Level Playing Field : Tue Apr 14, 2009 8:28 am  

How long before the so called "big clubs" decide enough is enough and the salary cap that really has started to take effect, is watered down?
Noble has already had a stab at breaking it once again, with his call for poaching Union players outside of the cap, what other ways will he and others try to find around the system that's making the Superleague a real competition at last?

it : Tue Apr 14, 2009 8:42 am  

It might happen, a relaxing of the rules because the franchise system affords clubs protection from relegation - personally I hope not.

The NRL is a competition where wooden spooners one season can be grand finalists the next and vice versa - so, if you think that is better then a strict and harshly policed cap works, I happen to think that isn’t better and doesn't always reward careful management and year on year progress.

Personally, I don't think we should try and emulate the NRL, I think a system where there is relaxed rules only for players you have brought through the ranks would help - so clubs can't exploit a short term fix buying people in..... then it forces you not only to budget carefully – and all clubs are doing that now. But also it rewards building year on year on year, as we are currently doing with the likes of Massey, Boyle, Shenton, Huby, Westerman, Owen and need to continue to do.

But Danny Boy, I am sorry to say I can see there being a representation from the richer clubs to try and get some slack cut.

: Tue Apr 14, 2009 9:14 am  

it will take SL 15 years backwards , if the powers that be have any ambitions then the cap will be even more enforced
we are about 3 years away from actually having a competition where at the start of the season 1 of about 10 clubs could win it.

: Tue Apr 14, 2009 11:14 am  

I think your being overly cynical, Leeds and Saints have both supported the salary cap.

The only "big" club to publicly rail against it is Wigan.

: Tue Apr 14, 2009 11:52 am  

The Chair Maker wrote:

I think your being overly cynical, Leeds and Saints have both supported the salary cap.

The only "big" club to publicly rail against it is Wigan.

Why would Wigan 'rail' against something they do not recognise and have no intention of abiding by?

Sure : Tue Apr 14, 2009 11:58 am  

The Chair Maker wrote:

I think your being overly cynical, Leeds and Saints have both supported the salary cap.

The only "big" club to publicly rail against it is Wigan.

I am not being a cynic, I do think however if 'some' clubs continue to struggle, pressure will be greater, against a backdrop of continual national under achievement and player defections - then I think pressure will increase.

I am not totally convinced the lottery-ish results seen in the NRL sometimes help either... I am not sure it should be possible for the wooden spoon team this season to win it next, it should take a concerted growth plan to achieve that result and sound planning.

: Tue Apr 14, 2009 12:35 pm  

There may be mumbling in the short term, but apart from Wigan I can't see it being particularly vociferous. Thanks to franchises the RFL now have a hold over club chairmen they've never really had before, and they (the RFL) know what the long term plan is and now have a means to deliver it. Any serious rumblings about cap dodging (I would expect) will be frowned upon and, as we know, any actual breaches would have implications on a future golden ticket application.

I doubt it'll come to that though.. in the end even the most myopic of chairmen will start to see the benefits of a genuinely unpredictable league.

: Tue Apr 14, 2009 1:41 pm  

I think the salary cap is working well at the moment and levelling out the playing field, I am concerned about Wigan trying to bend the rules, they have to be the biggest concern, reckon Bradford could be a problem if they weren't so short of dosh.

Does the cap help us even more than levelling out the playing field, would a player signing for us expect less than say he would signing for Wigan? I imagine most players if they had no affinity to a club, given the choice would sign for a so called 'glamour club', but they now have much less to spend.
Does the Cap identify the best coach, the best youth policy, the best club?

Will such as John Kear, Terry Matterson and Justin Morgan be able to demand even great salaries (or will transfer fees become a possibility for coaches) as they seem to be cutting it at the moment and even though there is a salary cap, they still have less money to spend than such as Saints or Wigan.

: Tue Apr 14, 2009 1:59 pm  

The salary cap has stuffed Wigan.

: Tue Apr 14, 2009 7:14 pm  

Dead Man Walking wrote:

The salary cap has stuffed Wigan.

other clubs going full time professional stuffed wigan