The same problem remains for any serious top 4 contender.
They cant compete with a 200k salary cap spend so, they either play with the big boys and risk serious difficulties if the dont finish in the top 4 (Leigh) or do the best they can on a shoe string but dont qualify (Batley).

However, the real issue comes with the cliff edge in funding, coupled with the need to try and offer longer contracts.
It's fair to assume that Toronto, Toulouse, London and Fev are spending significantly more than 200k on player wages and whilst Toronto and London may have wealthy backers that can afford to take a "hit", for clubs like Fev (and Leigh) ,it's imperative that they make the top 4.

Ironically, the massive imbalance in funding came in to allow clubs like Legh to compete with the bottom of SL but, nobody seemed to give any though about what happened when the top 4 sides in the Championship didn't make it.

Income is the concern of the club involved......more fans, sponsors or benefactors money will get you the 4 mill you need.....the method of getting that cash is down to each club and in this case, Leigh bet on the wrong horse......

We weren't relegated therefore couldn't put a clause in the contract that removed players for the second year

Relegation FROM SL does void contracts - how do you think Huddersfield, Salford, Halifax, Leigh, Castleford, Widnes, Bradford, London and HKR, got rid of players and survived from going bust after suffering relegation? The RFL introduced that (compulsory) clause after Workington and Oldham ran into financial trouble on being relegated in the early days of SL. However, only RFL approved caveats/clauses are allowed to be included in players' contracts and, especially given the current funding structure, even though a clause that 'if we don't make top 4' would clearly be of benefit for Championship clubs, it is not allowed - Delboy actually makes reference to it in one of the few coherent passages in his statement of last week.

With the one shot parachute payment we spun the wheel not expecting it to come up green , we are now where we are and will live with the consequences

You don't need a relegation clause - you have a clause stating that the contract would be void if you fail to reach the required league position. That is no more difficult to draft and enforce than a relegation clause.

You have a list of clauses set by the RFL that you can include in playing contracts , I don't think that's on the list

Can you provide the list for us all to see?

I spent many years in Sales. I had targets and if I hit these or overachieved, I was paid well and received bonus payments.....if I missed them, I would have received less pay and eventually would have been fired. The Leigh squad under performed in 2018 and not by just the 1 win either....they should have comfortably been 2nd and challenging for a spot in the MPG, but weren't and as a result, their contracts should be able to include "penalty" clauses for missing their target, because as much we love the sport, the sport is a business.

Over the years, via my job, I have been privvy to hundreds of sporting contracts. Not just in rugby league, but also union and football and I have never seen that clause. Know why? Good luck getting someone to sign a contract that could be torn up if they dont hit a certain position in the league. Its the same with the relegation clause. These are extremely rare and are usually in the form of a cut in wages, not the contract torn up.

Regards

King james

A couple of years ago, Fax players were subject to a 10% cut in their pay across the board whether regardless of their contract position. They were given the option of leaving if they didn't want to accept the cut. IIRC no-one left. The "carrot" was to reinstate the 10% based on making top 4, which Fax did, and all the players got their 10% back, albeit as an end of season bonus.

I'm sure that there must be ways and means of adding clauses into contracts that protect the club depending on outcomes.

No , can you ?