www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... miwge.html

www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... miwge.html

Widdop is on $550,000 a year at the Dragons.
That is around £290,000 pounds, you would think Leeds would have to up the anti to make him move back to England after going to Australia as a 15 year old, perhaps £350,000 per season?
Big chunk of the salary cap.

Is there a vote on the marquee player allowance soon? If it goes through only £200k would count on the cap.

Have you met Mr Hetherington?

We wouldn't pay anywhere near that for a player.

Mr Hetherington has never before had the job of trying to replace Sir Kevin Sinfield.

If Leeds offered Widdop a pay increase, it would have to be substantial for him to leave a great set up for him at St George-Illawarra, where he is a star and with a good chance of getting the club into the playoffs. It would have to be not a 20% pay increase but at least a 50% pay increase I would imagine, and Leeds cannot offer that.

Why would Leeds have to Woo him with substantially more money if the player has already decided he wants to return to the country of his roots?

I would think at a push Hetherington MAY be willing to match his current salary of around 300k but i would be gobsmacked if he paid anymore.

Anyone who knows him will know he wouldn't pay that much for Greg Inglis never mind Widdop.

Why would he want to leave a potentially successful NRL team to join a moderately, by NRL standards, team in this country?
He would have to be paid a kings ransom to ever consider lowering his standards.

Again, i would agree but if Widdop is wanting to move back, that is of course his choice.in that case no club would have to pay over the odds as it is Widdop who wants the move however im sure he will get or close to what he gets over there here.

I personally as a leeds fan am not bothered if we sign him or not as would like to see Sutcliffe given the 6 shirt and we could be better served spending the cash on other areas but would be great to see him in SL somewhere.

Widdop isn't the sort of 'name' who will put bums on seats so I can't see Leeds breaking the bank to try and get him when there's Sutcliffe, amongst others, to be promoted.

And, as we're beginning to see all-too-clearly now, this wonderful 'new era' isn't all it's cracked up to be and Leeds don't need to spend big to remain one of the driving forces.

I don't know in what universe the Dragons are successful (although they've played better than their usual lamentable defending this season, to be fair) and Leeds are 'moderate'.

Leeds are hot favourites to be Grand Final contenders. Can the Dragons say the same?

If often helps if you READ a post and UNDERSTAND what is says, rather than believing it says something else!

Dragons are doing quite well in the NRL. Not as well as Leeds in Super League, but still doing well.

I am sure that Gareth Widdop has developed roots in Australia by now. His family is all there. Why uproot his wife and child to go to Leeds? Can Leeds compete with the white waves of Woollongong beaches in the summer? I doubt that he is "homesick" for Halifax. More likely he considers Sydney or Wollongong home. That is why he would only consider a move to Leeds if he was offered a massive pay hike.