it wasnt one club and one club alone. Leeds are publicly in favour of a marquee exemption as well and have been for a few years.

So is Tony Smith.

I think there is a fair bit of hypocrisy in Sts and Wigan telling Koucash he needs to learn proper cap management.

Is he? I never knew that! Interesting everyone's swapped partners from the structure debate!

And just because they're for it doesn't mean they'd necessarily benefit from it!

Saints and Wigan never asked the rest of super league to just go along with it

Quote: Magic Superbeetle "Is he? I never knew that! Interesting everyone's swapped partners from the structure debate! And just because they're for it doesn't mean they'd necessarily benefit from it! Saints and Wigan never asked the rest of super league to just go along with it [iAt the launch he received support from the Leeds chief executive, Gary Hetherington, and the Warrington coach, Tony Smith, who have been two of the more respected and influential voices on the Super League scene for more than a decade. "I'm keen on anything that's going to raise the quality of our competition, and maybe also give us a bit of a wow factor," said Smith. "If a marquee player at each club is the best way to do that, great." Hetherington said www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/f ... ee-players Every one goes over to the Garys side eventually

Quote: Magic Superbeetle "Is he? I never knew that! Interesting everyone's swapped partners from the structure debate! And just because they're for it doesn't mean they'd necessarily benefit from it! Saints and Wigan never asked the rest of super league to just go along with it [iAt the launch he received support from the Leeds chief executive, Gary Hetherington, and the Warrington coach, Tony Smith, who have been two of the more respected and influential voices on the Super League scene for more than a decade. "I'm keen on anything that's going to raise the quality of our competition, and maybe also give us a bit of a wow factor," said Smith. "If a marquee player at each club is the best way to do that, great." Hetherington said www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/f ... ee-players Every one goes over to the Garys side eventually

Patronising or what?

If you can't see that this is far more than just Salford "chasing the top" then you're just being wilfully blind - but hey ho, let's just retreat to our M62 corridor, let's forget about trying to raise the profile of the whole sport and let's just rely on Barwick & Big Nigel because haven't they done well so far?

Disappointed about the marquee player bit in all this, but not disappointed about the golden ticket.
One club giving money to another for anything other than buying a player seem so wrong.

Then educate, are you going to tell me about how it expands the game in the uk? How does Salford signing a 30 something ex Aussie help crowds at London? Because everyone in London will flock to see him? - I don't buy that.

Or are you going to tell me my club lacks ambition like Salford?

There are big problems with the game at the moment, but bringing over some second rate Aussies who are either past their prime or never going to quite make it to the very top doesn't solve them.

And no more patronising that koukash offering to buy from other clubs his "right" to fill his squad with "marquee" signings.

No not just HIS right, any club's right! As was pointed out earlier in this thread "Other clubs & chairmen are available"

I absolutely agree bringing over Aussie has-beens is not the way forward (and believe me I've seen more than my fair share at Salford over the last few years!) - if we want to attract the best then we (that's ALL clubs not just Salford) have to be able to offer the best Ts & Cs - the marquee idea allows that to happen.

It would be interesting to find out just how the voting went this afternoon.

But by voting against it the other chairmen have spurned that right! Only he would really benefit from it, as as discussed the majority of clubs in the financial position to take advantage wouldn't for one reason or another! In the worst case, the clubs who weren't in a financial position would use the ruling - imagine if Bradford also had a 350k a year contract strung to them whilst going through what they are!

There are ways and means to fit it into the salary cap, as has been proven through the years, 10 years ago saints had a plan to sign sonny bill under the salary cap! - it can happen, it just needs skill to pull it off.

I'm never gonna agree with marquee exemption as I just see it as lazy, your probably never gonna disagree with it as you see it as bait for the top - let's agree to disagree!

I'd be interested to see the voting split, but also the specific terms the marquee ruling would have - from the wording of which player counts as "marquee" (whether a club gets to nominate or if it's the highest earner at the club, or it's it's the highest cap value player at the club - which could be 3 different people!) - and whether the signing would still have to fall into the strict 50% of liabilities rule.

Salford, Wigan, Warrington, Widnes and Leeds voted in favour.

Which way did Bradford vote?

I presumed the ones named above were the ones who voted in favour and the rest either voted against or abstained.

Koukash has just thanked Wigan Warrington Wdnes & leeds for there support

That's interesting. I knew Widnes were in favour of it, but I thought Saints broadly supported it too. I wonder if the specifics of the proposal didn't suit some.

A maximum of 3 could of abstained, I don't even know who Bradford could of sent to vote for them, they have no chairman, so I imagine they're one of them!