The Storm have defended their decision to publicly celebrate the 2007 and 2009 premierships that were stripped by the NRL due to salary cap rorting.
Melbourne kicked off their 25-year anniversary party before playing Parramatta at Marvel Stadium on Friday night by parading the premiership trophies they had won in 1999, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2017 and 2020.
The 2007 replica trophy was carried by Matt Geyer and Anthony Quinn, while Greg Inglis and Dallas Johnson walked out with the 2009 replica silverware. The NRL does not officially list any premiers for those seasons.
Six months after they defeated Parramatta in the 2009 decider, the NRL came down hard on the club, which was found to be $1.7 million over the salary cap for a period of five years. That figure was later reported as $3.17 million following a Deloitte audit.
The NRL stripped the Storm of the 2007 and 2009 premierships, three minor premierships, handed the club a $500,000 fine, ordered them to return $1.1 million in prizemoney, and they were not allowed to compete for competition points for the remainder of the 2010 season.
Manly and Parramatta, the clubs that lost the deciders in those respective years, have never been elevated to premiers.
Greg Inglis and Dallas Johnson carry out a replica of the 2009 premiership trophy that the NRL stripped from the Storm.Credit: NRL Photos
Comments such as “arrogant” and “cheats” were used in the comments section on the Storm’s social media accounts when video footage of the pre-game festivities was posted.
One response included: “Should have asked Lance Armstrong to come out and carry his 7 Tour de France titles.” Armstrong admitted in 2013 that he had been doping and was stripped of the seven consecutive Tour titles he won from 1999-2005.
David Gallop, who was the NRL chief executive at the time, would not comment on the Storm’s decision on Saturday.
Cameron Smith made a point of singling out Gallop in his autobiography, The Storm Within, claiming the players were “hung out to dry by the boss of the game”.
Storm chief executive Justin Rodski said the club had never even considered ignoring the two contentious titles in order to appease fans.
“It was important to acknowledge what those players from those two teams were able to achieve in those seasons,” Rodski said.
“We understand that retrospectively the premierships were taken away from our club. But given we were celebrating 25 years as a club, we felt it was appropriate those players and teams were properly acknowledged.”
The stripped titles remain a sore point for many at the Storm, including coach Craig Bellamy.
Following the Jahrome Hughes-inspired 46-16 hammering of the Eels on Friday, the Storm firmed in betting to win a seventh – or fifth, depending on who you speak to – premiership this year.
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