I agree something needs to be done about the salary cap, even compared to 7 years ago its depreciated by 500,000 so it's no wonder teams are struggling with the cap.

I don't think it's so simple as simple raising it massively and or getting rid all together, I agree with the concept of a salary cap, but it needs to be competitive with other rugby areas (ru and Nrl) and I think this can be done in the medium to long term if there is a willing amount of people to invest.

The problem is in the current climate more and more teams are struggling financially (Bradford Wakefield London (perpetually) etc etc) so convincing people that clubs should be spending more is difficult. The last thing the sport needs is too many clubs over reaching and overspending (remember Wigan in the late 90s ... And not many teams have a Central Park to sell off to save them now)

There should be at least 10 teams running to the cap next year, which should be enough to be looking to raise it. I would reset the cap at the 1.8m but with an ongoing increase year on year with inflation, so the effective cap also remains. This should be manageable for all but the worst off clubs and should allow progress to be made (or at least cease decline). Then with the view to increase the cap on top of inflation by roughly 200,000 - 250,000 every 3 - 5 years with a review. Having it set out of up of set every x years gives clubs time to prepare their finances for the upcoming increase and makes it more transparent, rather than having to guess year on year are they gonna raise it? Drop it? Etc

I would also like a view to have a similar style marquee off cap player similar to the Aussies - Wigan got exemptions when tomkins resigned (not something I necessarily agreed with purely as it should of been for everyone or no one - just for Wigan made it frustrating) - but again there needs to be some sort of way to control and ensure its not endangering clubs - say an extra 50,000 per million in club revenue off the cap?

As for running the rfl it's a difficult one. The first thing that needs to be done is the rfl needs to take control of Barla - we are creating a lot of good youngsters at the moment but we are losing a whole host more because of fighting between the two governing bodies (at least in my experience).

Advertising isn't easy either, between other sports taking the majority of the tv money - and the view of rl as the "working mans" game (which limits the marketing potential) and there is no easy fix for this - working with the Aussies to help build the global rep of the sport I think will be key, so working with them might be the best way to go - a 6 team (top 3 from superleague and Nrl) world club challenge in Asia or America - it's a much more long term goal for raising profile but there aren't many options for competing with football in Britain at the moment.

Just my opinion

I fully agree in giving the young lads a go. The problem is when they do start to play well at smaller clubs, they catch the eyes of the big clubs, the agents are touting them all over the league with promises of streets paved with gold and the next thing you know they're gone. It all comes down to money, again, as always.

The game in the UK is stronger than it's ever been in its history. Our economy is a lot weaker than its been for a LONG time. Australia's economy is very strong.

Have to say that sport here is massively over valued in TV deals. NRL gets around 1million viewers on fta for prime time games. RL on fta in uk gets similar NBC featured games. NRL gets 117million pounds a year, RFL a fraction of that.

even tho superleague needs sky to survive they do under appreciate the product massively, all the messing around this year has been a joke first its friday saturday like normal then some sundays then mondays and now its thursday friday its about time they told them no we aren't playing any more games during the week other than friday night.

I'm sure Sky appreciates Super League more than the BBC, that's for sure.

no doubt about it but still generally unappreciated.

There is no quick fix to this really, people playing/watching RL generate a more attractive platform to advertise from, more advertisement appeal brings more money, more money brings better facilities which produces better players, which generates more interest... And so on.

The problem lies with people trying the game. The game needs 'foot soldiers' to take the game to people. Community Development Officers do this, but with the funding cuts from Sport England their is now a shortfall in funds to pay these roles. The clubs should now try and get sponsorship/funding to do this, and the RFL in turn needs to support the clubs by finding funds to get more people into schools to take the game to children.

If I was The RFL, I would approach the NRL with cap in hand, and ask for investment from them into the RFL, to grow the game on a global platform.

Isn't "growing the game on a global platform" the remit of the Rugby League International Federation ? www.rlif.com/about-rlif

Isn't "growing the game on a global platform" the remit of the Rugby League International Federation ? www.rlif.com/about-rlif

Now that Sir, is a hell of a bold statement.

That is the long and short of it. Also in Australia there are several strong, well established TV networks competing for sports broadcasting rights. Sky dominate things over here and anyone who has tried to rival them have quickly been crushed- I can only see BT Sport going the same way as ITV Sport/Setanta/ESPN etc. Finally in England we will always be competing with soccer in terms of getting kids into the sport from a young age. I reckon in the UK every young lad must own a football, yet a fraction will also throw a rugby ball about. The opposite is true in Australia.

Excellent post