I take it not every player will be on 60k each, some will be on less in order to pay the elite players more?

I know the benefits of rugby league having a salary cap but that cap will eventually be more detrimental to the sport than the positives it brings, League is a brutal sport and a players career can be short so tell me why should the elite players put their body on the line week in and week out for £60k a year when they can play union or NRL for £120k a year. I therefore agree with John Gilbert Red that the single biggest difference between the two competitions is the salary cap.

I would imagine the younger members of those 30 man squads will be on something in the region of £20-30k. This would ensure the elite players are therefore earning circa £100k+.

Just increasing the cap won't make the players any better, unfortunately the pool of talent in the UK is limited as the game is limited too certain geographical areas.

Remedy this and we will start too catch the NRL up, if we don't we tread water with the odd win along the way.

Sorry I disagree. Take Theo Fages for example, top player rising star and has the potential to big one of the best players in the game. The French RFU who are struggling at the moment international decide to scout rugby league for the best French players and offer Theo double what he earns now, he would be daft not to go. Surely the pool of talent is limited because the best players go where the money is not because of where they live?

I think going forward a lot more emphasis has to be put on the importance of a top kicking game. I think it has to start at grass roots level with junior development. Kids should be encouraged to practice the accuracy of their kicking game much more. Perhaps training needs to be adapted and tailored with more time dedicated to kicking drills for young half backs.

Maybe the RFL could invest in some special regional Junior development centres, just for kicking development? It astounds me how often you see a professional player kick the ball straight into the arms of a fullback despite having a big wide pitch full of empty space to aim at. It's absolutely criminal.

I disagree. If the cap in Super League was bigger would the Burgess brothers and Tomkins still be in Super League? Also, would Chris Ashton, Kyle Eastmond and Sam Burgess be plying their trade in union. All of those players would make Super League a stronger competition. The more money you can spend, the better quality of player you can retain. As it stands at the moment, Super League becomes weaker every season when the best young talent deserts the competition. Joe Burgess is doing the same at the end of 2015.

I fully understand your point but what if our elite players were offered equal money from the NRL or Union? They could still potentially leave and base their decision on wanting to test themselves in a different competition or they could simply want to experience a change of lifestyle.

I totally agree, you’re always going to get an element of players wishing to try playing either another code or living abroad but you can bet at the moment the biggest factor in them moving is the significant contracts that they’re being offered.

As things stand at the moment, whilst those players are playing well we have no chance of getting them back over here as we cannot compete with the wages.

The Burgess clan, Graham et al are lost to SL. What's important is making sure the next wave of players, the Percival's, Watkins, Suttons etc stay in the league. This can be achieved (at least financially) with the rules the rfl wants to bring in - and have brought in for the championship - without needing to chase "marquee exemptions" and massive cap increases pricing out half our competition.

So why has Joe Burgess decided to join the Roosters for 2016? He hasn’t achieved anything in Super League yet, in comparison to players like Watkins etc so a new challenge can’t be motivation behind his decision. Whatever these rules are that you mention they needed bringing in yesterday.

Also, marquee exemptions and cap increases should be relative to other income streams. If we hadn’t signed such a lengthy tv deal, an increased salary cap bringing the likes of the Burgess, Graham, Tomkins etc back to Super League would surely make it far more desirable and increase it’s product cost. Same goes for sponsorship too. However, as it is we’re tied in for the next x amount of years.

Wigan refused to pay the going rate. They have a wage structure and decided not to break it - it seems to be a lot lower than other clubs. Burgess was courted since the wcc last year by roosters.

I agree, I have said since the rules were put forward in the rfl review in September 2013 that's they should be brought in with immediate affect. And they were brought in for the championship this season. SL clubs are still dragging their heels on the matter at an infuriating level ...

I'm not sure how much value Graham & Tomkins would add to any tv deal. They're recognition %s probably would be around the same levels as mid level prem players at best - not the same affect as a Ronaldo or Messi joining the prem.