Are you sure on that, Hardaker, Briscoe, Moon, Cutherbertson, Aiton, Peacock, to name but a few have been purchased. Leeds now and Wigan in their glory decade very similar, one in SC world and one without...

Only difference is ask 10 Londoners to name you 3 RL players and i bet 90% still say Offiah, Edwards and Hanley... not a mention of the great Rhinos from the last 10 years...

Never said Leeds didn’t buy anyone but apart from Peacock and maybe Briscoe and now Ferres I can’t think of that many proven top class British players they bought from other clubs after they’d played test rugby.

In their day Wigan bought the very best money could buy in each position – Hanley, Offiah, Gregory, Lydon, Skerrett, Platt, Connolly etc. Nowadays a club can’t go on a spending spree like that because of the salary cap so it means they have to develp their own players and it makes for a fairer competition.

Im sure they would be able to name the lord and saviour that is Sir Kevin of Sinfield

Not sure what that has to do with the salary cap?

Leeds didn't pay for briscoe, he was out of contract at hull fc and was free to move

The bitterness is strong with this one...

There was Ellis and Webb too, but the point is that they were complementing top players that had come through Leeds youth systems. As you rightly say you can't go on a spending spree to win the league anymore, your youth, management, coaching, conditioning and physios need to be top notch too. Salford have proved this pretty comprehensively.

Now this isn't particularly an attack on Wigan pre-SL, they played cracking rugby and well worthy of recognition. But the problem is our clubs can barely run as they are never mind having to deal with excessive player wage inflation. That period in our sport led to chronic and catastrophic under-investment in every single aspect of the sport except first team player wages. We cannot afford another period like that.

To be fair, 2 of those you mention are Wigan lads and another 2 were born within a few miles of Wigan. We always had a strong backbone of homegrown players even in the heyday.

Best post in this thread ...

very simple, very clear, very right & simply brilliant.
I totally agree, with the caveat that Red Hall is cleared out & leaders with the cajones to lead & enforce the above suggested caps are brought in.

A Lion without teeth can only give you a nasty suck.

*no double entendres intended*

Why is a £2.5m cap simpler or clearer than a £1.8m cap?

Which 10 clubs can afford an extra £700k in player wages?

Which Championship clubs can afford the £1.5m?


I have a new plan. It's brilliant and simple and clear. Let's put the salary cap to £10m a year. That'll show those bloody Aussies and Union types.

But it is less dangerous than someone with a small brain.

Marwan Koukash ‏@drmarwanK 18m18 minutes ago

Just when when I started thinking @TheRFL like me, 2 tribunals and 2 fines this morning. Great start to the day and I mean it


Hmmm. Related to the league express story? Who knows.