Despite the Storm, a fan pledges loyalty

BALLARAT Melbourne Storm supporter Yvonne Wetemans is determined to weather the storm created by revelations on Thursday of breaches of the salary cap by her club.The Storm attracted the harshest punishment ever dished out in Australian sport after revelations it had been rorting the salary cap over the past five years.As punishment, the club has been stripped of its 2007 and 2009 titles as well as three minor premierships, been docked of all competition points it has earned and will earn in 2010, and fined $1.6 million, including $1.1 million in prizemoney."When my son first rang and told me, I thought he was teasing me," Ms Wetemans said."When I found out it was true, I was just gutted, then I was angry and then, after thinking about it for long time, I got philosophical."I thought who's at fault here? "It's not the players, it's the administration."It was the skill of the players and coaching staff which won the games and that has nothing to do with how much money they were being paid."Ms Wetemans was smitten with the Storm from the first time she went to a game in 1999, even though she had never enjoyed AFL."I like the atmosphere, the whole feel of rugby league. "I went to a Melbourne Storm game and I just loved it."She said the Storm players were always available to their fans after a game, signing everything.She believes the penalty should have been a monetary one as the one meted out hurts players and fans the most.For the future, Ms Wetemans hopes this disaster will ultimately strengthen the team."I'm hoping the Storm supporters will rally behind the team and that we'll come out stronger at the end."