I wonder if any of our Championship new signings won’t count on the salary cap then if they’re not one of the clubs top 25 earning players

Interesting to see if we get some ignings confirmed this week then.... tbh I'm a little underwhelmed with what's coming in, I'm not wanting to sound negative but was especially hoping for a bit of class up front.

I can't help but thinking that letting Sutcliffe go is a mistake... especially when we'll use up a quota spot on his replacement.

Watching the NRL grand finals it's really occurred to me that the game has evolved from having gun centres that you give early ball to, and let them try to make breaks outwide. With the exception of Crighton, none of the centres in the GF are big name players. You can say the same for Souths or the Sharks too. The back three are now way more important than the centres, who mostly need to be good defensively.

I think moving forward, it makes more sense to upgrade Fusitua and find a long term solution to our fullback issue. Can only see Hardaker or Myler playing at their current level for another couple of years.

The front row also HAS to be a priority if we are to compete with Saints next year.

Its a bit chicken and egg with the centres. Joey Manu is a real threat for the Roosters and a huge part of their game. At the Bronocos, Farnworth and Staggs are key to their game. Olam is a weapon for the Storm.

For me the issue with Sutcliffe isn't so much his general standard as a centre, but the fact that he represents an ongoing acceptance of blah players. Hopefully whoever we get is an upgrade.

Agree entirely re the front row. Smith didn't reinvent the game this season, he managed a team with a duff front row to win despite that glaring weakness. I'd be surprised if he wasn't the first to say that he'd rather have a better set of props. It looks like we're not going to get in a star prop, but hopefully between our new signings we'll have the makings of a gun front row when Prior and Tetevano leave.

Agreed. Thought Sutcliffe looked well below Saints backline in the GF. Front row is the biggest issue without a doubt.

I thought so too. To be fair he did well in the second half of the season (as he did in our GF run/win in 2017), and he scored some crucial tries in important games, but he's just not the player for a club of our ambitions. He's not in the same class as past players like Senior, Godden, Moon, Carroll, Watkins and even Hurrell, so we needn't worry too much about him leaving. You'd have thought that if he had star quality in him we'd have seen it by now. Newman has way more potential and Hardaker is a better centre too.

If Sutcliffe goes well at Hull and scores a few against us, so be it. Even the likes of Keinhorst have played well against us but I wouldn't want them back at Leeds.

Yep agree fully with that. We need to have better in that position

You're right, he's not. He'd be a massive upgrade.

Can pass, tackle and is quick.

I hope your right

I can’t find the detail online but thought you could only sign 25 players earning over £30k but players 26 and onwards on lower money still count towards the overall £2.1m cap.
It may have changed but players 26 onwards counted in the past. Which is why clubs don’t have many of them.

Quote Sir Gregory ParsloeP="Sir Gregory ParsloeP"I can’t find the detail online but thought you could only sign 25 players earning over £30k but players 26 and onwards on lower money still count towards the overall £2.1m cap. It may have changed but players 26 onwards counted in the past. Which is why clubs don’t have many of them.'" https://www.rugby-league.com/flipbooks/ ... html#p=300 Quote Sir Gregory ParsloeP 3.1.1 A Club must ensure that, at any time during the Salary Cap Year, its Aggregate Liability does not exceed: (a) for British based clubs (other clubs which pay their players in British Pounds), £2,100,000 (Two Million, One Hundred Thousand Pounds) (or such amount as determined prior to the Salary Cap Year in question by a majority vote of the British clubs), or [... A Club's "Aggregate Liability" is calculated by adding together the respective Salary Cap Values of the Club's Players at the given time in question and then deducting any allowances or dispensations permitted pursuant to these Regulations. A Club's "Players" are: (i) the 25 Players registered with the Club who have the highest Salary Cap Values at the time in question, whether or not they have played for the Club in a Salary Cap Relevant Match in the Salary Cap Year to that date; and (ii) all other Players at the Club who play in a Salary Cap Relevant Match save that Players who (A) would be age eligible to play at under 21 level in the relevant Season (i.e. under 21 on the 31 August preceding the applicable Season); and (B) whose Salary Cap Value would be £20,000 or less, shall not be caught under this paragraph (for the avoidance of doubt Players who meet these requirements but fall within (a) do count towards a Club's Aggregate Liability). '" So I was slightly incorrect. the highest paid 25 players count on the cap, and then anyone else who isn't under 21 or earning less than £20k also count on the cap. So you can still have a squad of 30, but all 30 could also count on the cap.

Quote Sir Gregory ParsloeP="Sir Gregory ParsloeP"I can’t find the detail online but thought you could only sign 25 players earning over £30k but players 26 and onwards on lower money still count towards the overall £2.1m cap. It may have changed but players 26 onwards counted in the past. Which is why clubs don’t have many of them.'" https://www.rugby-league.com/flipbooks/ ... html#p=300 Quote Sir Gregory ParsloeP 3.1.1 A Club must ensure that, at any time during the Salary Cap Year, its Aggregate Liability does not exceed: (a) for British based clubs (other clubs which pay their players in British Pounds), £2,100,000 (Two Million, One Hundred Thousand Pounds) (or such amount as determined prior to the Salary Cap Year in question by a majority vote of the British clubs), or [... A Club's "Aggregate Liability" is calculated by adding together the respective Salary Cap Values of the Club's Players at the given time in question and then deducting any allowances or dispensations permitted pursuant to these Regulations. A Club's "Players" are: (i) the 25 Players registered with the Club who have the highest Salary Cap Values at the time in question, whether or not they have played for the Club in a Salary Cap Relevant Match in the Salary Cap Year to that date; and (ii) all other Players at the Club who play in a Salary Cap Relevant Match save that Players who (A) would be age eligible to play at under 21 level in the relevant Season (i.e. under 21 on the 31 August preceding the applicable Season); and (B) whose Salary Cap Value would be £20,000 or less, shall not be caught under this paragraph (for the avoidance of doubt Players who meet these requirements but fall within (a) do count towards a Club's Aggregate Liability). '" So I was slightly incorrect. the highest paid 25 players count on the cap, and then anyone else who isn't under 21 or earning less than £20k also count on the cap. So you can still have a squad of 30, but all 30 could also count on the cap.