Storm appeal won't affect season, NRL lawyer says
By Brad Walter
22 May 2010 — 3:00am
The NRL believes the legal battle over the salary cap penalties imposed on the Melbourne Storm will not throw this year's premiership into chaos.
The Storm's four independent directors are seeking an injunction that would enable the team to begin playing for points again this season until the Victorian Supreme Court decides on their legal appeal.
Should they succeed and Melbourne made the play-offs it would make a mockery of the competition if the court was to later uphold the NRL's decision to strip the world club champions of the 2007 and 2009 premierships, ban them from earning any points this season and ordering them to pay $1.6 million in fines and returned prizemoney.
Alternatively, an eventual ruling in the Storm's favour may lead to the club suing for damages if they were denied the opportunity to win this season's competition.
A directional hearing in Melbourne yesterday heard that a trial may take place in July or August but NRL lawyer Tony O'Reilly later told reporters outside the court he was confident the legal case would be resolved well before the finals series, starting September 10.
''We would be pretty confident we would be able to get it done in July, and that will get it all over a long time before the semi-finals, and it will be all sorted out a couple of months ahead,'' O'Reilly said.
[iframe src="
https://tpc.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-17/html/container.html?n=0" name="1-0-17;30957;e)return"";a.g.sort(function(a,b){return a-b});d=null;c="";for(var f=0;f=h.length){e-=h.length;b+=h;c=a.i;break}else a.j&&(c=e,h[c-1]==a.i&&--c,b+=h.substr(0,c),c=a.i,e=0);d=null==d?g:d}}a="";null!=d&&(a=c+"trn="+d);return b+a},sa=function(a){var b=1,c;for(c in a.h)b=c.length>b?c.length:b;return 3997-b-a.i.length-1};var ua=function(a,b,c,d){if(Math.random()<(d||a.g))try{if(c instanceof J)var e=c;else e=new J,da(c,function(a,b){var c=e,d=c.l++;a=pa(b,a);c.g.push(d);c.h[d]=a});var f=ta(e,a.j,a.h,a.i+b+"&");f&&ha(u,f)}catch(g){}};var L=null;var va=function(){var a=u.performance;return a&&a.now&&a.timing?Math.floor(a.now()+a.timing.navigationStart):w()},wa=function(){var a=void 0===a?u:a;return(a=a.performance)&&a.now?a.now():null};var xa=function(a,b,c){this.label=a;this.type=b;this.value=c;this.duration=0;this.uniqueId=this.label+"_"+this.type+"_"+Math.random();this.slotId=void 0};var M=u.performance,ya=!!(M&&M.mark&&M.measure&&M.clearMarks),N=function(a){var b=!1,c;return function(){b||(c=a(),b=!0);return c}}(function(){var a;if(a=ya){var b;if(null===L){L="";try{a="";try{a=u.top.location.hash}catch(c){a=u.location.hash}a&&(L=(b=a.match(/\bdeid=([\d,]+)/))?b[1]:"")}catch(c){}}b=L;a=!!b.indexOf&&0<=b.indexOf("1337")}return a}),za=function(){var a=P;this.h=[];this.i=a||u;var b=null;a&&(a.google_js_reporting_queue=a.google_js_reporting_queue||[],this.h=a.google_js_reporting_queue,b=a.google_measure_js_timing);this.g=N()||(null!=b?b:1>Math.random())},Aa=function(a){a&&M&&N()&&(M.clearMarks("goog_"+a.uniqueId+"_start"),M.clearMarks("goog_"+a.uniqueId+"_end"))};za.prototype.start=function(a,b){if(!this.g)return null;var c=wa()||va();a=new xa(a,b,c);b="goog_"+a.uniqueId+"_start";M&&N()&&M.mark(b);return a};var R=function(){var a=Q;this.h=Ba;this.j=this.i;this.g=void 0===a?null:a};R.prototype.pinger=function(){return this.h};var Ca=function(a,b,c,d){try{if(a.g&&a.g.g){var e=a.g.start(b.toString(),3);var f=c();var g=a.g;c=e;if(g.g&&"number"==typeof c.value){var n=wa()||va();c.duration=n-c.value;var k="goog_"+c.uniqueId+"_end";M&&N()&&M.mark(k);g.g&&g.h.push(c)}}else f=c()}catch(h){g=!0;try{Aa(e),g=a.j.call(a,b,new S(T(h),h.fileName,h.lineNumber),void 0,d)}catch(q){a.i(217,q)}if(!g)throw h;}return f},W=function(a,b,c){var d=Da;return function(e){for(var f=[],g=0;gvu("
