Stefano Utoikamanu #241

Crazy how NRL allowed top names to invest in
Their chairman's start up. Forgot about that smh


Wests Tigers have written to the NRL to ask for clarity on Melbourne’s deal to sign their rising front-row star Stefano Utoikamanu.

The Tigers have disclosed their offer to the governing body: five years, $4 million and a vehicle. In total, the deal was worth about $825,000 a year. But that wasn’t enough to keep Utoikamanu.

As a result, the Tigers have written to the NRL so they can learn about the Storm deal to ensure it is within the salary cap guidelines regarding offers.

The Tigers made the best offer of the three clubs chasing Utoikamanu’s signature, so it is understandable they want clarity. They want to understand how they lost him to the Storm.

There is no suggestion the Storm have done anything untoward, but the Tigers want clarity. In the background to all of this is anger and suspicion from rival clubs who can’t understand how the NRL approved Storm players investing in a company part-owned by Storm chairman Matt Tripp.

There are a number of clubs who are becoming increasingly frustrated with that situation and how the NRL approved it. The clubs believe it has helped the Storm sign Utoikamanu.

In 2022, NRL salary cap auditors approved a controversial arrangement where a number of Melbourne players were allowed to invest in start-up betting company BetR, which was part-owned by Tripp. Those players are believed to include superstar trio Harry Grant, Ryan Papenhuyzen and Jahrome Hughes.

I have been told by sources with knowledge of the situation, who did not want to be named due to the sensitive nature of the issue, that some players invested six-figure sums in the business, which at the time was part-owned by News Corp.

BetR struggled to gain traction in a tough market has since merged with BlueBet. Tripp declined to comment when contacted.

Rival clubs are asking questions about the financial arrangements.

This masthead isn’t suggesting the players were given any guarantees over their investment or that the Storm did anything wrong, but rival clubs are fuming that the NRL’s approval of the arrangement helped keep players at the Storm below market value with the lure of a healthy return on their investment in BetR. In turn, some clubs feel this gave the Storm the salary cap space to sign someone like Utoikamanu.

Several NRL club officials raised concerns with the NRL at the time of the initial investment. Allowing players to invest in a business part-owned by the chairman of a club was always asking for trouble.
 
Kaito said:
Crazy how NRL allowed top names to invest in
Their chairman's start up. Forgot about that smh


Wests Tigers have written to the NRL to ask for clarity on Melbourne’s deal to sign their rising front-row star Stefano Utoikamanu.

The Tigers have disclosed their offer to the governing body: five years, $4 million and a vehicle. In total, the deal was worth about $825,000 a year. But that wasn’t enough to keep Utoikamanu.

As a result, the Tigers have written to the NRL so they can learn about the Storm deal to ensure it is within the salary cap guidelines regarding offers.

The Tigers made the best offer of the three clubs chasing Utoikamanu’s signature, so it is understandable they want clarity. They want to understand how they lost him to the Storm.

There is no suggestion the Storm have done anything untoward, but the Tigers want clarity. In the background to all of this is anger and suspicion from rival clubs who can’t understand how the NRL approved Storm players investing in a company part-owned by Storm chairman Matt Tripp.

There are a number of clubs who are becoming increasingly frustrated with that situation and how the NRL approved it. The clubs believe it has helped the Storm sign Utoikamanu.

In 2022, NRL salary cap auditors approved a controversial arrangement where a number of Melbourne players were allowed to invest in start-up betting company BetR, which was part-owned by Tripp. Those players are believed to include superstar trio Harry Grant, Ryan Papenhuyzen and Jahrome Hughes.

I have been told by sources with knowledge of the situation, who did not want to be named due to the sensitive nature of the issue, that some players invested six-figure sums in the business, which at the time was part-owned by News Corp.

BetR struggled to gain traction in a tough market has since merged with BlueBet. Tripp declined to comment when contacted.

Rival clubs are asking questions about the financial arrangements.

