You think Thurston is on the books at $700k?
He is on at around $300k with third party top ups.
How is Warringtons team under the Cap? they are being creative and I do not know what the rules are there but $600k is obviously not on the books.
Maybe he is on $100k with a differed payment when he retires?

Thurston is a key Cog in his State and National team, King was filling a gap with no guarantees.
Thurston can sell Headgear, footballs, guest appearances etc, King a bit more than less so.

No not at all, Thurston has got third party payments.

If memory serves me he can have around $200,000 off the books.

The rules in SL are much tighter IIRC, any payments from third parties who are associated in any way with the clubs counts towards the cap. So if Thurston came to the UK, he would almost immediately be down $200k on the deal.

That would depend on how his contract is made up.
There have been several players in the NRL that have been on contracts around 1 million a year depending on the deals, Brad Fittler was a 1 million a year player a decade ago in the Wars.

SL is no different only with less money I guess.
Its all smoke and mirrors and when a Rugby Union player was announced as the $1million dollar player 20 years ago
a South African Half back said you are a couple of years too late (when the game was still Amateur)

Image rights?
Overseas payments to offshore accounts?
It was widely reported years ago in Oz that the contract money in England was Tax free,

Thats all been clamped down hugely in UK law.
The governments going after us before taking on soccer which they reckon could be worth billions to them

Ben cross played state of origin and i would have luke over him

The NRL is littered and hs been by props who make the grade who I would put Luke ahead of.

I am sure you are right.
Ben who? NSW have used every Prop eligible in the last 5 years haven't they?

He will probably join George at Norths or Sicknote Sam on the sideline egging the first team on.

You are Barry Mackenzie and I claim whatever £5 is worth these days in $

Is that the reason why Chris Feather, once of the parish of Wakefield + Leeds + Bradford headed down under ?

My understanding is that the NRL own players image rights, this was a stumbling block with Inglis and his Souths deal.

Would he, though?

A standard legal way round the UK salary cap is for the image rights to be paid by a third party that cannot be shown to be connected with the club. Unlike in Oz, I do not believe there is a limit on such third party payments?

Like Stains seemingly did with Scully & Gillette. Like your lot seemingly did with Harris and Tissot, and I always presumed were going to likewise with some other "unconnected third party" to be able to fit him in under the cap when you supposedly intended to resign him . Like our lot did with Harris and Publico, until someone managed to demonstrate (or convince the RFL) that there was a supposed technical connection and thereby led to the Bulls' cap breach. (not trying to have a go anywhere there, just showing how it works).

As I understand it, image rights paid as part of a package from the club have been effectively killed off because of the HMRC investigations. Image rights paid for by an "unconnected third party" however remain alive and well.

So, if your wealthy club chairman/owner/sugar daddy happens to know of some "unconnected third parties" who can seriously top-up the fairly modest package your club is able to pay a marquee player, well you are in a position to assemble a squad earning far more than the salary cap.

Whether this explains some of the squads we see playing in SL right now, well only parties close to the matter can know for sure.

As for what these "unconnected third parties" get out of the deal, especially if they are the sort that do not seem to be taking much advantage of the player's image in their own marketing or whatever, well again only they will know for sure. I am sure none of them would be doing it as a favour to the wealthy club chairman/owner/sugar daddy, who sees them right in other ways, since that would be operating totally outside of the spirit of the cap, and surely no club would sanction that. Would they?

burgess has been named in the souths 17 for the game against cronulla at the weekend www.leagueunlimited.com/article.php?newsid=21450

burgess has been named in the souths 17 for the game against cronulla at the weekend www.leagueunlimited.com/article.php?newsid=21450

What is going on at Souths? If he can walk into the side after no induction period I might have a go. It can't be that hard.

I think the NRL is a myth.