Quote: Michigan red "You'd hope that was to see if they have a bigger than expected budget.'"
That may be the case and hopefully it is. Yet the wording of the article insinuates that without new investment, there's no budget.
Quote: Michigan red "Which presumably means that if Cronulla want him they now have to pay a transfer fee?'"
I don't know. I would expect it means he can't wriggle out of his contract with Salford, who will keep his registration. So perhaps the situation is similar to James Jiminez's in 2008, in that if he wants to go home, he can't play for anyone during the remainder of his contract.