This masthead isn’t suggesting the players were given any guarantees over their investment or that the Storm did anything wrong, but rival clubs are fuming that the NRL’s approval of the arrangement helped keep players at the Storm below market value with the lure of a healthy return on their investment in BetR. In turn, some clubs feel this gave the Storm the salary cap space to sign someone like Utoikamanu.

Several NRL club officials raised concerns with the NRL at the time of the initial investment. Allowing players to invest in a business part-owned by the chairman of a club was always asking for trouble.
Click to expand...
The salary cap working to make it an even competition.
 
TonyTiger said:
Glenn Morrison left us for the Cowboys then got Hoppa’s finger of approval - I still remember the ref’s audio when Morrison made an official on-field complaint during a subsequent game at Leichardt oval against Wests Tigers:
“Hey Ref, it’s Hopoate, he’s fingering our ars#holes’”
Then the video of the finger in slow motion, like a heat seeking missile. 🤣
Click to expand...
Glenn Morrison left Balmain for North Sydney Bears ....
 
Kaito said:
Crazy how NRL allowed top names to invest in
Their chairman's start up. Forgot about that smh


Wests Tigers have written to the NRL to ask for clarity on Melbourne’s deal to sign their rising front-row star Stefano Utoikamanu.

The Tigers have disclosed their offer to the governing body: five years, $4 million and a vehicle. In total, the deal was worth about $825,000 a year. But that wasn’t enough to keep Utoikamanu.

As a result, the Tigers have written to the NRL so they can learn about the Storm deal to ensure it is within the salary cap guidelines regarding offers.

The Tigers made the best offer of the three clubs chasing Utoikamanu’s signature, so it is understandable they want clarity. They want to understand how they lost him to the Storm.

There is no suggestion the Storm have done anything untoward, but the Tigers want clarity. In the background to all of this is anger and suspicion from rival clubs who can’t understand how the NRL approved Storm players investing in a company part-owned by Storm chairman Matt Tripp.

There are a number of clubs who are becoming increasingly frustrated with that situation and how the NRL approved it. The clubs believe it has helped the Storm sign Utoikamanu.

In 2022, NRL salary cap auditors approved a controversial arrangement where a number of Melbourne players were allowed to invest in start-up betting company BetR, which was part-owned by Tripp. Those players are believed to include superstar trio Harry Grant, Ryan Papenhuyzen and Jahrome Hughes.

I have been told by sources with knowledge of the situation, who did not want to be named due to the sensitive nature of the issue, that some players invested six-figure sums in the business, which at the time was part-owned by News Corp.

BetR struggled to gain traction in a tough market has since merged with BlueBet. Tripp declined to comment when contacted.

Rival clubs are asking questions about the financial arrangements.

This masthead isn’t suggesting the players were given any guarantees over their investment or that the Storm did anything wrong, but rival clubs are fuming that the NRL’s approval of the arrangement helped keep players at the Storm below market value with the lure of a healthy return on their investment in BetR. In turn, some clubs feel this gave the Storm the salary cap space to sign someone like Utoikamanu.

Several NRL club officials raised concerns with the NRL at the time of the initial investment. Allowing players to invest in a business part-owned by the chairman of a club was always asking for trouble.
Click to expand...

"Fair not equal" the NRL mantra
 
Kaito said:
Crazy how NRL allowed top names to invest in
Their chairman's start up. Forgot about that smh


Wests Tigers have written to the NRL to ask for clarity on Melbourne’s deal to sign their rising front-row star Stefano Utoikamanu.

The Tigers have disclosed their offer to the governing body: five years, $4 million and a vehicle. In total, the deal was worth about $825,000 a year. But that wasn’t enough to keep Utoikamanu.

As a result, the Tigers have written to the NRL so they can learn about the Storm deal to ensure it is within the salary cap guidelines regarding offers.

The Tigers made the best offer of the three clubs chasing Utoikamanu’s signature, so it is understandable they want clarity. They want to understand how they lost him to the Storm.

There is no suggestion the Storm have done anything untoward, but the Tigers want clarity. In the background to all of this is anger and suspicion from rival clubs who can’t understand how the NRL approved Storm players investing in a company part-owned by Storm chairman Matt Tripp.

