Didn't we just break the cap in 2005? Don't recall any probs in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004.

Exactly

And again in 2006.

Shhhhh

We broke it every year, as did (and do) most top clubs. Mostly they all didn't get caught.

FA - The tactics employed by Nobby when with you were implemented with us - hence 6 wins since he took over in the last 12 months. Oh - & I have watched every game too & having played the game, been involved at a reasonable level in the game - sure - I must have `no idea` but I will reiterate his boring tactics have brought him the sack this time.

Lovely bloke and hope he takes the position Marwan has offered but please keep him away from Coaching unless you enjoy a kip for 80 minutes.

There was one, maybe even two very minor breeches but I think the biggest over the cap episode was the year Shontayne Hape got injured playing for NZ and was out for a couple of months.

We/Nobby/Caisley/whoever was responsible assumed that the insurance taken out by the NZRL would be used to pay Shonny, so went out and brought in a replacement, on the assumption that, as the insurance was paying Shonny, we could spend what we'd saved on A.N. Other.

Unfortunately, for our exceptionally cunning plan, NZ hadn't even taken out any insurance on their players which, sort of, left us with egg on our faces. Oh, yes and equally unfortunately, over the cap.

We were also involved in all the 'image rights' nonsense too, of course, along with all the other 'top' clubs. None of this negates what happened on the field at the time though, no matter how miserable it makes some of our 'supporters'.

My comments related to the way i watched Bradford play for many years. I wouldn't presume to tell a Salford fan how his team played when I haven't watched those games. My issue is with fools who claim Noble can't coach, or can't coach entertaining teams, or has no plan B, or plays 5 drives and a kick, or some such simplistic facile and generalised nonsense.


I can't, he seems to do what he wants, and wouldn't listen to me. I'm sure in contrast with all your experience and expertise he would see he should listen to you, though, so maybe you could have the necessary word?

I think you will find we were not the only one's to break the salary cap!

Did I say that we were?

Well actually it does. Try as hard as you might to bury your head in the sand but any trophy won via cheating, is a tarnished trophy.

Whether it was by a "small amount" or the fault of NZRL is irrelevant.

I will say again that if, say, Leeds did it then they would be roundly (and rightly) pilloried on here. I hate seeing cheating prosper and won't turn a blind eye just because it is my club.

And again with Wigan in 2007......

Again, I never said we did. However, I am sure that you will accept that Mr Noble has a bit of form for managing sides that subsequently get points deductions for salary cap breaches would you not?

Going back to my earlier point, which was the basis of my post, which you have not replied to.....

Do you honestly think that Noble was in charge of the Finances at Wigan and Bradford? The fault that the cap was broken lies with the owners who authorised the salaries which put them over the cap.

I don't blame Noble, in any shape or form, for our cap infringements.

To say that we "cheated" the salary cap is to imply that we purposely set out to break the rules. Which isn't the case. The rules, at the time, had too many grey areas which lead to misunderstandings, mistakes and exploitation of those areas.