There are plenty of ways Warrington could be affording this:
The amount each Club can spend on its first team players is (subject to certain exemptions and dispensations) limited to the lower of:
- The finite Salary Cap limit of £2.1m; and
- The amount that it is deemed that a Club can afford to spend pursuant to the Financial Sustainability Regulations.
DISPENSATIONS
The key dispensations are:
- Marquee Player – Each Super League and Championship Club is permitted to have two Marquee Players whose Salary Cap value is limited to £150,000 (or £75,000 if Club Trained);
- Club Trained Dispensation – Each Super League club is given up to £100,000 of dispensation for producing Super League standard players;
- Player Welfare Dispensation – Each Super League Club that achieves the player welfare target is given a £15,000 dispensation;
- New Talent Pool Dispensation – Any Player who has not previously played Rugby League is given a value of £0 in the first year of his contract and at 50% of his true value in the second year;
- Returning Talent Pool Dispensation – Any Player who has not previously played rugby league in the 5 years prior to signing is given a value of 50% of his true value in the first year of his contract and 75% of his true value in the second year;
- International Bonuses – Bonuses paid for international representation are excluded up to specified maximums;
- Educational fees paid directly by Clubs are excluded; and
- Prize money – Payments made out of prize money are excluded.
