Spot on. There really are no positives at all in the current reality where the nrl IS the ultimate aim for UK players.

Having spent some time in Oz if you paid me more cash to be here, I'd be here. If UK RL paid the kind of money we are talking about in the NRL our players could spend the off season in OZ if they wanted. It's great for a while but I'd say the ultimate consideration in a short career is money. We just don't pay enough.

I've said a couple of times on this thread alone that I hope you're right. But I don't think you are on the matter of Leeds.

The truth is we don't know anything about this magical pay structure that Gary Hetherington reportedly operates. It may well prevent the players competing against each other. But unless it involves breaking the salary cap, I don't see how it's going to secure the future at Headingley of the likes of Hall, Watkins, BJB, Hardaker etc when the NRL starts dangling its big golden carrots.

Ultimately you're correct on the contracts thing - H can hold his players to their deals. But the Brian Case example shouldn't just be dismissed as irrelevant. We've all seen in recent times - Jeff Lima being the best example - how ineffective a player can be if he doesn't want to be here. It's bad form by the player in question; I will never remember Lima fondly as a Wigan player, but as long as players can get a lot more money elsewhere, the spectre of them wanting to leave early is going to be hanging around.

If I have a problem with the Wigan solution - such as it is, it's that it may give the RFL an excuse to continue on their current neglectful and destructive course. At present they appear to be doing NOTHING to restrict player losses from our domestic game. And if Wigan have now adopted an attitude of 'live with it or die', the RFL could easily turn around to everyone else and say 'why don't you get real, like Wigan have?'. However, the WiganTV interview with IL was quite interesting; he seemed to hint that big changes were afoot in terms of the way SL is organised, which won't be before time. Of course, if all those changes suddenly kick in before Leeds lose their star players, then I'll really be suspicious .

I am personally hugely excited to see how Powell gets on. I don't think fitness will be an issue for him but the technical side of the game will obviously take a bit of getting used to. I think his hard running and aggresive tackling will be perfectly suited to being RL prop. I also think he will be a big character in the dressing room.

With regards to those leaving for the NRL, I personally care a lot more about the success of Wigan than England so if that's the biggest benefit to them going then I don't buy it. On the plus side, it gives another couple of youngsters a chance to prove themselves.

Taken a bit of time to think about this whilst reading the usual suspects post. Is it just me that thinks that the Mossop deal is a good one?
As I see it, player approaching the final year of his contract, decides he wont sign on again and wants a crack at the ozzie game, his agent lets it be known he is available and gets some offers back. Wigan have 2 options

1) let his contract run down, he walks out the door for free (see the huge arguments on saints site re Eastmond for this)
2) sell him in the last year of the contract and get some money back, whilst having time to source a replacement.

If he returns to England, we gain a good prop with NRL experience that won’t count on the quota, if he stays in oz, what have we lost?

To me it’s a no brainer, how many football players are allowed to run their contracts down and walk out for free, players and their agents are savvy now, they know their value on the open market, hence getting players tied down on long contracts when we can. We are following the football model and there will be more of this to come, I am just happy that the chairman has the nouse to do this rather than let players walk for free.
Hock is a good result from a bad situation, I don’t know the full ins and outs, but if it is the reason I have been told then hock deserves to be out of the club, but again we have a positive result from a negative situation.
Powell is a gamble, but lets give the lad a chance before deciding he is crap.

Leeds main players are Sinfield 32, Burrow 30, Mcguire 30 and JP 35, their next/new contracts are going to be lower than the ones they are on now/previously. The next ‘batch’ Hardaker, Watkins, Ward, Hall are all tied up on long term deals. Leeds would probably benefit more from the structure staying the same than changing.

If Leeds are so determined to hold on to their players why did they allow Luke Burgess to leave so easily without a fee?
The only time we can tell what Leeds will do is if the NRL come after two or three of their best players with massive salary increases on offer and substantial transfer fee money too.

Burgess had a couple of months left on his contract and Leeds werent particularly determined to keep hold of him.

Agreed. We simply won't know what happens until it happens, if you know what I mean.

It think the Leeds quartet of strikers - Hall, Watkins, BJB and Hardaker - are the most likely to attract RU and/or NRL interest. And I mean real interest, not just rumour stuff.

If they don't, I'll be baffled.

How do you work that one out? as players get older they usually demand a higher salary and there will be plenty teams will to pay it as well.

Iv also lived and worked in Australia for 12 months. given another chance id go back tomorrow even if I was offered more money to stay here.. the place and life style is unreal, I worked 7am- 3/4pm and spent the rest of the afternoon on the beach or wherever.. I really don't know what there isn't to like about aus! I guess everybody is different though and that lifestyle doesn't suit everyone.

iv not read the whole of the topic but my take is how can anyone begrudge someone a chance to better themselves? it is frustrating to lose a player of mossop's quality but listening to his comments the club have known about his desire to play in the nrl for afew years now, and wigan have covered themselves with his potential departure by getting the transfer fee for him. if he comes back in afew years a better player then great if not good luck to him but someone else now has the chance to play first team.

As players near their peak they do. Once they are past that those figures go down again.

its a logical way of thinking but i don't believe that at all. Kevin Sinfield for example when was he's peak? considering you probably wouldn't have won your last 2 grand finals with out him. none of us will know for sure but i think he would be on more money now than 5 years ago the same goes for Jamie peacock.

Yeah, but League is a very different game, especially in defence. Terry O'Connor made exactly that point on "Boots" this week. Just the constant "making the 10" takes a different type of fitness than Union's structure, as do the tackling/wrestling techniques in League. I do think he'll succeed, but I certainly don't expect him to be ready to walk right in.

You assume that his contract will pay the same every year. I'd be pretty confident that Sinfield wouldnt be earning the same at 34 in two years time as he was at 30 and i really cant imagine Peacock signing a contract at 34 which paid him as much until he was 36 as the one he signed at 28 when he was GB captain.