Storm players rule out appeal: Cronk

Preparing for their first taste of away crowd reaction to the salary cap scandal,
Melbourne Storm players have ruled out attempting to overturn their 2010 NRL
premiership points ban.
Halfback Cooper Cronk said on Thursday two days of talks with owners News Ltd and
the players' association had persuaded the players to forego any bid to appeal that
controversial part of the club's punishment for long-term salary cap cheating.
It means they are resigned to collecting the wooden spoon as they play out their
remaining 17 games this year, including Saturday's clash with North Queensland at
Dairy Farmers Stadium.
"There'll be no appeal. A lot of emotions run round your head, but we've got
football to concentrate on now and the only thing we can hang our hat on now is
playing football," said Cronk before the team flew to Townsville.
The players' acceptance of their penalty comes after News Ltd chief executive John
Hartigan told them there would be no support from the owners for an appeal despite
the wishes of many Storm fans.
The Storm thumped New Zealand Warriors 40-6 last weekend in Melbourne in their first
match since the shock of being stripped of two premierships and losing the right to
play for points this year.
But their big test comes this weekend when they leave a fan base which has backed
them to the hilt, and prepare to test crowd reaction to their predicament at away
matches.
Cronk vowed that being resigned to playing for no points would not mean putting in
any less effort.
"We're all professional footballers and we pride ourselves on playing for this footy
club," he said.
"I know I have a lot of pride in that purple jersey and every time I wear it, I go
out and have a red-hot crack."
Cronk said the players had been heartened by support from the union - the Rugby
League Players' Association (RLPA) - and News Limited's promise to continue backing
the club.
"The one thing we can take out of the meetings is that everyone's there to support
us in what we're all going through," Cronk said.
"For News Ltd to come down and say they're right behind us, for the RLPA to be
behind us, it's good as an individual and as a footy team."