We have saved in other areas. Look at the players who have left and the ones that have come in. The ones that left would of been payed much more as a collective than the ones that have come in.

8 NRL in the starting 13? Thats not true either unless you are picking the team for us?

Exactly, it's not as if we planned to sign Sam and then when we got the exemption we went out and found 5 players.

These players will have been lined up for ages, knowing that we needed replacements for people leaving, just because they were announced after Tomkins pay rise doesn't mean they actually came as a second thought. They were in the pipeline long before the payrise.

If it did leave them five bodies short (which is highly debatable) then it's up to them to manage the cap better and promote from within.



My argument is that given the fact that many players are leaving AND that they have signed players AFTER the dispensation proves, beyond reasonable and logical doubt, that Wigan did not actually need any special dispensation at all and merely used the excuse that Tomkins *may* go to union as a stick to beat the RFL into submission over a cap increase.


He won't be coming over for brass washers that's for sure - thus proving they did not need the "extra" cap space


That's irrelevant.

In which case, why not announce them *before* the Tomkins ruling?

Exactly.

If the rules weren't changed Wigan would have had 2 x options

1/ Give ST the money, and then play with a ridiculously low Squad (Been there done that, not a great idea) as they are tied into existing contracts. Let other youngsters leave to experience their system of bringing youth through that if it was any good they wouldn't need the young Wigan lads in the first place!

2/ Not give him the money and then use ST's existing money to reinvest in other signings to replace him and see ST join Union along with his Brother which benefits nobody in RL than the Narrow Minded Wigan hating Brigade!

Does anyone for 1 minute not think that Wigan had most of these signings lined up most of last year (I knew about 3 of them back in August!) but needed to wait on the agreements of the new rules that if I'm not mistaken probably 90% of people on here have been calling for the last 3/4 years? If the rules hadn't been agreed we would have either not signed these new players or Sam would have gone.
Quite simple really.

Because maybe they wouldn't have signed them and still given ST the pay increase.

They waited until they knew which option they had and then acted!

If theyd have signed these 5 players (I take it certain posters are delibarately choosing not to highlight the players leaving as to make it look like Wigan have signed 5 extra players from last year!) and then the rules hadn't been brought in and lost ST to Union then I'm sure you would have been saying how stupid Wigan were in signing them without securing their prize asset.
As it is they've done a shrewd bit of business and you don't like it.

It's the internet equivalent of sticking your fingers in your ears and telling everyone I'm going to sqweem and sqweem and sqweem!

Your not fooling anyone

That is *exactly* what should have happened but I'd argue that it would allow even more Wigan youngsters to come to the fore rather than leave.



Firstly, I'm glad ST is staying in RL - thought I need to make that clear.

Secondly, given the amount of players leaving and the difference in the quality of those player coming in, I fail to see why Wigan needed this dispensation in the first place - surely even the most ardent of Wigan fan can see that?



I'm not saying that for one minute but that Wigan have been utterly cynical and fed the RFL a line and they have fallen for it, hook, line and sinker.

The fact Wigan are STILL being linked with yet another player - who let's face it, if true, won't be being paid peanuts - just further emphasis the fact that Wigan have played the RFL for fools on this one.



I'm not debating the merits/flaws of the ruling, I'm debating whether it was necessary at all given the comparison of Ins and Outs of the Wigan squad this coming year and the fact that Wigan are still in talks with other players who may, or not, have been approached by them before the ST ruling.



I'm not convinced it's as clear cut as you are trying to make out.

Are you naive enough to believe that these players were told "we can only sign you if we get special dispensation for ST from the RFL"?



Au contraire. The fact players are leaving just further highlights what a farce this is.



You call it "a shrewd bit of business" - I prefer to call it "pulling the wool".



I don't intend to fool anyone. I'm merely pointing out that, once again, Wigan have took the RFL and the rest of SL for mugs.

so people are saying to maintain homegrown english talent, you should be forced to cripple the rest of your squad

Maybe it's time someone pointed out that the signings Wigan have made were not AFTER the dispensation was given.

They signed months ago, they were only ANNOUNCED recently. The exceptions are the two young Welsh players Lloyd and Pugsley but as they aren't one of the top 25 earners they don't count on the cap anyway.

As it stands Gelling hasn't signed, so no signings that would impact the cap have been made after the announcement of any dispensation.

Why would you?

Look at the players leaving Wigan, now look at those coming in. Can you honestly say, hand on heart, that they are of equal quality and, by comparison, on equal wages?

If you can, then Wigan were right to go to the RFL for more cap space to keep ST, if not, then Wigan have purely done it as cynical move to gain an unfair financial advantage over the rest of SL knowing full well that the rest of SL won't have the chance to take full advantage of this new loophole before the season starts.

You seem to announce this as fact - is it - or are you just saying it on a messageboard and ergo it must be true?

I'm not going to cut and snip as I'm no good at it but I think it is that simple.

It's obvious someones been sniffing, Wigan wouldn't go to ST and say lets rip up your contract and double your money!
At this point Wigan have a couple of options

Tell him to get stuffed which one way or another is going to suit no-one in RL (Unhappy player, affects Wigan and more importanly affect Eng/GB rugby and bet your life this didn't happen last week! This happened 3/4 months ago the exposure RL has had with the help of his performances has justified the RL thinking about this rule change over the last few months). All those that think they made this rule up last week at the drop of a hat to suit Wigan are living in cloud cuckoo land!

Give him the money he/his agent wants and not sign any replacements for the other players. I'm pretty sure Wigan wouldn't have done that as it's a recipe for disaster.

Speak to the RFL about the rules for Home grown players which benefits mostly all clubs who produce Youth players for England and helps all clubs keep Home grown players and also benefits clubs that produce & keep these players in British RL.

I'm having a slight guess here that they did the latter, and only once the details of the rule changes were sorted did they give ST a wage increase & announce the signing of the New players. If it hadn't been agreed option 1 or 2 would have happened.

SURELY NO-ONE CAN ARGUE THIS ISN'T A GOOD THING?

Cross can't have taken up much cap space, one of the worst foreign signings Leeds made and that's saying something with the dross we have brought over in the past!!

Ok, I'll keep this brief. It IS a GOOD THING that ST remains in the sport. It is also a GOOD THING that this rule exists BUT, and this is my gripe, when you look at the Ins/Outs on the Wigan playing roster, you wonder why they needed this ruling at all?

Also, Wigan continue to persue (sign/announce) players despite already having a squad of players for next year and a fantastic youth set-up waiting in the wings. It just smacks of being totally unfair on the rest of SL. Even you must see that?