Can we at least agree that the gap should stay the same in real terms? That it should go up to reflect inflation, and maintain the value it was worth when it was introduced?

A higher cap will stop player drain. Both because for some (Tomkins J, Eastmond, Ashton) international honours were not so obviously imminent as they were for the likes of Burgess when they left. Second, because a better contract in SL will help clubs ward off the temptation that the NRL & RU can offer. Maybe not for the biggest stars like SBW or Burgess, but certainly for the likes of Joe Burgess, Hodgson & Tomkins - the high quality english players we need to be keeping in our competition.

The marquee player rule is also a good idea, and I don't think it'd create dressing room tension. I don't think anyone at Salford is going to object to SBW being the best-paid player, nor anyone at Leeds resenting Jonathan Thurston's wage packet.

Like whom?

From what you've seen at Baldwinson at Fev do you reckon he's to make the step up to SL?

I would suggest there are very few players in SL that are of interest to anyone outside of SL. Whether the players feel suitably remunerated is a mute point as most have no other means of matching the income they receive from the sport.

The idea that you can have real wage deflation and a quality increase in the competition doesn't make any sense. Most would agree the quality on the field has reached a worryingly poor standard. The idea of developing youngsters is a good one but the have to see a viable financial future if they are to make the commitment required to reach the required standard. It could be that many youngsters are turned off the sport at a young age because the earning potential is so low compared to Football, Rugby Union, Cricket etc.

We need to be able to attract better quality Aussies and players from RU if we are improve the competition on offer. Increasing the cap doesn't have to mean all players salaries go up but what it might mean is the really top players are correctly rewarded.

Perhaps a cap on the CEO salaries would be a good idea - guarantee if it had been linked to the players SC it would not be at the same level it has been for the past 10 years.

There's got to be another Darren Fleary out there waiting. The trick is finding the one who can make the step up. There are guys who have the ability to raise their performance to a higher level when they are put in that environment and it's hard to show that until you are put alongside better players.

The ones that have caused us problems have generally been older heads in their mid 20s. The Batley props stood out as did the whole pack at Leigh (mind you they were pumped up like crazy). Halifax have a decent pack but lack conditioning.

Baldwinson may come good but he's not there yet - he's got a bit to learn and loses a bit in comparison with more experienced props at that level as it's more physical than SL. He'll be one of those that requires patience and may well come good later. I think the current system where kids are potentially on the scrap heap at 19 is particularly bad for props since it's a position you need a bigger and stronger physique for that many 19 year olds will be lacking. I'd argue that a return to the "A" Team would be better for everyone - but then money is tight at some clubs.

Leeds could make an offer to some lads in their mid 20s to give full time a go for a year or 18 months. You may turn up another Fleary or a Chris Hill.

I Really do think we will be ok next year.

JP and Kyle are going but we have Cuthbertson who has been a revelation, Singleton who will only get better and better. Look beyond that and there is Yates who trys very hard and will get better the longer he stays in a good set up, Mulhern who looks to a beast for his age and Baldwinson who came through our youth set up spent a year in Oz and now is learning in the championship.

We need one good quality prop for nxt year, Rapera (sp) who be a good shot and another seasoned prop maybe from champ just to bring the young ones through.

Props don't peak really until their mid to late 20's, Singo has been the exeption to this rule this year.

On a personal note, While the sleeve was in Oz I hope he took in Brisbane and had a coffee with Sam Thaiday

I forgot to add I feel Delaney will end up at prop in the nxt season or 2!!

Gareth do you think his team mates at Barcelona will resent the monies Mesi earns? If the player delivers on the field his team mates dont care. Doubt Greg Inglis or Thurston get much truck from their team mates

They might if he and a few others were getting loyalty payments to stay in Spain from the Spanish FA.

There's also a big difference between a middling Barcelona player who's still getting €100k a week and a middling leeds player who's getting a decent wage.

If the marquee rule is not agreed to then we must increase the cap, simple as that. It is ludicrous that people argue that the players are getting a fair wage.

When you hear that Christiano Ronaldo earned more last year than the whole of the super league players put together, that is just plain wrong. I am well aware that their is more money in football, but put in terms like that, it is ridiculous. Our sport too has some extremely talented sportsmen.

Elite players in RL are probably earning about the same as mid-table League One footballers.

It's a vicious circle in some ways. Bigger sports generate more attention, which attracts more people to them and in turn helps them grow and the cycle starts again. It's why minority sports will always struggle to match the profile of football or cricket in this country, and as a result not generate the income to reward their best players.

We need an established prop to take over Peacock's workload. If we use Singleton or Cuthbertson for that we lose the impact Singleton has currently and Cuthbertson can't do the ball playing/offloading game that makes him so excellent.

Personally I think Mulhern will become a good prop but, like with Singleton, we have to allow him to develop and not throw him in too early.

I have to agree. Its a shame to say that its a handful of clubs that are holding us back in terms of the cap, and they've had enough time to expand their business but now its time to loosen the reigns on the bigger teams that have their houses in order

Uncle Gal has already said JP will need replacing externally. I won't argue with that. the big question is, who?

I'd like to think targets have already been identified and negotiations commenced.

Bit of a long shot, but hopefully the Titans stalling over offering Nate Myles a new deal has popped up on Gawwy's radar.