Confirms what a lot of people already knew, Koukash keen to sign SBW. www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... ny-5712810

Confirms what a lot of people already knew, Koukash keen to sign SBW. www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... ny-5712810

More chance getting Andy Williams.

This is SBW we are talking about, nothing would surprise you when it involves him. He strikes me as the kind of guy who doesn't stick around very long and likes new challenges.

After playing for the Bulldogs, he moved to France to play Union with Toulon before moving to New Zealand where he played for the Crusaders in the first year and the Chiefs in the second. Following that he did a stint in Japan, then moved back to Oz with the Roosters. Amoungst all of that he has also had 6 professional boxing bouts.

Obviously not a man to shirk a challenge, who knows if a year in England is on his "to do list" and if the money is right it could prove very worthwhile. Like I said, it isn't that unrealistic...

It is when you consider the small detail of something called the salary cap! Pie in the sky this talk.

That'll be the least of our worries. Ways and means.

Nonsense. I realize what MK has said in the past about breaking the salary cap but if by some miracle SBW and Chase both end up here along with every other player we've signed we'd have broke the cap and would deserve stripping of competition points. It's fanciful talk and whilst I'm sure some clubs have used some 'creative accounting' in the past, this would be blatant cheating of the highest order.

Don't get me wrong, I'd absolutely love to see SBW in the Super League let alone at Solly but the current structures in place in the game simply don't allow these types of signing's. Legally and within the rules anyway.

Simple way to get him over is for the Doc to pay him a retainer for say so many boxing fights and be his promoter. Wouldn't count on the cap and would offer him a chance to fight over in Europe.

I personally doubt it would happen at this point in his career but it's good to dream.

I'm purely chewing the fat here, but Wigan found a way to get dispensation for Tomkins, so it would be in the same spirit of the game if the RFL gave Salford dispensation. Also, by over ruling the SL chairmen, it would show strong leadership from the RFL.

There's something slightly perverse about a supposedly professional competition that makes it virtually impossible to recruit or retain star players.

As I said ways and means. Koukash isn't stupid, he's a clever and astute businessman who knows what he is doing. I was quietly confident when I heard this back in June as I thought the RFL may agree to the marquee signing rule. Whilst it makes it more difficult that they didn't, I trust Marwan and his team have done the background checks and is confident we can balance it.

I'm sure a nice £400k house in Worsley in SBW's name would help. After 12 months he can do what he likes with it, preferably sell it though and pocket a £400k lump sum before he goes on his next adventure.

Just the thought of Hock & Hock in the back row is enough make anyone giddy. Though having seen Williams play in the halves for the Roosters a few weeks ago #13 it would be a massive attacking option.

In the Rag Barker quotes thisReds owner Marwan Koukash has been chasing Williams for the past six months but is refusing to reveal the exact details of his latest bid.'"

It's hard to tell what is actually going with our recruitment, the pessimist in me that can all too well remember the previous administration, sees all of this as too good to be true. On the other hand, this could purely be agents using the club to get their players better deals, it could be Koukash himself using all these stories to hide his true plan, but what if there is some truth and he delivers on some of these promises.

So far he's delivered on Morley and, it would seem, Rangi Chase. If we somehow managed to sign one of Mannering, Mautilino, Pritchard or Luke, we'd have one heck of a team next year. Heck I'd be happy if we signed Fisiiahi to go with those we'd already signed, but people talk about changing perceptions of our club and the attitudes within it. Playing alongside Morley will go some way to change attitudes inside the club, but could you imagine what SBW would add to the club.

I'm not getting carried away, but he is worth pulling the stops out for and, despite the other chairmen trying to prevent it, you could imagine that sky and the RFL must be happy to have a true international star joining the English game.

James Graham, Sam Burgess George Burgess, Tom Burgess, Luke Burgess Scott Moore, Mike cooper, Lee Mossop, some kid from Leeds, Sam Tomkins (unofficial), Pat Richards and probably some more ive missed off all going to the NRL because its more money and better than Superleague.

I cant understand a) michael Weyman going to HKR b) Luke Walsh to Saints and C) Joel monaghan not exploring a return to the NRL (ok he could do without digging up the dog incident again)
superleague at the minute is a bit I dont know why half decent youngish overseas players are coming here...

Sonny Bill would be great for the Game never mind Salford but he will stiff his "mates" at sydney and take a three year deal with Rugby Union no danger...