One problem with the current situation IMO is that it makes a failing club a very unattractive proposition for potential investors. A very rich person can't just buy a club, pay off their debts, buy top players and have a chance of winning trophies.

For most clubs, ie the ones that are not spending the full cap allowance, it's almost a non-issue, in that it's not the salary cap keeping wages low, it's lack of income.

As something else to consider. Union is strong in large part because the international game allows the top players to get a big bucks central contract directly from the governing body. Would that be an option to a) promote the international game, and b) top up the wages of the best players.

Will we be able to afford it when uncle dave puts the rent up on HE'S ground?

Salary cap to increase, another marquee player, plus exemptions for U21's players. www.rugby-league.com/superleague ... per-league

Salary cap to increase, another marquee player, plus exemptions for U21's players. www.rugby-league.com/superleague ... per-league

Expect Williams to sign a new contract soon as a marquee player as he'll only count £75k on the cap. Get the lad tied up for as long as possible.

I wonder if Sam Tomkins salary cap value will now be £75K instead of the £100K it was before this new ruling?

Assume it will go down to £75k now as he'll be regarded as club trained. Think it counts as £150k at the moment (?) so we should have an additional £150k to play with for next season given Tomkins reduction and the general increase.

Looks like the vote was 7-5 in favour of the various increases. Wigan, Salford and Wire voted in favour. The Guardian are chasing the full list of for and against.

This increase in the number of 'Marquee Players' effectively means the 'Salary Cap' is being made redundant does it not? As only Wigan use it at the moment (for Sam Tomkins salary), the increase to two allows us to effectively keep George Williams. I've no doubt that if IL wants three MPs in a year or so, he will get his way.

If so this would be good news for our game.

However I'm confused because each club would be entitled to a dispensation for two Marquee Players whose Salary Cap value would be £175k (but for the Regulation, see below).

"The Regulation" would distinguish between Marquee Players as follows and (ii) all other Marquee Players be deemed to have a Salary Cap Value of £150k.


So does a non club trained marquee player have a value against the cap of 175k or 150k?

£150k - you have to be paying them £175k or above for them to be able to be counted as a marquee player.

Also players signed from RU salary doesn't count on the cap for first year and only 50% second year.

Thanks Andy, I must be thick because I still don't fully get it. Does it mean if you have a marque player whose earning 150k then his salary doesn't count on the cap, but if he's earning 175k or more then it does.

Considering how he's funding a huge chunk of Sam's salary out of his own pocket due to the marquee player rule (Sam barely playing will be salt in the wound), I'm not even sure whether he even would have wanted the 2nd MP slot. Gives Williams more bargaining power and will increase the external pressure from fans.

I sense from some people that they misunderstand what the marquee rule actually is. Clubs still have to pay the full salary, it just reduces what counts on the salary cap. Wigan are not flush as a club, far from it - we simply have a wealthy owner. But Lenagan is a business man and won't be willing to pour endless sums in to fund player salaries. I reckon only Salford and Warrington will be overly keen to spend more.