: Sun Mar 22, 2009 12:33 am  

adam9641 wrote:

Would not bother me, the player has to make his own mind up. I can't change what they want to do.

If the player thinks he has a better future else where then so be it, it's the same in any job, if you get offered more money to move you will take it.

There might be a few players going to union, but there is also a few payers coming from union to league.

?

Can you tell me who?

Are they international players or top prospects?

The question was not aimed at the player in question, it was aimed at the fan, you and me, are you happy to pay for games that are competative regardless of the quality?

: Sun Mar 22, 2009 12:36 am  

jonh wrote:

?

Can you tell me who?

Are they international players or top prospects?

The question was not aimed at the player in question, it was aimed at the fan, you and me, are you happy to pay for games that are competative regardless of the quality?

A couple of my mates started off in union and now play league.

A few SL players started in union. Was talking about it to another player and he said you would be suprised by the amount that start in union.

And no, I would not pay for a poor quality game even if it was competative.

The first time I trained in rugby that was in union, in primary school the Wakey rugby union team came and taught us a thing or 2, or they tried any way

: Sun Mar 22, 2009 12:41 am  

adam9641 wrote:

A couple of my mates started off in union and now play league.

A few SL players started in union. Was talking about it to another player and he said you would be suprised by the amount that start in union.

And no, I would not pay for a poor quality game even if it was competative.

Well what we are seeing is Union target International League players and its top prospects.

I played both codes union at a much higher standard than league but chose to follow league not sure that is a sign of improvement, simply a sign of someone who followed there heart regardless of the consequenses.

We all have mates, but what we do not all have is International players and proven Players at Sl level who when offered Union money that League clubs due to its restrictive rules regardless of its viability cannot match chose League.

: Sun Mar 22, 2009 12:45 am  

jonh wrote:

Well what we are seeing is Union target International League players and its top prospects.

I played both codes union at a much higher standard than league but chose to follow league not sure that is a sign of improvement, simply a sign of someone who followed there heart regardless of the consequenses.

We all have mates, but what we do not all have is International players and proven Players at Sl level who when offered Union money that League clubs due to its restrictive rules regardless of its viability chose League.

BUT it's not like a massive number of international class players are going to union, if it was a big number of players then maybe I can see the point in the alarm bells.

Lee Smith, yeah he is a decent player but Leeds have players in there academy who will prob go on to be better than him.

: Sun Mar 22, 2009 12:48 am  

adam9641 wrote:

BUT it's not like a massive number of international class players are going to union, if it was a big number of players then maybe I can see the point in the alarm bells.

Lee Smith, yeah he is a decent player but Leeds have players in there academy who will prob go on to be better than him.

At Accademy level Smith was regarded as one of the best prospects in the world.

Ainscough is being courted. Ashton went, many other non sigened juniors are being targetted and crossing.

Its not the established players we need to worry about anymore!

: Sun Mar 22, 2009 12:51 am  

jonh wrote:

At Accademy level Smith was regarded as one of the best prospects in the world.

Ainscough is being courted. Ashton went, many other non sigened juniors are being targetted and crossing.

Its not the established players we need to worry about anymore!

I see what you meen, but I am sure players will get produced to replace them. At the moment there is a fair few knocking about who have the potential to make it in SL.

If all they care about if money then let them go.

What is your plan? remove the salary cap all together?

: Sun Mar 22, 2009 12:57 am  

adam9641 wrote:

I see what you meen, but I am sure players will get produced to replace them. At the moment there is a fair few knocking about who have the potential to make it in SL.

If all they care about if money then let them go.

What is your plan? remove the salary cap all together?

No, my plan would be to relate the cap directly to turnover.

I would also like to see a rule that meant players produced from the Academy counted less towards the cap, for example only 70% of the wage contributed towards the cap, 50% if they made international selection.

I would also like to see overseas players wages count extra towards the cap maybe 120%.

This would force the hand of cliubs to invest in both youth and comercial viability, it would also ensure clubs did everything in there power to maximise there turnover and junior development.

: Sun Mar 22, 2009 12:59 am  

jonh wrote:

No, my plan would be to relate the cap directly to turnover.

I would also like to see a rule that meant players produced from the Academy counted less towards the cap, for example only 70% of the wage contributed towards the cap, 50% if they made international selection.

I would also like to see overseas players wages count extra towards the cap maybe 120%.

This would force the hand of cliubs to invest in both youth and comercial viability, it would also ensure clubs did everything in there power to maximise there turnover and junior development.

Yeah I would be happy with that. I like the idea of it. It would sort 2 problems out, more younger British players and less overseas players.

Although Wakey used to get a lot of stick (rightly so) we are heading in the right direction and are giving young lads the chance that they would not get any where else IMO.

: Sun Mar 22, 2009 1:03 am  

adam9641 wrote:

Yeah I would be happy with that. I like the idea of it. It would sort 2 problems out, more younger British players and less overseas players.

Although Wakey used to get a lot of stick (rightly so) we are heading in the right direction and are giving young lads the chance that they would not get any where else IMO.

I agree and that is credit to the cap to a certain extent. What i do not like is this "leveling of the playing field" meaning clubs who have potential for growth are judged and held in the same esteem as the lowest common denominator.

For our sport to thrive we need to move forward and embrace growth not restrict it, which is where i feel the current rules of the cap fall down.

: Sun Mar 22, 2009 1:30 am  

jonh wrote:

What i do not like is this "leveling of the playing field"

Of course you don't. Wigan fans liking the levelling of the playing field would be like turkeys voting for Christmas. However it makes for a more interesting competition that more people want to watch.

jonh wrote:

For our sport to thrive we need to move forward and embrace growth not restrict it, which is where i feel the current rules of the cap fall down.

We do need to move forward. SL as a whole needs to improve and it is competition that drives that improvement. Allowing one team to dominate results in stagnation.