There are a number of clubs who are becoming increasingly frustrated with that situation and how the NRL approved it. The clubs believe it has helped the Storm sign Utoikamanu.

In 2022, NRL salary cap auditors approved a controversial arrangement where a number of Melbourne players were allowed to invest in start-up betting company BetR, which was part-owned by Tripp. Those players are believed to include superstar trio Harry Grant, Ryan Papenhuyzen and Jahrome Hughes.

I have been told by sources with knowledge of the situation, who did not want to be named due to the sensitive nature of the issue, that some players invested six-figure sums in the business, which at the time was part-owned by News Corp.

BetR struggled to gain traction in a tough market has since merged with BlueBet. Tripp declined to comment when contacted.

Rival clubs are asking questions about the financial arrangements.

This masthead isn’t suggesting the players were given any guarantees over their investment or that the Storm did anything wrong, but rival clubs are fuming that the NRL’s approval of the arrangement helped keep players at the Storm below market value with the lure of a healthy return on their investment in BetR. In turn, some clubs feel this gave the Storm the salary cap space to sign someone like Utoikamanu.

Several NRL club officials raised concerns with the NRL at the time of the initial investment. Allowing players to invest in a business part-owned by the chairman of a club was always asking for trouble.
Click to expand...
They’ve been around for 25 odd years, already got busted once, time for the NRL to stop with the favouritism. Give the franchise to an area who care about the game. Grubs.
 
Kaito said:
Crazy how NRL allowed top names to invest in
Their chairman's start up. Forgot about that smh


Wests Tigers have written to the NRL to ask for clarity on Melbourne’s deal to sign their rising front-row star Stefano Utoikamanu.

The Tigers have disclosed their offer to the governing body: five years, $4 million and a vehicle. In total, the deal was worth about $825,000 a year. But that wasn’t enough to keep Utoikamanu.

As a result, the Tigers have written to the NRL so they can learn about the Storm deal to ensure it is within the salary cap guidelines regarding offers.

The Tigers made the best offer of the three clubs chasing Utoikamanu’s signature, so it is understandable they want clarity. They want to understand how they lost him to the Storm.

There is no suggestion the Storm have done anything untoward, but the Tigers want clarity. In the background to all of this is anger and suspicion from rival clubs who can’t understand how the NRL approved Storm players investing in a company part-owned by Storm chairman Matt Tripp.

There are a number of clubs who are becoming increasingly frustrated with that situation and how the NRL approved it. The clubs believe it has helped the Storm sign Utoikamanu.

In 2022, NRL salary cap auditors approved a controversial arrangement where a number of Melbourne players were allowed to invest in start-up betting company BetR, which was part-owned by Tripp. Those players are believed to include superstar trio Harry Grant, Ryan Papenhuyzen and Jahrome Hughes.

I have been told by sources with knowledge of the situation, who did not want to be named due to the sensitive nature of the issue, that some players invested six-figure sums in the business, which at the time was part-owned by News Corp.

BetR struggled to gain traction in a tough market has since merged with BlueBet. Tripp declined to comment when contacted.

Rival clubs are asking questions about the financial arrangements.

This masthead isn’t suggesting the players were given any guarantees over their investment or that the Storm did anything wrong, but rival clubs are fuming that the NRL’s approval of the arrangement helped keep players at the Storm below market value with the lure of a healthy return on their investment in BetR. In turn, some clubs feel this gave the Storm the salary cap space to sign someone like Utoikamanu.

Several NRL club officials raised concerns with the NRL at the time of the initial investment. Allowing players to invest in a business part-owned by the chairman of a club was always asking for trouble.
Click to expand...
Really interesting story. I'd also ask how players were allowed to invest in a gambling startup when we couldn't engage Laurie Daley in a coaching capacity because of his part-time employment by a business involved in the gambling industry. There does seem to be huge double standards at play here. If you can stop players from gambling on football you can stop them from investing in a gambling business.
 
coivtny said:
Really interesting story. I'd also ask how players were allowed to invest in a gambling startup when we couldn't engage Laurie Daley in a coaching capacity because of his part-time employment by a business involved in the gambling industry. There does seem to be huge double standards at play here. If you can stop players from gambling on football you can stop them from investing in a gambling business.
Click to expand...

