See ya.. Premierships stripped from the Storm.

April, 2010, that the Melbourne Storm NRL Club has been effectively using ‘two separate books’. What this means is that Melbourne had been using two different books to pay player wages, one via the NRL’s salary cap, and their own secret book that was also paying players.

Shock is obviously rife, and the first penalty that NRL CEO David Gallop announced this afternoon was that the club would be stripped of its 2007 and 2009 premierships, as well as their 2006, 2007 and 2008 minor premierships.

However, Bulldogs great and the man who led the Canterbury club out of a similar situation in 2002, Steve Mortimer, said that the stripping of titles has little relevance.

“They’ve (The NRL) stripped them (Storm) of the titles, but that means nothing,”

Gallop also announced a fine of $(AU)500,000 and the returning of $(AU)1.1 million of prize money (which will be distributed among the other NRL clubs). They will also have to pay back the approximate $(AU) 1.7 million in salary cap breaches.

Shock.. Gallop delivers the news.

However, arguably the biggest penalty for the club, for the moment at least, is that they have been stripped of all 2010 competition points and will not be able to accumulate any for the remainder of the season.

Coach of the club, Craig Bellamy released at statement after the revelation expressing his astonishment of the situation, but said that his team would get through it.

“I’m heartbroken,” he said.

“But we will fight back from this,”

Owners of the Storm, News Limited, reacted through Chairman John Hartigan. The CEO claimed that there are a few ‘rats in the ranks’ at the club and that a full forensic audit of the club’s accounts and financial affairs would be carried out.

Reports suggest that two official staff from the Storm are set to be fired, along with many others.

Meanwhile, fraud has also been thrown into the equation and the investigation is sure to continue for many weeks, months and possibly years.

The news has sparked all kinds of reactions from fans, players, journalists and coaches.

A poll on FOX Sports Australia © asked fans if the Storm had been treated fairly, and the results weren’t surprising. Even though it’s only been a few hours since news became official, over 3000 votes were tallied, with a whopping 73.44% condemning the Storm for their breaches.

The question now to be asked is how the Storm will respond. This season obviously has no meaning for them now, so what type of effort will they put in? What type of refund or benefit do members of the club deserve? After all they’re paying good money to be loyal to the club.

Regardless, there’s no doubt speculation will continue over the coming days and weeks.

So finally, we all know how the likes of Billy Slater, Cameron Smith, Greg Inglis and Cooper Cronk could fit under the roof of one club, even if it be illegally.