Does Olly Barkley still play? Dunno what's been posted on the 'net about him but he could show most of our boys a thing or two.

It is my understanding that talks have been going on with the RFL for quite some time so may not be a kneejerk.

According to Andy Wilson's blog on the Guardian website there have been no changes to the salary cap. He reckons those questioning it are small minded.

Despite the Telegraph reporting

Someone is lying somewhere. Potentially Wigan are being given dispensation to breach the cap in order to keep Tomkins in the sport and the small minded fans are being smokescreened?

What are we calling long serving? Marquee player? Could cover several players in some squads and will just defeat the purpose of cap?

According to Andy Wilson of the Guardian nothing has changed bar O'Loughlin being at Wigan for 10 years now (Which is the limit for the £50k allowance). So they get £50k of O'Loughlin's salary excluded, but this can only happen with one player. There are apparently no changes to the cap rules themselves at all.

So basically they have given Sam a new contract with 50k more per year (the 50k they now have exempt from O'loughlin's salary) and written in a 3 year "no discussion with anyone else" clause.

Smart business, but very fortunate timing...

That is Wilson's take on it. However Leneghan came out and said he was confident he could have offered him a better deal than any club in either code. Its's also widely reported that his new deal makes him the highest paid player in rugby league, so I doubt a £50k increase would provide that.

May be a coincidental combination of lucky timing re O'Loughlin, Joel's departing salary, poor journalism and Leneghan talking rubbish, but I don't think we'll ever find out. The RFL won't come out and explain what has happened and deny the Telegraph's reporting that there are new marquee player exemptions from the salary cap.

Even if the rules had changed, which isn't certain, Hetherington would only be apopleptic at his fellow SL chief execs as they decide the salary cap rules between them; so it is nothing as such to do with the RFL, but that doesn't fit the [iblame the RFL for everything[/i agenda of some people.

For me it's academic. Sam's first serious knee injury is coming, and when it arrives I fear you'll see a totally different player.

You been speaking to those rugby gods?

I'd read the "changes" referred to in the Telegraph article as being the addition of the £50k exemption rather than anything subsequent.

Then again, I don't have an anti-Wigan/Tomkins agenda to promote.

That sounds like the most likely situation, though its much duller to talk about

I wish. Just looking at that twisting turning style and those long legs.

Long levers bend easier is all, and with his style it's just a matter of time.

In conversation with those whom know a lot more of these things than I, I am not alone in fearing it either.

So you know that the RFL implemented this "relaxation" having consulted all the SL boards?
No? Thought not, me neither.
Hetherington's previous grouse seemed to me to be based on the RFL taking decisions without consultation, this may well also be the case here.
FWIW my take on this is that the RFL are paying/subsidising Tomkins' salary by using him as the face of Rugby League & excluding that payment, fee or whatever you wish to call it from Wigan's salary cap.
This only a guess on my part since unlike many on here I'm not privy to player's salaries, contractual arrangements & how clubs comply with the salary cap.
I do have an anti-Wigan agenda because of how they've broken/bent or otherwise circumvented the cap in the past.
Good luck to Tomkins, nice work if you can get it.
The entire issue is important because it defeats the object of having a transparent, equitably applied & enforced salary cap.
On this subject I thought that McDermott's comments immedately after the grand final re St Helens were very pertinent & pointed.

If the above is true, and let's be fair isn't beyond the bounds of possibilities, then it does make a mockery of the cap