You could say exactly the same about NRL players. Is it what we want our competition to be?

How did you calculate the value of the publicity? Did you compare it only to "how well they play" or did you compare it to the cost of bringing them in, and compare that to the cost of the things we wouldn't be able to do because we'd spent the money on an RU pension fund?

Is bringing in an almost retired RU player really an investment in the here and now?

We've spent years trying to stop SL becoming a retirement home for NRL players, but now seem to want to just replace those with RU players

Don't have an issue with League clubs trying to lure big name Union players, nor do i have an issue with the RFL helping to fund this.

If we were talking about, say, Sam Warbuton for arguments sake, then great. I'm all for it.

The question I have is how big a name is Andy Powell nowadays? As far as i can see, the only things he has done of note in recent years haven't been on the rugby field, or generated good publicity.

If Wigan or anybody for that matter want to sign a 32 year old RU player, who is demanding wages so high that the RFL have to help out, then personally i would want a bigger name/better ambassador than Andy Powell.

Bit on the older side but a good ball player none the less. Has had some very bad off field incidents but i cant imagine Wane being overly concerned about that. I imagine he will be on a decent wedge, interesting to see how they play their squad now.

Good spin for the RLWC too as he will be a big name straight into the Welsh team and no doubt used by Wigan to promote League more in South Wales especially with one of their feeder teams down there.

Good publicity for League!

Would it not be better for SL clubs to try and attract some of the younger players from RU (like Wigan already do). For example a 19 year old let go by say Saracens etc and for only half of their wage to count on the cap until they are 21+.

I think a few posters are getting irate at the idea of 'Wage subsidy for Wigan'

obviously were this done, it wouldn't be a case of 'here you go Wigan, have some money'. But rather that a pot was available to offer some support to clubs making signings from RU, and the RFL would dole that money out based on how critical it was for the signing to occur, and how good the signing would be.

So if Widnes could sign Dan Carter, but would need 250k of a 1m PA pot, it might well be right the RFL give Widnes 250k a year to sign the world's highest-profile rugby player.

Personally I think it'd be significantly less than that. Of those mentioned previously many will be happy to try a new challenge and won't take that much. It's getting the Manu Tuilagis & George Norths to come over to Super League that will take the money.

It's also worth noting that their signing will help establish, and require, a credible Five Nations tournament every year.

I wonder if they're just thinking of the ‘New Talent Pool Players Allowance’ exemption in the salary cap regs, but that doesn't apply to Powell as he's over 23.

In any case, it's not happening.

\The reason RFL have a pot of dosh to help keep top players in league (or even attract them) is because league(in this country) is so unattractive to the best rugby players in the world.
let's face it the sport is dying on its arris and IMO it will never recover, it had a chance in the 80s/90s (after the dark days of the 70s) but those in charge just never had enough about them to make the sport more popular on a national basis and it never will be.
Oh the game will carry on in its unprofessional bumbling way just as it has done for decades but won't ever reach the heights it could have done.

The youth/coming through system has been raped, there's feck all incentive for non SL teams to compete because the 'prize' of getting into SL now is a poisoned chalice.
There is no even playing field, there hasn't been since the 30's with just the odd hiccup now and again. Geographical location & historic reasons are way more important than having the same spending power.
London will never be a force in RL, great idea badly done and wrong location.

if there's dispensation froma wage/salary POV it should be given directly to all teams as an increase in the cap or not at all.

Aside from that everything is rosy and I'll still go to games because it is all that I know & love.

I wonder if the RFL could get Brian O'Driscoll to move to Salford to play for Ireland in the world cup.

This could be why Wigan are looking to sign a new prop www.foxsports.com.au/league/nrl- ... 6619286058

This could be why Wigan are looking to sign a new prop www.foxsports.com.au/league/nrl- ... 6619286058

I'd rather see the rfl spend 200k a year setting up a high quality RL schools programme in Wales with clear pathways for talent to progress to SL.

I wonder how this thread would have run if it was any team other than Wigan making the signing... I don't know of course, but i can't imagine there would have be many negative comments... and no, i'm not paranoid...

There's an interesting blog article rlwritten hererl about the appliacation of the salary cap and what effect its having on our game re: players to the other code and NRL.