Think of the positive - the national team should eventually become competitive for the first time in god knows how long

All the paper work as been signed by both players [gaz/lee] and both clubs they will play in oz next season wigan will get fees for both players.

You have that young Leyther Crosby to fill hocks boots, you also do worse than keep an eye on Hopkins too - FT conditioning would bring him to SL standard in no time

I tend to think the RFL should look at any and all options to keep players out of Union (as they did with Tomkins) but not necessarily the NRL, as those players are still available for England. As I say, its not as if the NRL is going to sign up many backs at all - they wouldn't bother for average players and the British ones that stand out are few and far between.

In any event I suspect the cap differences between SL, NRL and RU are getting so large that the RFL couldn't practically do much to help in more than a few isolated cases. Leeds made a profit of £300k last year IIRC - that's not a huge amount above and beyond the cap to be able to spend.

Its all very well suggesting increasing the cap to stop poaching, but if Leeds can only afford an extra £300k, how much could others realistically afford before causing financial distress? I suspect the extra is a lot less than some fans think.

The only real way to up the cap by a significant amount is increase revenue to the sport as a whole - TV rights etc. That's what's driven the NRL cap through the roof.

And what are we going to do with those fees?

Nice for IL to pocket the money I guess, but for a supporter it means very little.

How do you think Wigan funded the transfers of Matty Smith, Blake Green and Scott Taylor?

The question is still valid. What are we going to do with the money from Hock and Mossop? Fund the wages of a 31 year old ex RU prop?

If there are better players out there than Mossop and Hock who we could spend the cash on why where they not the target?

It's just a race to the bottom. Clubs who sell players are rarely able replace them with ones of higher quality.

If we paid anywhere near the (reported) fees we are getting for Hock and Mossop then we really have been done.

Are you seriously arguing that this is the case?

We'll see won't we. Remember the doom mongers who had us 6th in the League table after losing Finch, Leuluai, Lima, Carmont, Roberts, Fielden and Hock. I have a feeling Powell may surprise many of the doubters on here. His fitness won't be problem, just give him a chance.

Maybe the Hock and Mossop money will be used to bring in one or two more players, or fund the scouting/development systems to find the next batch of players.

You seriously think IL will "pocket" the money? How much has he "pocketed" since he took over the club?

The main reason why we've not generated a significant revenue increase is down to our poor international scene IMO. Sport in the UK is all about the international game - RU, Cricket, Golf, Tennis - in those sports the international game is the one area that keeps them ticking. Football is the only exception to the rule I can find. A thriving international competition projects a very attractive image for potential sponsors, broadcasters and media outlets - that's the quickest way those sports have grown and increased their revenue. In Rugby League this is what we need to follow and get behind. The World Cup this year is massive for the game over here.

Players going to the NRL is inevitable now. IFL's strategy of meeting players halfway and agreeing to let them go for a couple of seasons with the proviso that they come back is making the best of a bad situation. Time will tell but I think this is smart from the man. The implications this has for Super League is obvious it weakens our domestic game over here, but what can we do? The cap hasn't increased in sixteen years, clubs are going bust trying to reach it and we have a governing body who gave away our sponsorship for free to Stobart. Train wreck. However internationally I think we can benefit from the money in the NRL drawing our international players over to a better game, better coaches,in a better competition competing with the best players in the world week in week out. We've now got Graham, Burgess brothers, Mossop, Hock, Reed, Widdop with possibly Tomkins, Briscoe and Watkins set to join them. With Ellis having played there that's nearly a full pack, fullback, winger, two centres and a halfback playing in the NRL. We'll have a stronger international team because of this and that is good for the international scene which is key (IMO) to increasing revenue through tv contracts and sponsorships so that eventually we can increase the cap and begin to improve as a sport.

I disagree.

The way it's going, the only way we are going to see our best players is to subscribe to Channel 9 or whatever it's called in Australia.

That certainly won't improve attendances in this country for GB/England because leaking talent WILL lower attendances in this country ultimately. Our clubs won't have any star players and that will have a 'knock on' affect on attendances. People won't pay hard earned cash to watch mediocrity.

Then when it's international time, UK supporters club allegiances won't help the players picked if they play for Parramatta or whatever Ozzie club.

Let's say they arrange an international match at Headingley, and no Leeds players are picked. Will that affect the attendance ?

I think it will.

Didn't Leeds turnover circa £10m last year? Presumably they've reinvested a significant proportion of their operating profit into ground development, big screen, provisions for future improvements etc.

I think it's a bit short-sighted to assume that Leeds can only afford to spend an extra £300k on wages, just because that was their declared net profit last year. Which in itself is hardly an insignificant amount. Would be interested to read the accounts.

Well if it isn't spent on transfers, and Rogues seemingly can't make up his mind if it had already been spent on Green/Smith et al or if it will be spent on someone else (who?) then where else is it going to get used?

Running the club? Improving facilities? Y'know, stuff not related to the first team