Thinking about it, I'm not even sure Eastwood would have made the team. Where would he play? For me, he's a running player rather than a creative player, so is best suited to the outside backs. I doubt I'd put him ahead of Tomkins at full back or Charnley/Hall on the wings. Unless, of course, he turns out to be our potential marquee signing, in which case he's better than all of them.

I think had Ashton stayed in rugby his career trajectory would have been similar to Kevin Penny's, because he is the worst defender I've ever seen, and I've seen Paul Carige. A few years around the Championship then picked up by a SL club in the hope that he might have improved.

Joel Tomkins, we'll never know, but we are a bit short in the centres. Owen Farrell neither. He's never played rugby at a senior level, and the only times I've seen him in union he's been little more than a kicking machine. I've never seen anything to suggest he'd be a better half back than what England have already got.

The danger with this is that you end up in a bidding war with an entire sport over one player. If you lose, you lose the player, if you win you end up forking out mega-bucks.

Still say if a club get a private individual who is willing to sign a player on behalf of a club it doesnt impact in any way SL.


Sure most teams have someone known to them who would be willing to be associated with a Burgess, Slater, Williams or Tomkins.

I think the Marguee signing is an idea worth looking at. But what about the teams who struggle financial as it. Surely those teams would miss out or will the rfl, subsides any short comings.

I would love to see big name players in Sl. From this season we are lacking a really stand out signing from any team.

That's why aa marquee exempt rule needs to be policed by the powers that be.

Any salary for the term of the contract help in a secure account and for any interests to be plowed back into the sport at a grass root level.

This way no club is left mid season paying wages for the marquee player and struggling to pay the rest. Ive long since said at the start of each season clubs should be made to hand over annual playing staff salaries to gaurantee teams can get through the season without any issues.

Those players are in RU for a reason.

None of them are good enough for front line RL.

according to jack deardon earlier on gmr the burgess to bath deal is done

Stuart Pyke ‏@stuartpykesport 28m

I have it on very good authority the new 'marquee' player rule (salary cap exempt) will be given green light very soon #SuperLeague

We know that some of our signings this year were purely short term ones, so it would be nice to replace an older forward with Burgess for 2015 - but I'd still be amazed to see him leave his brothers, mother, and the Sydney "celeb" lifestyle for either a pile of money playing in SL, or a pile of money, boredom on the pitch and possible brief fame in late 2015 playing union.

Really?

eastmond, tomkins are defiantly good enough. maybe ashton and farrell depending on how they come back. Farrell looks like your typical old school 13, strong in the tackle night quite strong enough for 2nd row but has good hands to make up for it not mentioning his kicking abilities.

If this got brought in for this season think the only people you'd look like being able to get for this year would be returning RU players such as Ashton or Eastmond or ones in RU that would be making the switch to RL, no big name NRL player is going to be released from his contract for this season.

I'd quite happily take Ashton back as still looks like a fine athlete and with the right coaching his RL skills wouldn't be a million miles below the surface and I still think we are a back light in the make up of the squad.

also forgot to mention Marwan please name and shame the people who are really holding this super league back its been going on to long. If he has a genuine chance of signing sam burgess back and some chairmen/rfl officials are stopping him they don't deserve an opinion. Sam burgess= a stronger super league no matter if you whip people all season.

Wigan more or less had an exemption for Tomkins the past few years he was there, agreed by other SL clubs at the time, so he would stay in SL. Be interesting if they voted against this now.

I'll be pleasantly suprised if the exemption rule is granted this season, if at all.