I suggested on C&W that it may be worth each team being allowed one player, who only counts 33% of his salary towards the cap, thus allowing the better off clubs to make sure they can hold on to at least one start each, fending off the clutches of Union. Alternatively, they could use that to make space on the cap for another player, but that's their choice.

Although Roby and Graham would have been the obvious choice for saints, if deterring Union is the main goal, you may find clubs saving this spot for backs like the departed eastmond and now, Johnny Lomax.

As for Rogue's question about Eastmond. He had the skills, rugby brain and physical abilities to be as good as, if not better than Sam. Problem is he has a fraction of the heart (which, lets face it, sam has in spades).
You'll see him on BBC2 next year, ripping it up in England's 7 a side team, as H Paul did. He'll probably make his money, but no er will count him as achieving a fraction of what he was capable of. Meanwhile (hopefully), our other young backs will develop into real stars of Rugby League.

BINGO

sam rumoured to be on £250,000 - £300,000 a year now.

I'm sure there will be some interesting contract negotiations over the next few seasons now for premium players.

To the people who are saying that it will just benefit the big clubs...

What would you rather have: a poorer standard of competition, whereby every team is equal or would you rather try and keep the best players playing here?

There is always going to be a disparity between the 'bigger' clubs and the 'lesser' clubs, that's life I'm afraid. It's up to the RFL to try and do everything in their power to try and improve our sport by keeping our best players.

It's a no-brainer for me. I'm afraid that some fans just can't accept that it is to the advantage of Wigan.

Double post

It also gets certain clubs, who have been flouting the cap off the hook. They can now stop pretending.

It's a shame that the Sam Tomkins announcement has sort of hidden the really big announcement at Wigan this week. viewtopic.php?f=28&t=511931

It's a shame that the Sam Tomkins announcement has sort of hidden the really big announcement at Wigan this week. viewtopic.php?f=28&t=511931

you're right...... it wouldn't have done wigan any favours being caught cheating the cap AGAIN would it.

As a collective group of fans are we really that one eyed and biased to not be able to see this is a great thing for RL. Yeah, Wigan were the first to take this rule to their advantage, so what? The rule applies to each and every club who can take advantage of it if they wish.

Would you have been happier if the RFL did nothing and talents like Tomkins were lost to other competitions or codes, closely followed by our other top players? Yeah we'd certainly have parity then, everyone would be rubbish. Unfortunately this dream of having all 14 clubs equal in talent and ability isn't going to happen, that's life, not everybody is equal.

I think it is a fantastic move by the RFL which will help in preventing a talent drain from SL, I'm sure you all won't be moaning when the rule benefits us to help us keep Roby, Lomax or one of our other stars.

There's a lot of hot air on this thread about a rule change nobody knows anything about but a few sentences from a press release. I don't agree with an increase for homegrown players as I do think it benefits the big clubs before the smaller ones at the moment, however that does at least give the smaller clubs something to aim for.

I'm a bit wary of this 'marquee' terminology though. Who determines a marquee player? That's a subjective decision that is open to too much interpretation.

The thing is though, if the RFL sit back and did nothing it is effectively punishing the big clubs by having their top players cherry picked. We can't blindly just say everything must be equal if it is to the overall detriment of the competition and our product.

Other clubs such as Wakefield and Castleford could be classed as 'smaller clubs' but they have fantastic youth teams with a hotbed of talent to scout from, this rule should benefit them as both of these clubs are now spending near to the cap.

Wakefield are spending to the cap?

Not one player that has gone over for the money would have ever received it in RL due to the cash restraints of the clubs, not the cap. Having an allowance for one or two players is a solution that is on iffy ground for me (that's without seeing the actual rule). The one thing I think should have happened was that the cap should have been raised in line with inflation every couple of years. £1.6m buys a lot less now than it did 10 years ago.

to answer an earlier question.
Eastmond didnt deserve it, Tomkins imo does.

As I understand it, for next season under Andrew Glover, Wakefield have substantially increased there spending on personnel. It may not be to the extent of the cap but certainly a lot more than they was. Of course, I may be wrong though.

I agree with every point you have made to be quite honest but I do think this new ruling, if it is as we suspect, will help in fending off RU or the NRL in terms of the cap not restricting clubs from defending themselves.

Why didn't eastmond deserve it ?

At least Eastmond saw out his contract, unlike some.