I guess the only difference is that the salary cap dictates our behaviour (we could compete for wages without it) whereas that's not necessarily the same for other selling clubs. We cash in because we can't keep people beyond their contract even though we have the means and the desire to; they cash in because they wouldn't have the means.

But good point.

I doubt they're touting them out though. I'm sure if Hock had a better attitude and the NRL didn't cherry pick the bones out of them offering them terms Wigan aren't allowed to match, they'd probably still be there.
It must grate knowing they have the financial power to stop it but hands are tied because Wakefield and Bradford are mismanaged.

The other part of that, is if as a club you are producing a lot of very good youngsters (Wigan five academy titles in six years) then you have to let players move on to make room for them. I accept that there is a bit of risk in that strategy but it seems to be working at the moment.

The BIG risk is that you have too many young players in the team at once.

The test of that will be next season. The homegrown rule means you can compete on wages, but does your management have the desire to? If Micky mc and Charnley go you may have an answer

Charnley could be replaced from within (Manfredi, very similar in style) Replacing Mick Mac would be a problem, and maybe we would have to buy in, but the money is available for that (Daryl Clark?). There is a very good young hooker, Luke Waterworth, coming through the systems but I think he is three or four years away from being a regular first team forward.

Do you think they're both going? Does IL not even try to keep these players?

I'm not so sure Charnley would make it at NRL level. I haven't been impressed with him against the Aussies or the kiwis when he's played. He juSt doesn't seem the same player at that level.

I'm not bagging Charnley before you all come flooding in with counter posts of how Josh is better than makinson and swift. I know he's better than both at the moment.

I like charnley, he's a very good super league player and his try record is freakish. I also like him as he plays with a smile on his face but like I said, I don't think he will be great in the NRL.

I haven't heard anything at all. What he won't do, quite rightly, is to be held to ransom.

I agree, but they are two of your star players, it's a bit silly to vote for a marquee rule but then not pay your own locally trained players enough to keep them, surely?

Charnley's defence can be suspect at times. With Goulding as his centre he's ok but should someone else play 3 then he can be in trouble.
Likewise playing for England, if Goulding was his centre he'd be ok but with Kallum Watkins at 3 then anything can happen to their defence and often does.
Watkins ball in hand is the best 3 in our game by some distance but defence wise he's all over the place.
Wouldn't surprise any of us if Charnley and Micky Mac end up in the NRL.
If they do we really need to buy in experienced players. Especially at 9.

Apologies if I'm mistaken, but I was under the impression that the homegrown rule only applied to one homegrown player? If so it can hardly be thought to help us that much when a large amount of our best players are home grown. If it applies to them all then I completely agree, at the moment I'm still of the impression that we've got the desire I'm talking of - but as you point out it hasn't been tested properly.