How can one be an investor in a betting company that takes profits on the industry you influence the result of. A major conflict of interest.
 
coivtny said:
Really interesting story. I'd also ask how players were allowed to invest in a gambling startup when we couldn't engage Laurie Daley in a coaching capacity because of his part-time employment by a business involved in the gambling industry. There does seem to be huge double standards at play here. If you can stop players from gambling on football you can stop them from investing in a gambling business.
Click to expand...
News Ltd pretty much own the NRL and the storm. If you want to get into conflicts.
 
I’m less concerned with Melbourne’s methods and more concerned that WT players, such as Stef, are seemingly willing to take a significant financial haircut in a career that could be over tomorrow to go to a better, more productive environment. While Stef’s form has been woeful, there continues to be a trend of our ‘better’ and ‘more experienced’ players clamouring for the exit rather than knuckling down at this club.
 
BalmainJnr said:
I’m less concerned with Melbourne’s methods and more concerned that WT players, such as Stef, are seemingly willing to take a significant financial haircut in a career that could be over tomorrow to go to a better, more productive environment. While Stef’s form has been woeful, there continues to be a trend of our ‘better’ and ‘more experienced’ players clamouring for the exit rather than knuckling down at this club.
Click to expand...

Therein lies the problem. I don't think (all) players
take significant pay-cuts of $600/800k to go play
for a flagship club. Imagine telling your young wife
and kid you're forgoing this cash to play with a rich
club out of state away from friends and family. We
need to do away with this lie and romantic notion
that all these good guys are going to better run clubs
for less money, especially in this economy, it's BS.
Especially when you're dealing with perennial cheats
Like the Melbourne storm, the only team in that
state in the comp, who the NRL have done their best
to protect since their foundation. It's all bullshit.
 
Kaito said:
Therein lies the problem. I don't think (all) players
take significant pay-cuts of $600/800k to go play
for a flagship club. Imagine telling your young wife
and kid you're forgoing this cash to play with a rich
club out of state away from friends and family. We
need to do away with this lie and romantic notion
that all these good guys are going to better run clubs
for less money, especially in this economy, it's BS.
Especially when you're dealing with perennial cheats
Like the Melbourne storm, the only team in that
state in the comp, who the NRL have done their best
to protect since their foundation. It's all bullshit.
Click to expand...
Truth
 
Kaito said:
Therein lies the problem. I don't think (all) players
take significant pay-cuts of $600/800k to go play
for a flagship club. Imagine telling your young wife
and kid you're forgoing this cash to play with a rich
club out of state away from friends and family. We
need to do away with this lie and romantic notion
that all these good guys are going to better run clubs
for less money, especially in this economy, it's BS.
Especially when you're dealing with perennial cheats
Like the Melbourne storm, the only team in that
state in the comp, who the NRL have done their best
to protect since their foundation. It's all bullshit.
Click to expand...
Yet the NRL actively resist transparency when it comes to the salary cap.
 
BalmainJnr said:
Yet the NRL actively resist transparency when it comes to the salary cap.
Click to expand...

Bad for business. Would likely expose their complicity
in clubs circumventing the cap too @BalmainJnr

Mundine was talking about this 25+ years ago
openly about how clubs make under the table
payments mate, it's nothing new, nor a conspiracy
 
The NFL have 32 franchises have 56 players active
on the roster each. Double the amount of clubs and
also double the amount of players at each club yet
manage to do yearly audits which are made public —
they also have a LIVE salary cap tracker on their
website. Our comp is run by gamblers & hucksters
 
kiwitiger said:
Yeah and said Norths had a future and Balmain didn't.
Click to expand...
He wasn’t wrong though ! It was purely luck and circumstance that got the bears punted .
The stadium gets completed 6 months earlier and there’s no way the nrl would have ratified a wests / Balmain merger . It would have been parra tigers and wests bulldogs or bust .
And the northern eagles wouldn’t have existed .
 
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