Melbourne Storm is well on the road to recovery, according to boss
Ron Gauci From: AAP December 18, 2010
RUGBY LEAGUE: Melbourne Storm chief Ron Gauci says the NRL club is emerging from its salary cap debacle in better shape than he expected.
Doomsayers predicted the demise of the Storm after it was revealed in April that the club had systematically rorted the salary cap by more than $3 million between 2006 and 2010.
The club was stripped of two premierships, three minor premierships, docked all competition points in 2010, and fined $500,000. Two major sponsors, among others, immediately cut ties.
Several players left the club as it worked to get under the salary cap, although it managed to retain all but one of its "fab four" as Greg Inglis moved on.
However, chief executive Gauci, who took over in July after the sacking of disgraced Matt Hanson, who had already replaced so-called "chief rat" Brian Waldron, says the future looks bright.
"The general perception from the outside was that the club was doomed, the playing roster was going to be decimated and in fact there were those calling for the end of the Melbourne Storm, if not rugby league in Victoria," Gauci said.
"If you look at the position we're in today, that's a far cry from where people thought or maybe even hoped we'd be.
"It's fair to say that while we took a bit of a knock in April, the reality is that the way the players have performed since, and the way the club has responded, if anything, has earned a great deal of respect.
"I think the response has been better than I anticipated."
Despite its forced wooden spoon status, the Storm finished the season with a 14-10 win-loss record, which was level with the fifth-placed Warriors.
"They came out and put their bodies on the line, and I think the fact they won as many games this year as they did last year is a real credit to the players, the coach and the football operations department," Gauci said.
"It was very, very impressive."
Membership and crowds this year actually topped the previous season, he said, and he expected a further rise next year. The club is holding discussions with a number of sponsors.
The NRL is still to finalise its report on the investigation into the Melbourne cheating, but no further action is pending against the club.
An investigation by the Victoria Police Fraud Squad is said to be "ongoing".
Gauci feels the Storm has already moved on.
"The feeling is really quite positive. We've injected some new players and new coaches, and the dynamics have been really quite positive.
"I've been encouraged by the mood in the place," he said.
"Most people have commented there's that extra skip in everyone's step."
AAP
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/melbourne-storm-is-well-on-the-road-to-recovery-according-to-boss-ron-gauci/story-e6frg7mf-1225972963072