Yep. There's only Leeds that comes close to that budget wise. The rest are on (IIRC) roughly AUD $11/12m with the lowest ie London on around $5/6m.

Quote: Talent Spotter "Doesn't this effectively make Walsh a marquee signing? The Saints chairman is supposedly against clubs bringing over players they apparently can't afford, yet has done just that.'" No, because Walsh will only be paid by Penrith for the remainder of his old contract - as soon as that finishes, his only contract is at Saints (assuming he stays throughout). Legacy contracts are moderately common for the NRL (im led to believe) - according to the link below, salford aren't currently paying Mullany's whole contract in a similar manner with Parramatta: www.canberratimes.com.au/rugby-l ... zu4q4.html?

Quote: Talent Spotter "Doesn't this effectively make Walsh a marquee signing? The Saints chairman is supposedly against clubs bringing over players they apparently can't afford, yet has done just that.'" No, because Walsh will only be paid by Penrith for the remainder of his old contract - as soon as that finishes, his only contract is at Saints (assuming he stays throughout). Legacy contracts are moderately common for the NRL (im led to believe) - according to the link below, salford aren't currently paying Mullany's whole contract in a similar manner with Parramatta: www.canberratimes.com.au/rugby-l ... zu4q4.html?

Newcastle were still paying Cory Paterson when he played for Hull KR. IIRC he was on 300k a season and the Knights had to pay about half of it. Australian dollars that is.

Nothing except Salfords salary cap. Because as soon as Dr K's wife buys Newcastle it has an affiliation to Salford and so any payments from Newcastle to Salford registered players would count on the salary cap.

But how would the RFL know about any payments made to the player directly from Newcastle? Surely the RFL can't demand that the player reveal any other income? And if they did demand it and the player said he isn't getting any other income, how can the RFL check whether he is or not?

I'm not doubting your knowledge, its just that I'd like to know how the RFL can police such a thing.

Talk about paranoia, he has only said he is interested, and it is at an early stage, but the conspiracy theories are flying like mad. Salford will soon be able to spend exponentially more than other clubs? Get a grip.

Sorry if this comes across as a dig but which world class players has he signed?

pretty easy to hide that though isnt it. Put it in a company name RFL asks for shareholder details, company says f*ck off, you have no power over us.

As I understand it the club and the player would be under an obligation to report any money paid to their player by an affiliated company. It would obviously be easy to hide these payments if you wanted to. But then that'd be fraud and is a massively risky step to take by a club. The ramifications if caught would be huge.
And don't forget RL is a small world in which people talk.

Also if you wanted to hide payments from the RFL there's no reason to buy an NRL club in order to do that, the doctor could just use one of his other companies or set up a new one.

The rfl refuse the right to register any player to play should they decide to refuse any section of the operational rules, including the ones giving the rfl the right to question any money made by any player, players family or players associates.

It doesn't take an NRL club to cheat. But, if koukash did buy Newcastle for the purpose of paying players and then giving them to Salford the NRL would shut him down quicker than he could say "marquee"

id like to see the RFL try and refuse the right of a player to earn their living because the RFL couldnt get the private financial details of a person not under RFL control by a company not under RFL control.

The RFL would be laughed out of the court

Anyone who thinks that MK wants to buy Newcastle as some sort of Salford feeder Club, is completely delusional. It was even written-up this way by a RL journo.

It beggars belief that some people can be that deluded.

I'd like to see Newcastle fans being happy with large chunks of their cap being made to another club on the other side of the world.

That is why I don't think it would happen. He could if he bought newcastle, send second string players on long term loans, but it's not going to be top grade players.

SBW ain't going to sign for Newcastle and be on loan to Salford for half the price.

"Insurance information - high contact sport, all players must be centrally insured - failure to provide such information leads to failure of insurance cover and therefore can't enter the rugby pitch"

No they wouldnt