Both of those played big parts in Wigan being Champions last year. The bigger problem is what happens when they leave as you only free up £75K each of salary cap space.

Having two marquee players, particularly if they are both non-club trained, is still a big chunk of the salary cap on two players. Next year Warrington will be using 300k of their cap on Austin and Widdop. That’s 15% of the cap on two players and that means they will ace to compromise either on quality in other positions or squad depth.
It’s high risk, particularly given Widdop’s shoulder.

I'm not a fan either and I think it could unsettle a dressing room. Yet, whilst we can't afford it I like to think we have so much quality in our team (when not injured) that we have at least 3 quality marquee like players in TJ, Tupou and Fifita (and based on rumours going around BV on Friday Big Dave's new deal is not at marquee prices).

Marquee players have to have a salary cap value of £175k under ordinary circumstances. So you couldn’t have someone earning £151k who counts as marquee knocking just a grand off.

So if Pearson signs 6 players from Australia it would be £300k (saving £50k) for marquee minimum, plus whatever the other 4 cost.

It’s also £75k for club trained, which is basically anyone coming through the academy and playing 3 seasons before age of 21 at the club.

£150k covers everyone else English, Australian or whatever nationality. So someone like Westerman would count as £150k.

There's a definitive formula set out to calculate what constitutes a marquee player.


WT£ < P = MP

MC has a marquee Bat phone in his office from which he can advise the rest of SL whether their proposed player qualifies.

So potentially, everyone is a marquee player


Its gonna cost us at least 6k fans to debunk the formula and get that phone cut off, its a drain on resources so think on about missing home games.

Pearson’s probably saying it to keep the Hull fans sweet due to not living up to expectations with being a big club and all that.

To answer the OP, David Fifita, it’s just that nobody noticed it