You also have to take into account the tax rate in France. Anyone on a decent wedge is crucified by the tax man and it is not cheap to live in the South of France. Having said that I would be off like a shot if I had the chance.

Micky Mac didn't think so.

The problem will be that the one year option will cost us a fortune in wages. He’s playing well but not well enough to be the highest earner in superleague. If the club feel they can try and take 100k off his salary for example and use it to keep Bateman, Gildart etc then you can see why they’d hold off extending on that automatic one year basis.

There’s talk he’s on 300k a year at the minute. Wigan may decide to play hard ball and offer a new 3-4 year deal on say 180-200k per season and if that isn’t accepted then they may just let him walk and spend that huge chunk of cash elsewhere.

It’s going to be interesting to see what happens.

Micky Mac basically admitted he was told he may as well go by Wigan. Had we wanted to keep him I have no doubt he’d still be here but we needed the cap space.

It doesn't matter how much he is on as he he is marquee. If we lower his wage he will still be same on cap (lower than new marquee if we get an aussie for example as he has come through ranks)

I really hope the club manage the contract renewals and incoming/departures professionally. I really don't think a whole season of speculation regards Sam, Bateman, Gildart and Sutton will do us any good. It should not be too hard to sit down with representatives and decide what the future holds...if the club is rebuilding next year which seems to be the general consensus then keeping all the above for me should be rather paramount.

Our use of the cap space always comes into question and I can see why...other clubs have no problem keeping hold/managing of talent similar to ours, so why can't we? If I had a sit down with the powers that be, that would be my main question. Saints have a great nucleus of youth (Makinson, Lomax, Richardson, Grace, Percival) as do Leeds and maybe most impressively Warrington seem to be managing things well with enough space free to accommodate a late arrival of a great calibre (Josh). We must of handled things rather poorly in the last 2/3 years.

Really ???

I don't think a 30+ year old Sam Tomkins is worth one of our two marquee spots. I'd retain him if he will accept a salary that isn't marquee money. Otherwise, let him go and look to the NRL for a marquee 7 to partner Williams in the halves.

for every good signing Wire have made in the last few seasons, they've also signed a couple of bad ones on big money. but I do agree and I've been saying for a long time that whoever is in charge of contracts and negotiations at Wigan is stealing a living; there must be a massively sporadic wage system in place and no wonder we have players wanting out or wanting to up their contract if they are looking at similar players in similar form on twice as much as them.

regarding Sam, I can't see him leaving Wigan at all, again, full stop. he will retire a Wigan player in my opinion. I just hope that Wigan don't pi$$ everyone else off by throwing whatever he wants at him. he is massively important even when not in good form, but he isn't massively essential.

Yes, I honestly don't think Leeds struggle balancing the likes of Parcell, Hall, Watkins, Myler and Cutherbertson etc with Handley, Golding, Singleton, Walker and the like...they are likely to have a comfortable buffer too and I am unsure if they even have a Marquee?

Warrington have a selection of very good Rugby League players (Tyrone Roberts, BMM, Hill and Goodwin) and a select few youngsters (Currie, Patton, King) whilst still having space to bring in Charnley. Whilst we have a good squad, I feel like our wage management and offering of contracts is a little off-the-pace. I believe Joe Burgess, Joel T, Sarge, Powell, TT all probably earn way more than they actually are worth added to the fact we have TWO marquee players and are now faced with losing Bateman, Sam, Gildart and Sutton to the NRL simply because we can't offer better contratcs. IMO I believe, GW is worthy of Marquee, simply to prevent him being a marquee at any other SL club or losing him to the NRL. I think SOL has earnt the right to be a high earner and whilst some of the players above may be showing good form, they never really become good value for money.

It would appear we are stuck, even releasing FPN, we are left using remaining cap space to appease players like Bateman who probably hasn't earn anywhere near what Joel has earnt in the last few seasons. Same with Gildart, signing Sarge on a big wage likely left a bitter taste. I just think it seems we mismanage the cap, that is all I am saying and ultimately it is why we will lose players.

Isn't a lot this dealing with hypotheticals?

Do we really know the salaries of Burgess, Joel, Sarge etc? And how would you rate that list of players compared to other players in the league at other clubs? On form Burgess and Sarge have the potential to push for international spots, previously capped and still only young.
SOL total salary doesn't count on the cap does it? He's a 10 year 1 club player.
NRL simply for better contracts? Is this entirely true? Surely the opportunity to play in the best league in the world is a factor, and of course have the lifestyle Oz can offer. Hypothetical to just say it's all for money only.

I remember Rads saying he had chatted with Leeds wrt the cap and they have a very structured system of pay bands dependant on international caps, experience etc. so all the players know that if they want to get to the next level they have to improve their game. I just guess that at Leeds the players think they are getting a fair slice of the pie based on the wage structure as they have a fair idea what the more senior players are on. Of course there is still the fact that someone who is considered a squad player at the likes of Wigan, Saints and Leeds will be considered a starting 13 player at a lower club and hence be able to demand a larger salary there. Ultimately it depends whether you value money or winners medals more from your career.