Cheating to Win: Overview : SBS Insight

Overview

Rugby league has been hammered by scandal yet again.

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But this time it’s not a sex scandal.

This time it’s about money and cheating to win.

Amid reports of dodgy deals and secret bookkeeping, the game’s fans are being given more than a hint of just how complicated the links are between the sport, the media covering it, and the people running the game.

And it’s getting ugly.

Allegations have been made about “rats in the ranks” and the finger has been pointed at former Storm boss Brian Waldron as the “chief rat.”

Waldron has hit back, calling for independent inquiry, with full disclosure from everyone connected to the running of the club.

Questions are being asked about who knew what about the breaches, how the cheating was able to continue undetected for years, whether other clubs are also flouting the salary cap, and if the National Rugby League’s penalty against the Storm will damage the entire 2010 season.

Can News Limited afford to let the Storm fold and lose a rugby league presence in Melbourne?

If there is an open inquiry into the rorting, can the game handle the truth?

This week we will bring together fans along with key figures from across rugby league and other football codes, to discuss the real story behind the cheating at the Melbourne Storm, and what it means for the business of sport in Australia.

Meet the Guests

Peter Holmes a Court

Peter is a prominent businessman and co-owner of the South Sydney Rabbitohs rugby league team. He defends the salary cap and says it serves the purpose of making the game competitive and fair.

Steve Burraston

Steve is the CEO of the Newcastle Knights rugby league team which is currently at number 11 on the NRL ladder. Steve supports the penalty handed out to the Melbourne Storm for breaches to the salary cap.

Jason Taylor

Jason has been involved with rugby league for decades, first as a former NRL halfback, and until last year the coach for the South Sydney Rabbitohs. As a player, Jason represented four clubs over 12 seasons until his retirement in 2001.

Sam Ayoub

Sam is a player agent who manages Melbourne Storm players Jeff Lima, Ryan Tandy and Sione Kite. Sam has been an agent for 21 years and also manages North Queensland Cowboy’s captain Jonathan Thurston.

Tyron Brant

Tyron is the director of KooGa, a sports clothing brand that sponsors the Melbourne Storm. KooGa has decided to stick by the Melbourne Storm and Tyron says the sponsor’s loyalty is to the players and supporters of the team. KooGa also sponsors the Newcastle Knights in the NRL competition.

Angie, Jess (pictured) and Matthew Wraight

Angie, Jess and Matthew are supporters of the Melbourne Storm and are more determined than ever to back the team. The Wraight family were part of the 24,000-strong crowd that cheered the Storm on to victory in their first game since the team was stripped of two premierships.