard done by? Do you know them personally, or is it just your feelings on the matter? Are you saying that even after being busted, they are still somehow cheating the system, and that's how they are all still on the same team? (minus GI of course) How can you be sure of this? How does their cheating still have advantages for them to this day?

I'm not looking for an argument, mate. I'm just curious. Do you have inside knowledge of their accounts structures or know some of the players?

Sometimes deep seated, old feelings (love or hate) have a way of coming out strongly (in defence or attack) of a person or team or situation when an event occurs, and can cloud the judgement.

I do admire your passion. You seem like a "heart on your sleeve", tell it how you see it sort of bloke, and I like that. Best thing about these forums, different points of view.

 

[mave]

http://m.dailytelegraph.com.au/spor...-belong-to-storm/story-e6frexti-1226131462888

I refer you to that link.

I also believe , and this is only personal opinion, that if Smith, Slater,Inglis and Cronk had not taken inflated slaries ( due to rorting) then at least one of them would have been enticed away by a larger offer from another club at some point.
I distinctly remember the Broncos putting in a massive offer for Smith, and being rejected, for example. If the Storm dont cheat, chances are Smith is a Bronco right now.

This seems like a logical conclusion to make, in my opinion.

I have no inside knowledge of the inner workings or contractual arrangements of any club.
Apologies if I came across as "in the know", im just using logic and reason to come to conclusions.

 

[mave]

And further to that.....
The club was punished by have the Premiership stripped
The players and coach got SFA. And that is downright wrong. They didnt even have to hand the rings back, from memory.

 

[mozgrame]

No worries @mave

That link is from a story that appeared on September 7, 2011. That's nearly 4 years ago. Time has a way of softening views and making us a little wiser, but, granted....we are talking about Melbourne here lol.

There was a bit more to the punishment than just being stripped of 2 premierships though, in all fairness. They were also stripped of 3 minor premierships and fined 1.6 million dollars. 1.1 million of which was to be distributed evenly to the other 15 clubs. That is a fair kick in the arse. I'm not sure they'd be quick to try and rort the system again.

I just can't help but wonder how many of us, whether employed with a company or self employed would say no if your employer or customer (who you have dealt with for years and fully trust) came to you and said, "Here's the deal, I want you to do nothing more than what you have been doing, and in return for your staying here, I will double your salary. Half in cash on the books, and half cash in the hand. Don't worry, everyone is doing it". How many of us would say, NO WAY!! That's unethical!

Since then, from memory, didn't the Titans offer Smith quite a good deal (not as good as DCE's lol) to leave after the 2 contracts debacle, which he rejected? Getting busted may have had a unifying effect on them.

Our own perceived logic and reason can sometimes lead us to false conclusions, based on historical events that have ingrained in us, a feelings of distrust and anger. The only thing that is absolutely, 100% certain is that you and I have no real idea about the Storm today, Cam Smith as a person (not a player) or anything else that does not involve us directly on a day to day basis. Forming opinions based on the past might do us both a huge injustice. Even worse, it puts us in the same boat as the dribblers that still hate us (Manly) today, for things that happened in the 70's.

Anyway, there's not much left of it, but enjoy the last little bit of the weekend, mate.

 

[mave]

Fair points, and a well made arguement.

 

[Technical Coach]

As big of a fan I am of Ballin he deserved it in this instance, Smith barely made contact with the face but got awfully close to, I doubt Ballin would of recovered if there was direct hard contact to the face even though from a distance it looked this way.

Ballin was pulling down way too long and Smith just wanted him to release especially so close to the try line---totally understandable.

 

[MadMarcus]

As big of a fan I am of Ballin he deserved it in this instance, Smith barely made contact with the face but got awfully close to, I doubt Ballin would of recovered if there was direct hard contact to the face even though from a distance it looked this way.

Ballin was pulling down way too long and Smith just wanted him to release especially so close to the try line---totally understandable.

Just like Issac Luke deserved it in this instance... How dare he head but Cam in the studs???

 

[wombatgc]

No worries @mave

That link is from a story that appeared on September 7, 2011. That's nearly 4 years ago. Time has a way of softening views and making us a little wiser, but, granted....we are talking about Melbourne here lol.

There was a bit more to the punishment than just being stripped of 2 premierships though, in all fairness. They were also stripped of 3 minor premierships and fined 1.6 million dollars. 1.1 million of which was to be distributed evenly to the other 15 clubs. That is a fair kick in the arse. I'm not sure they'd be quick to try and rort the system again.

I just can't help but wonder how many of us, whether employed with a company or self employed would say no if your employer or customer (who you have dealt with for years and fully trust) came to you and said, "Here's the deal, I want you to do nothing more than what you have been doing, and in return for your staying here, I will double your salary. Half in cash on the books, and half cash in the hand. Don't worry, everyone is doing it". How many of us would say, NO WAY!! That's unethical!

Since then, from memory, didn't the Titans offer Smith quite a good deal (not as good as DCE's lol) to leave after the 2 contracts debacle, which he rejected? Getting busted may have had a unifying effect on them.

Our own perceived logic and reason can sometimes lead us to false conclusions, based on historical events that have ingrained in us, a feelings of distrust and anger. The only thing that is absolutely, 100% certain is that you and I have no real idea about the Storm today, Cam Smith as a person (not a player) or anything else that does not involve us directly on a day to day basis. Forming opinions based on the past might do us both a huge injustice. Even worse, it puts us in the same boat as the dribblers that still hate us (Manly) today, for things that happened in the 70's.

Anyway, there's not much left of it, but enjoy the last little bit of the weekend, mate.

Excellent points.
But I still hate the little bastard

 

[Brookie Brawler]

Smith barely made contact with the face but got awfully close to, I doubt Ballin would of recovered if there was direct hard contact to the face even though from a distance it looked this way.

Ballin was pulling down way too long and Smith just wanted him to release especially so close to the try line---totally understandable.

Not sure if trolling...

Ok I'll bite.

Just out of interest then, lets not worry about whether he should have been charged by the MRC, but how hard do you have to repeatedly attack someone in the face with your forearm to draw a penalty?

 

[Ralphie]

Not sure if trolling...

Ok I'll bite.

Just out of interest then, lets not worry about whether he should have been charged by the MRC, but how hard do you have to repeatedly attack someone in the face with your forearm to draw a penalty?

You're wasting your time on this. I have concluded that he has "white line fever" when it comes to the messiah.