Why can't we just increase the salary cap ?
If teams are stupid enough to go over budget and into debt then it's their own fault.
We need to stop players going to the NRL and rugby union, give them the money their deserve !!

It also opens up the possibility that any one of the rest of the backline could be snapped up by the NRL or by another SL club as a marquee player, because all of a sudden they don't feel valued by Leeds.

Personally, I don't like this. I'm all for a re-think of the salary cap, it's about time. But the RFL and the rest of the clubs shouldn't be bullied Marwan Koukash looking after his own interests. He wants all clubs to have a Golden Ticket but if they can't use it another club can buy it? Right, so basically Marwan, you mean YOU can buy it.

Credit to the good doctor he is getting plenty of publicity for Salford , most of it seems to be quite good, and beneficial to super league.
Also anthing is better than the news coming out of odsal.

Having watched Salford on sky tonight, I suspect they will need several salary cap exemptions.

Quote ="Magic Superbeetle"You mean like the ones that were with the structural changes proposal? 5.3.11 In Tier 1, the current Elite Squad Representative Dispensation Allowance is removed, to be replaced by regulation that limits the Salary Cap Value of a Club Trained Player at a nominal value of £100k (i.e. for any Club Trained Player with a Salary Cap Value of over £100k, his Salary Cap Value will be assessed at £100k only with any additional wage not included in his salary cap value). This would reward clubs for producing elite talent and give them an opportunity to retain this talent in the face of competition from other sports and competitions. media.therfl.co.uk/docs/Policy%2 ... 202013.pdf'" Yes. Quite a lot ike that. Is that happening then?

Quote ="Magic Superbeetle"You mean like the ones that were with the structural changes proposal? 5.3.11 In Tier 1, the current Elite Squad Representative Dispensation Allowance is removed, to be replaced by regulation that limits the Salary Cap Value of a Club Trained Player at a nominal value of £100k (i.e. for any Club Trained Player with a Salary Cap Value of over £100k, his Salary Cap Value will be assessed at £100k only with any additional wage not included in his salary cap value). This would reward clubs for producing elite talent and give them an opportunity to retain this talent in the face of competition from other sports and competitions. media.therfl.co.uk/docs/Policy%2 ... 202013.pdf'" Yes. Quite a lot ike that. Is that happening then?

It isn't being increased because not everyone can afford to pay the cap we've got.

I don't think players move to the NRL purely for the money. I think the chance to play in the best league in the world against the top players in the world is a big lure.

As a sport, if we want to raise the salary cap, which I'd like to assume everyone would, we have to generate more money.

Having watched the VR decision just prior to half time I was wondering whether Steve Ganson was a marquee signing.

Surely it frustrating for some clubs knowing they have the finances to keep NRL and Union at bay but have their hands tied preventing them.

Don't see that the marquee signing idea would address this tbh. Consensus is that from Leeds' backline realistic targets for the NRL or union would be Briscoe, Watkins, Hall and Hardaker. Leeds could use their exemption to pay one of these an inflated wage which might mean the retention of one player. Positive impact on crowds would presumably be zero, given that they're already present at the club. Conversely, we could go down the road that many fans would like to see their clubs adopt, i.e. sign a superstar from either the NRL or, less likely, union. While crowd numbers might initially rise due to the novelty factor, our resident talent would remain just as vulnerable to being poached - maybe more so if they saw an import be rewarded with a salary twice the size of their own. It's not inconceivable that we could be left with the situation of having signed a quite-possibly underperforming aussie star while losing a quality English player to union.

Raise salaries yes, but for me the marquee signing idea is unlikely to benefit the English game in any significant way.

My statement wasn't in respect of the marquee exemption just a general one of the the club's that do generate the income and/or have backers with more money than sense.

Which is a fair point. Those clubs are being hamstrung by a minority that have neither.

Ay, let's go down the route that allowed Wigan with their cheque book to dominate the 1980s but that ultimately led to them having to seel their ground.
Would you be so keen to see this if Moran wasn't bankrolling the Wolves?
What happens if or when he gets fed up & walks away from the club?
Sometimes for the greater good of the game you have to protect clubs from themselves.

Why would Moran get fed up and walk away?

He's a lifelong fan that stood in terraces before he made his money and still stands in the terraces now.

I bet it is.

But a 6 team league would be even more frustrating.

Moran himself may not get fed up but possibly his descendants will, or maybe his own empire could collapse around his ears denuding him of his fortune.
I know nothing about his personal financial circumstances & none of the above might happen but you never know in this world.
I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Koukash walk away if things don't turn out the way he wants & then where will Salford be?

Just near Manchester I think.

Saint's chairman makes the right noises: www.loverugbyleague.com/news_143 ... ility.html

Saint's chairman makes the right noises: www.loverugbyleague.com/news_143 ... ility.html

I'm still surprised that the motion was supported by the Leeds' CEO - then I heard Dr Koukash explain his vision for 14/12 Golden Tickets which could be traded between clubs (the good doctor mentioned at £200K each) and the rationale for Leeds supporting this innovation suddenly became much clearer.

Safe to say (IMO) that no Leeds player present or future would benefit from such a scheme as long as they played half their games at Headingley.

www.independent.co.uk/sport/gene ... 55333.html According to this the golden ticket idea wasnt even discussed.

www.independent.co.uk/sport/gene ... 55333.html According to this the golden ticket idea wasnt even discussed.

When Koukash got involved with Salford, I speculated that he wouldn't be interested in building a club from the base up, and would instead want the rules rearranging so he can buy success with his substantial personal wealth.

I got shouted down at the time by Salford fans. Seems I wasn't a million miles wide of the mark after all.

True, but just because he is being self-interested doesn't mean its not the right move for the game. I don't know what the right way forward is. However, we have had a salary cap for over a decade. players are earning less in real terms than 10 yeras ago. The competing competitions (NRL & Union) are paying more and there are still clubs going bust.

Perhaps it wasn't discussed formally at this meeting but he went public with the idea of trading tickets and I think it shows where he wishes this dangerous slippery slope to lead.

There's an issue, but I just don't like quick fixes. The business (sport-wide) has to grow to allow a competitive league at a higher salary cap.

Has there been any suggestion that the apparently more lucrative TV deal will result in an increase in the cap?

RL needs to create a long term vision for the sport that it will aim towards. At present it has gone from one plan to another to another in quick succession.

Clubs are living from year to year with too much self interest involved to allow the sport to try and grow.

I cannot see that changing.

Self interest from both sides of the world have definitely stopped the international game growing.