We clearly can't afford to pay players more money. Take away the rich owners and very few clubs would be self sufficient.

never mind -- 1 more year of Wellens --- ENJOY

NRL has been the best comp since... always. The best players want to play in the best comp since always. The international exchange rates mean that the best money is in the ozzie comp. How are we meant to make super league the best comp to keep the best players? We can't! Good luck to them if they down under. I'd be off like a bloody shot if my job offered it me. Sod the wife!

If Sam wants to go to the NRL to better himself and test himself in the best Rugby competition in the world then I can totally undersatnd that. He has already won the Challenge Cup, Grand Final and Hubcap here and if we have further success in the next 2 years then I am sure he will want new challenges. With the new TV deal the money on offer in the NRL will dwarf what we can pay him and he will still be young enough to come back and still be in his 20s if he so desires or if it doesnt work out. If he does leave Wigan I would much prefer him to go the the NRL and stay in Rugby League than to go to Union.

It will make it a much easier pill to swallow if Sam goes to the NRL. We can still enjoy watching him play this great sport as well as him turning out for England. I really cant see him going to Union and to be honest part of me expects Joel to come back to League next season.

What I can see happening in the next year or two is for Sam to dump the Pies for a few years in Australia,then come back to England to sign for the mighty Wire, his boyhood club.

That may be right.
Sam goes to Aus when he's 25. Plays there for six or seven years as Moz did then returns with Wire signing him at 32/3 on a four year deal.
His age is right for a Wire signing so that might not be far off!

Thanks. This is a depressing thread, but that cheered me up.