News Limited chief executive John Hartigan concedes Melbourne will have to shed at least one of its four marquee players or risk becoming a 'pub' team in the wake of the club's blatant salary cap rorting.
After detailing the full extent of the Storm's systematic cheating between 2006-10 following the release of an independent forensic investigation, Hartigan said owner News Ltd remains committed to funding the club during its 'rehabilitation' but cannot see how Greg Inglis, Cooper Cronk, Cameron Smith and Billy Slater will all remain.
There have been suggestions the quartet could stay together and eat up half of next year's cap with the rest to be distributed among the other 21 contracted players, but Hartigan is sceptical.
"Looking at it on the basis that the top four players are going to make up half the salary cap, they're going to finish up with the possibility of having a pub team filling many of the other spots within their salary cap," he said at a packed news conference on Thursday.
"If you say the top four make up half - that's $2.1m – and then work on the basis the next five are on $200-250,000, then you finish up with the remainder of your 25 players possibly being the most you can pay them is around $90,000."
"I'd be a mug if I said that we didn't (want to keep the Big Four). Obviously we do."
"They are great athletes and it's just a treat, as the owner of the Storm and as a sports fan, to go and see them."
"But at some point we've got to be pragmatic and something's got to give."
"The fact the current commitments to pay players next year is $1.3m over the cap means some very difficult decisions need to be made at the Storm by the club management, by the coaching staff and by some of the players."
Despite estimating the inflated player payments, subsequent fines and loss of sponsorship will cost News Ltd $14 this year – up from the original budget of $6m – the company will not abandon the club.
Hartigan believes the Storm's recovery from the salary cap rorting, which stands at $3.17m over five seasons, will take two at least two to three years.
But he is convinced the club can again challenge for the premiership after being stripped of its 2007 and '09 titles due to the salary cap breaches.
"First, News is totally committed to rebuilding the Melbourne Storm," Hartigan said.
"Second, we're in the process of recruiting a new chief executive officer to provide the leadership the club needs (to) restore its credibility."
"Third, the immediate priority is to work out the playing roster for next season that will allow the Storm to field a competitive team that is under the salary cap."
"The Storm and its fans have shown remarkable resilience and pride over the last three months and they will be premiers again."
"We want to go on funding them so we can win a premiership, but this time do it legally."
"The next premiership will be won fair and square."