It's a direct quote from Ian Leneghan.

What the RFL have done with the Operational Rules we shall have to wait and see, but the 2011 version is devilishly detailed and I doubt therefore that there will be any particular ambiguities in the 2012 version either.

The existing concession is up to a maximum of £50,000. I can't see that being hugely exceeded. But it's a tough call. On the one hand, you want to try to maintain something at least vaguely like a level playing field (though one or two clubs have found some wonderful downhill bits); on the other, the fact is that SL/RFL simply [ihad[/i to act and do something, given the sudden increase in wealth and funding of both NRL and RU clubs, to at least give clubs a chance of keeping the best players playing within SL.

The bit that's quoted by the OP isn't a direct quote is it? The article that the OP links to has obviously been changed and like I say there is already a £50,000 exemption for long serving players and a £50,000 exemption for homegrown players.

That's true, there is the £50K "club trained" allowance too; I wonder whether perhaps they are simply going to introduce a third category of marquee player? If so, then by analogy with the existing rules there would be no mystery about it, nor any difficulty; there would likely be just one, at any given time, and it would be whichever one the club registered as such with the RFL. So in Wigan's case, they would just register Tomkins as their nominated marquee player and whatever the salary cap allowance would be would apply to him. This would mean that each club could nominate a marquee player, (though would not have to) and that player would not have to have any particular qualifications to be nominated. By restricting it to one player, this would ensure that the extra money was paid just to one player, and not just used to increase the salary cap payments across the board.

They never announce these controversial changes. They slip them into the OR's very smoothly. No-one reads the OR's do they?



"Hello, it is I, L'Eclaire . . . ."

' What the RFL have done with the OR , we shall have to wait and see ' ?

Surely on something as major as changes to the Salary Cap , they should have announced them first before using them ?

Sam could have been promised the cash for a couple of months while things were sorted and then announced ,

Cart leading the horse ' again '

But Sam Tomkins doesn't qualify for any of the current allowances.

It will be interesting to see what teams do with the new allowances anyway. My suspicion is that a few will use it to shoehorn a further NRL signing into their cap.

Er, which would be exactly why "Lenagan revealed Wigan have taken advantage of amendments... "!


I suppose they could restrict it to just any player who is qualified to play for England, as if it can be used to drain a player from Aus [iinto[/i England that doesn't make much sense, [iif[/i the objective is to help prevent players [ileaving[/i SL.

the single most obvious thing is that Wigan no longer feel the salary cap applies to them, Lenegan has stated "I am confident that, for the right person, we are able to offer a more attractive package than any club in either code", so in effect, he believes he can buy anyone he wants.

Or not. Since Wigan are the first to take advantage of the new amendment, having used it on Tomkins, they are now the [ionly[/i SL club who can NOT spend any more extra on a marquee player (since there can be only one). So I am confident that pretty much [ievery[/i SL club, and Onion clubs for that matter, can offer a more attractive package than Wigan for 2012 signings.

But well done Wigan for moving quickly and retaining Tomkins.

have you heard the noise coming from you lot. if there has been an amendement in salary cap that will apply for all teams in the league not just wigan. Mr leneghan is allways transparent to the Rfl in all hes doing to the point when wigan make a bid for a player he sends the proposal straight to the RFL something which most clubs don't. All the teams in the league should be happy that the RFL have woken up even if it was a wigan stick what proded them. Salford have felt they have had there talent poached off them be warrington well now there should be no complaining

The SL clubs will have been involved in agreeing the new SC rules so will know all about them. Why does there need to be an announcement?

When the 2012 Op Rules are published on the RFL website everyone can scrutinise them as much as they like.