Good Lord.
There is nothing to suggest that the salary cap is being scrapped (other than a wind up post from Saddened - and not even one of his better ones).
There are some amendments being made to the regulations that's all - this is not unusual. The rules have been amended and tinkered with many, many times since the inception of the Salary Cap.

The public communication hasn't been great. Perhaps if everyone just waits and has a read of the amended regulations when they're published it will turn out that the sky isn't about to fall in.

According to Andy Wilson in his Guardian blog, there is no new 'Marquee' dispensation on the cap. Apparently Wigan have taken advantage of Sean O'Loughlin qualifying for the 10 year dispensation (and presumably the salary freed up by Joel's departure) to rustle up the cash for Sam. www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/20 ... CMP=twt_gu

According to Andy Wilson in his Guardian blog, there is no new 'Marquee' dispensation on the cap. Apparently Wigan have taken advantage of Sean O'Loughlin qualifying for the 10 year dispensation (and presumably the salary freed up by Joel's departure) to rustle up the cash for Sam. www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/20 ... CMP=twt_gu

Either way silence from the RFL. Not a clarification for everyone. Nor a denial of any rules change just silence.

Is the media face of the RFL taking a collective holiday during the four nations.

We moan at a lack of publicity but this is something to keep rugby league on the pages yet no comment at all.

Poor journalism by the Telegraph? Potentially, but given how big a deal a cap ammendment would be, surely there should be clarification somewhere.

How would you explain Leneghan's comments about Wigan being able to offer a better deal than any league or union club? Or about the reports from Wigan of Sam being the highest paid league player in the world. It doesn't add up.

Maybe the RFL have told Wigan they can break the cap and they will turn blind eye.

That is certainly the suspicion. I don't see how they would get £100k cap room made available and Sam on the biggest deal for a RL player in the world. (£100k+ cap room available is a direct Leneghan quote).

How, it could just be Joels salary plus the £50K allowance from O'Loughlins (something I mentioned earlier in this discussion)

As I said, keep checking the RFL Operational Rules.

That's always a risk.
In the case of long term injury there's provision in the regulations for clubs to apply for dispensation to exceed the second tier liability thresholds - to pay players who play more first team games than originally estimated as a result of such an injury.

(second tier liability being salary cap speak for the maximum you can pay players who are outside the top 25 in terms of salary cap value).

rlGareth Thomas?rl


This clarification you repeatedly demand - what format would that need to take in order to allay these overwhelming suspicions of wrongdoing you're experiencing?

Whether the lower clubs can afford to take advantage of this amendment is irrelevant. Clubs should have the opportunity to hold on to the players that they have invested plenty of time and money in to. People are only moaning because it's a Wigan player. The salary cap hasnt changed for a few years and because of that Wigan have had to wave goodbye to Ashton and Saints did Eastmond. Joel's gone now as well and if Sam had followed it would have been a disaster to the sport as a whole.

Of course people are only bothered about a potential advantage given to one team because it's Wigan. I mean if it was Leeds nobody would care ... NOT. Get a grip and lose the Cherry and White chip on your shoulder. If whatever rule is applied to all teams equally then I'm sure most people will be fine with it.

Can you not read dude? Andy Wilson is saying there are no changes to the cap and that Wigan have had no help they weren't entitled to.

So either Wilson, or the journalist/s that made the original story about his contract renewal are lying about the deal.