https://securepubads.g.doubleclick.net/pcs/view?xai\x3dAKAOjstymB4cqPJmTXqLdz1fxLEj4wsHLEBPgx-Rzxyknjad2uob-fV6bfDn-N_rc6FOrmQQ4AH3erMwMQoK5HmMOt-Zrp5voLYjgurq2a6WyOECZMCpxRBYbYu2xIqpvC7Cy-p1uZMe3x5CeD9K7yitEs4NdPGbuVviP9-UhCVhEWufMDwi1aQfuTTP0o2fF_KMxjHk7fzBDxhA9nMfVjy7jWTmn180tgNNqvlDOwMoY9YG_ogT0yuLcL4lKaUKrSxnoB2-oG0NbRi-tA0D8ZPU5g\x26sig\x3dCg0ArKJSzGoIdaoqWPo3EAE\x26urlfix\x3d1\x26adurl\x3dhttps://googleads4.g.doubleclick.net/pcs/view?xai=AKAOjssSA2zPw_CdzIeK1rDRiv71bj9QCJ5k6E5jKGr0Lw9-SRGiunP3We14bq8B_PIVe9yQHYuEjhYOHOUZAGdzFrtcTZodnL8XtVR9FGGyv9pcTis&sig=Cg0ArKJSzCS82MSHwxH9EAE&urlfix=1&adurl=")var google_casm=[];(function() {(function(){var h=this,k=function(a){var b=typeof a;if("object"==b)if(a){if(a instanceof Array)return"array";if(a instanceof Object)return b;var c=Object.prototype.toString.call(a);if("[object Window]"==c)return"object";if("[object Array]"==c||"number"==typeof a.length&&"undefined"!=typeof a.splice&&"undefined"!=typeof a.propertyIsEnumerable&&!a.propertyIsEnumerable("splice"))return"array";if("[object Function]"==c||"undefined"!=typeof a.call&&"undefined"!=typeof a.propertyIsEnumerable&&!a.propertyIsEnumerable("call"))return"function"}else return"null";else if("function"==b&&"undefined"==typeof a.call)return"object";return b},l=function(a,b){var c=Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,1);return function(){var b=c.slice();b.push.apply(b,arguments);return a.apply(this,b)}};var m=function(a,b){for(var c in a)b.call(void 0,a[c],c,a)};var p=function(a){a=a?a.toLowerCase():"";switch(a){case "normal":return"normal";case "lightbox":return"lightbox";case "push_down":return"push_down"}return null};var q={i:"ad_container_id",A:"hideObjects",X:"mtfTop",W:"mtfLeft",ca:"zindex",m:"mtfDuration",aa:"wmode",Z:"preferFlash",s:"as_kw",u:"as_lat",v:"as_lng",B:"mtfIFPath",o:"expansionMode",U:"top_container",T:"mtfTopFloat",S:"mtfTopDuration",V:"mtfTopWmode",P:"right_container",O:"mtfRightFloat",N:"mtfRightDuration",R:"mtfRightWmode",H:"bottom_container",G:"mtfBottomFloat",F:"mtfBottomDuration",I:"mtfBottomWmode",L:"left_container",K:"mtfLeftFloat",J:"mtfLeftDuration",M:"mtfLeftWmode",$:"mtfRenderFloatInplace",ba:"tryToWriteHtmlInline",j:"debugjs",C:"dcapp",g:"breakoutiframe",D:"inMobileAdSdk"},t=function(a){m(a,function(b,c){if(c.toLowerCase()in r){var e=r[c.toLowerCase()];c in a&&delete a[c];a[e]=b}})},r=function(){var a={};m(q,function(b){a[b.toLowerCase()]=b});return a}();var v=function(a){this.a=a;a:{for(c in a.displayConfigParameters){b:if(a=u,"string"==typeof a)a="string"==typeof c&&1==c.length?a.indexOf(c,0):-1;else{for(var b=0;b
'].join(""));c.creativeParameters.ad_container_id=b;c.creativeParameters.generate_ad_slot="true";null==c.displayConfigParameters&&(c.displayConfigParameters={});c.displayConfigParameters.ad_container_id=b}c=a.a;b=c.renderingLibraryData;e=b.version;if(x(a,"HTML5")&&!("latest"==e||0<=D(e,"200_108"))&&(c=c.html5Features,!("Modernizr"in h)&&"array"==k(c)&&0(function() {if (!window.GoogleTyFxhY || typeof window.GoogleTyFxhY.push !== 'function') {window.GoogleTyFxhY = [];}window.GoogleTyFxhY.push({'_scs_': 'BacPXO4q0Wtosxq3wBYq6kMAJAAAAADgB4AQC','_bgu_': '
https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/bg/QbDuqMihcsMZlwJO_Xj6eiOXS8nkFQSXZrx4wlATlFc.js','_bgp_': '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\x3d','_ifr_': 'false'});var gsodar = document.createElement('script');gsodar.type = 'text/javascript';gsodar.async = true;gsodar.src = '//tpc.googlesyndication.com/sodar/V6zvOIoD.js';var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(gsodar, s);})();
(function() { var iasScriptUrl, hiddenFrame, hiddenDoc, where, domain; iasScriptUrl = '//pixel.adsafeprotected.com/jload?anId=923404&campId=300x250&pubId=4530390396&chanId=21682013808&placementId=4598825471&pubCreative=138226969389&pubOrder=2258399249&cb=209643629&custom=sport&custom2=nrl&custom3=melbournestorm&adsafe_par&impId='; hiddenFrame = document.createElement('iframe'); (hiddenFrame.frameElement || hiddenFrame).style.cssText = "width: 0; height: 0; border: 0; display: none;"; hiddenFrame.src = 'javascript:false'; where = document.getElementById('ias-209643629'); where.parentNode.insertBefore(hiddenFrame, where); try { hiddenDoc = hiddenFrame.contentWindow.document } catch (e) { domain = document.domain; hiddenFrame.src = "javascript:var d=document.open();d.domain='" + domain + "';void(0);"; hiddenDoc = hiddenFrame.contentWindow.document } hiddenDoc.open().write(''); hiddenDoc.close() })();
The NRL sought to involve News Ltd in the case by asking that Valimanda, a company owned by the media organisation that holds the Storm's licence to play in the competition be included in the legal proceedings.
