Not quite as silly as it first sounds (although I did laugh at first). If we don't have enough room under the cap then Williams to Leigh till the end of the season, back with us for 2022. No rival team (chasing trophies) will do us the favour will they.

I agree. Ultimately we’ve got to balance our risk and reward;

We sign a good prop but miss out on George?
We have some decent go forward but in the position at seasons end where we need an established HB. George goes to Warrington partnering Trueman and Wire overtake us in the league.

Sign George miss out on a prop?
We’d have to release someone, Hastings I’d imagine. Gives us then a solid and long term HB partnership in GW and Smith with arguably the best back line in SL. With a few players off contract and rumoured to be leaving at seasons end we invest in a prop (or 2) then. We may not win SL but long term we have a stable HB partnership.

It’s a no brainier IMO.

I don't think it's that simple.

If I was Saints and had the money available for a short to term deal - I'd be all over him. If he went to Saints for the rest of the year, they'd walk the league.

If the roles were reversed and this was Thompson, I'd be more than happy to see him here for 6 months. Obviously you'd have to believe that he'd be committed, but that's down to the player.

Not as simple as that
The RFL can alter the salary cap value of a player to avoid teams breaking the spirit of the cap, I.e. deferred payments etc.

If we accept that hebis marquee, and that we only have 1 nominated marquee (which I don't as it wouldn't make much sense not to nominate a 2nd player) We would need approx 5k per month on face value.

But if another player has to come off marquee to allocate it to GW then their new full value would count
So if a player is currently getting 250 but only 150 on the cap then suddenly that 100k (approx 8k per month) is required on top ofnthe 5k for george meaning we currently would need to be 13k under that cap.

Obviously that's only 1 scenario and other players may move on, go on loan, even possibly retire etc to move things around so lots of this possible.

But as a I said on our rugby WhatsApp
No-one will have worked harder over previous years to help and work with GW and his ambitions over the years than IL and KR, and no one will work harder than these guys toget him back, I have full confidence in that.
And if we have treated these players well in the past it should stand us in good stead moving forward.

I just don't see how that works for this particular situation?

If we signed GW for 2022, but allowed him to play for another side this season - have we set his value i.e if we have to pay him what he's worth in 2022, does everyone else?

Surely it's based off demand instead? You're only worth what someone is willing to/can pay. If no one has marquee money available then his value for this year is reduced.

Wont Canberra have to pay a portion of his wages? .I recollect Leeds getting a player from the NRL and it cost them nothing as his last NRL club was paying the wages.

Not unless the 2 clubs agree to that plus other circumstances

He is talking about us signing him this season on pennies and then on a wedge next year.

People want a simplistic answer to a VERY VERU complicated situation
But you can't pay a player 1000 a year this year and 300,000 a year the year after

If you look at the M.E.N report it alludes to it in there.

"Some have pointed out that Leeds could offer him a smaller contract this year then increase it the year after, but the salary cap does not work in such a way. Instead, players are given a cap value by the RFL, and clubs must keep that under £2.1m, rather than the actual wages being paid out."

Now I'm sure can ask a million questions about that, and that makes it sound like it isn't true, but it is, and you need to read hundreds of pages and be a philadelphia lawyer to work it out.

But in the short, what I'm trying to say, is that its a thousand times more complicated than what people on here, Facebook and twitter make out it is.

Not read the thread.
For me, I would be going all out for him. No brainer. £75K as a club trained player if we can find the space you sign George Williams back.
Top class player. I think he has been excellent in the NRL. Totally unprecedented times with COVID and I cannot blame him for wanting to come back given his personal circumstances.

With Hastings leaving, Tommy close to retiring, French future uncertain and Jai Field still an unknown in respect to how good he is, signing George and having him and Smith at the helm would be an amazing result IMO.

Yes still need a prop, but right now from what I can see there isn't quality sat there available. George Williams IS available. Let's get him. I am sure the club are going hell for leather to get him and I reckon given the choice George would pick Wigan over anyone else.

The challenge is the salary cap. Let's see how we get on.

I agree. If we have to stick with what we have (and that means including Clubb when he comes back) then through gritted teeth so be it.

It would be one hell of a deal to miss out on considering that 75k maximum cap take up. If it has to be now, it has to be now because whilst we might not really need the deal now, we’re desperate for it next season. We can’t go in to 2022 with just Field, Smith and Powell for the 6,7 and 9 positions as there is very little behind them in the academy ready to step up (Brad O’Neil could potentially break through but I wouldn’t think he’d be first reserve and there’s no young halfbacks ready after Smith) I think ideally we’d be looking at Williams and Smith at 6 and 7, Powell 9 and then Field covering fullback and stand off, which would allow Williams to spell in at hooker if needs be. There’s an awful lot up in the air though because that’s all on the presumption that Bevan French will be here. If not than we’ll need a fullback as well or two centres if we move Hardaker to the back on a full time basis.

All fun and games. We don’t do settled squads, that’s for sure.

He will unveiled as a Wigan player within a week.

Just a couple of loose ends to tie up

If he joins in 2021 it would be an interesting combo with Hastings. Assuming Bevan is out for the year, perhaps Jai Field could come in at fullback if the attack isn't flowing with Zak (despite his individual qualities I'm not sure our attack has ever worked that well when he plays there). Lam would also have to decide between Leuluai and Smith as his first choice back up.

Doesn't change our core weakness in the front row though and perhaps including 2021 in a contract for Williams might mean recruiting a prop isnt possible.

His last tackle plays near the line would be very handy this season. They’re pretty dire at the minute, with Smith struggling to get the ball through the line when he kicks and Hastings getting caught in possession. We looked a bit on Saturday like we’ve just decided to run it on the last now and just turn over the ball close to the opposition line.