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Melbourne Storm captain Cameron Smith says players will take pay cuts
By Russell Gould
April 24, 2010
Melbourne Storm captain Cameron Smith has declared his players would do whatever it takes to stay together - including pay cuts - and not let the salary cap scandal cripple his club.
Still coming to terms with the magnitude of the penalties the NRL doled out on Thursday, an emotional Smith said he would implore players to fight through the drama together.
As Storm chairman Rob Moodie conceded the playing list would take "huge hits" to get under the cap, Smith said they would try to make it happen without losing anyone.
"There is no way we are going to ask a player or several players to leave so we can be within the salary cap," Smith said.
"We are a team, not a group of individuals that turn up on a weekend and play football. We're together in everything we do and if we have to be under the salary cap we will do it.
"I believe everyone will be willing to sacrifice a bit of money to stay together, and not let this be the end of what we've worked so hard for.
"We are a strong group, and we'll find a way to keep going. We're not going to let this cripple us."
However, the skipper conceded that pushing on this season, beyond Sunday's game against the Warriors, would not be easy.
"All we can do now is turn up to training, turn up tomorrow, then after that sit down together and talk about what we do for the rest of the season," Smith said. "People can say play for your pride and all that but it's round seven, we have to turn up for another 20 weeks and give everything we can really for nothing."
But he said the carrot remained to become a force again for future years.
"This is a huge kick in the guts and a huge setback, but come next year, we're in the race again and that's what we need to look forward to," he said. "I know it's miles down the track but we were willing to work hard for eight or nine years, most of us, so I can't see why another 12 months is going to hurt us."
Smith also defended his team's achievements, despite the fact they would be forever tainted.
"People have labelled us cheats and frauds but we won those premierships through hard work and playing for each other and that's what we'll continue to do," Smith said.
Winding back the clock to Thursday afternoon when he and the players were delivered the news, Smith said he felt sick.
"The look on (coach Craig Bellamy's) face, I have never seen him like that before. You just knew something beyond terrible had happened. Something not even in your worst nightmares," he said.
"Everything you had worked for your whole life had been taken from you. There's just a feeling of sickness in my stomach."
Smith couldn't talk about the specifics of the rorting but was confident the players had no idea what was going on.
"Not that I'm aware of," he said.
By Russell Gould
April 24, 2010
Melbourne Storm captain Cameron Smith has declared his players would do whatever it takes to stay together - including pay cuts - and not let the salary cap scandal cripple his club.
Still coming to terms with the magnitude of the penalties the NRL doled out on Thursday, an emotional Smith said he would implore players to fight through the drama together.
As Storm chairman Rob Moodie conceded the playing list would take "huge hits" to get under the cap, Smith said they would try to make it happen without losing anyone.
"There is no way we are going to ask a player or several players to leave so we can be within the salary cap," Smith said.
"We are a team, not a group of individuals that turn up on a weekend and play football. We're together in everything we do and if we have to be under the salary cap we will do it.
"I believe everyone will be willing to sacrifice a bit of money to stay together, and not let this be the end of what we've worked so hard for.
"We are a strong group, and we'll find a way to keep going. We're not going to let this cripple us."
However, the skipper conceded that pushing on this season, beyond Sunday's game against the Warriors, would not be easy.
"All we can do now is turn up to training, turn up tomorrow, then after that sit down together and talk about what we do for the rest of the season," Smith said. "People can say play for your pride and all that but it's round seven, we have to turn up for another 20 weeks and give everything we can really for nothing."
But he said the carrot remained to become a force again for future years.
"This is a huge kick in the guts and a huge setback, but come next year, we're in the race again and that's what we need to look forward to," he said. "I know it's miles down the track but we were willing to work hard for eight or nine years, most of us, so I can't see why another 12 months is going to hurt us."
Smith also defended his team's achievements, despite the fact they would be forever tainted.
"People have labelled us cheats and frauds but we won those premierships through hard work and playing for each other and that's what we'll continue to do," Smith said.
Winding back the clock to Thursday afternoon when he and the players were delivered the news, Smith said he felt sick.
"The look on (coach Craig Bellamy's) face, I have never seen him like that before. You just knew something beyond terrible had happened. Something not even in your worst nightmares," he said.
"Everything you had worked for your whole life had been taken from you. There's just a feeling of sickness in my stomach."
Smith couldn't talk about the specifics of the rorting but was confident the players had no idea what was going on.
"Not that I'm aware of," he said.
