Does League ever pinch Union players? I can't think of many. I take it as a compliment that Union clubs are looking at our players - it's a clear indication that theirs is the inferior code.

Agreed.

Perhaps it will take the departure of Eastmond to RU for those at the RFL to stand up and protect what we have. It's not as though were in a position like the Aussies are that when they lose a top player they can produce another one just as good if not better to take his position.

Were a minority sport played by a relativley small amount of people and as daft as it sounds we can't afford to lose any players let alone three quaters to another sport. Just look at Senior, still the best British centre in the league even at his age just shows how much difficulty we have in producing top quality three quarters.

That's more than a bit unfair to the lad and his family and paints a picture that is untrue.

The seeds for this situation were sown over 12 months ago and as I've said in another post could easily have been avoided.

I think it's a great idea in theory, but we have top clubs losing money at the current salary cap level. Bigger wage bills will just mean bigger losses.

The RFL's focus has been on improving clubs' finances and facilities recently, and rightly so. We now look like we may be approaching a decent base from which to grow the cap, but lets not forget the reason it was brought in in the first place.

There are different stories, depending on who you talk to. I can only quote what I've been told.

True, but with the youngsters we're not talking about huge amounts. If we could pay them, say £20k instead of £10k, but with only £10k counting towards the cap, it would be a massive incentive for clubs to develop and keep their own talent, and perhaps also encourage more kids to take up the game professionally.


The 50% of income cap was an excellent idea, and should have been retained. Somewhere along the line it got corrupted into "creating a level playing field" which not only hasn't worked (the same clubs, by and large, are still winning everything), it's pulling the top clubs down to a mediocre level.

Thornley going doesn't surprise any of us. Union have been after him for years.

We used to sign union players and did do for a 100 years until they went pro in 1995. Then the Union to league stopped overnight.
During the time Union players signed for League clubs and Union fans were moaning about it I always said they should sort their own house out if they wanted to stop it.

My POV hasn't changed. If we want to stop players leaving either for Aus RL or Union then British Rugby League has to sort it's own house out. The salary cap takes its fair share of the blame and rightly so but it's not all down to that. Clubs have to increase their revenue and by some margin if they want to retain their best talent. That applies to clubs at the bottom of the League table as well as at the top.

This has just gone up on the M.E.N. sports page menmedia.co.uk/manchesterevening ... rike_again think those posters on another thread, about BBC GMR, thinking people who are concerned about overseas signings affecting our junior production are all anti Wigan might now understand why and before any one shoots me down it's happening at other clubs too. The sport has lost a very good coach

This has just gone up on the M.E.N. sports page menmedia.co.uk/manchesterevening ... rike_again think those posters on another thread, about BBC GMR, thinking people who are concerned about overseas signings affecting our junior production are all anti Wigan might now understand why and before any one shoots me down it's happening at other clubs too. The sport has lost a very good coach

With the loss of such a respected coach, is there trouble behind the scenes at Wigan?

You can't blame this loss on the salary cap, he's not gone as an international coach and they can't offer him a good university deal. Why has he left? Did he just fancy a change?

I will get in there first....sale offered him £3m and a new york apartment to leave wigan etc etc

Once Mick Hogan went to Sale there were always going to be people at Wigan he would target. Which is what is now happening we just need to make sure we fill the vacancy's with people as good if not better. Also MM will want to bring in people that work his way when a new head coach comes in its not unusual for most of the coaching and back room staff to change.
As for younger players going it happens at every club you try to keep the best but that is not always possible.

I'm not sure that Ray Unsworth leaving Wigan - good lad, but he's been around a bit - indicates there are problems at Wigan as much as the appointment of Simmons indicates there are problems at Saints.