The Melbourne Storm have tonight been fined $10,000 by the NRL after pulling not one, but two fashionably late exits from the dressing sheds onto th field in last nights Monday Night Football clash with the NZ Warriors.
At the start of the match, the Storm left the dressing sheds so late they delayed the kick-off of the game several minutes, forcing TV directors locally and abroad to delay their coverage take-up for the hold-up. The game started 10 minutes over-time, as the Warriors had to wait minutes on the field before the Storm eventually appeared.
The Storm repeated their mind games soon after – forcing the Warriors to this time wait a full 3 minutes before they ran out to start the second half – angering Warriors players and officials so much they eventually ran off the field and returned only after the Storm had run on and had taken their positions.
Once in a while it’s ok to try one on your opposition but to frustrate the hell out of spectators, officials and opponents is downright madeness.
The Melbourne Storm are known for these kinds of antics and hopefully the fine slapped on them by the NRL will ensure no further breaches by them or any other teams this year.
A fine means nothing to the players or the club. The shareholders will probably pay it anyway and the players and coach will not feel any pain.
What would be an effective deterrent would be the deduction of championship points, or for the NRL to have the power to rule that Storm had defaulted the game, with the granting of the win points to the Warriors.
The NRL need to review their rules.