Barry Clegg 2nd wrote:I find myself agreeing slightly in what jonh is saying in regards to skill levels but i do feel the entertainment on off now is better than anytime in the SL era even though the skill levels may have dropped.
I can fully understand why richer clubs would want to spend more cash to improve their team and be the best.
I was against SL, i was against franchises and i was against the salary cap but i have been turned, the skill level in a game is not the be all and end all. You can not deny jon that there are more games now where the result is difficult to predict compared with just 3/4 years ago and it is making the game better for it, when Wigan where the all spending superpower they played marvellous rugby but my god what a boring 10 years we had as spectators, Wigan for me killed the challenge cup with the way they won it for fun, even Wigan fans at the time where saying how it was not the same.
If we stick with the salary cap as it is for say 2/3 years the leveling off will mean an even greater chance of other teams being able to win something, once we are on a level playing field where all clubs can spend the cap then we should look at increasing/altering it.
I agree with the first part of the statement in bold but not the second part i do not think the game is better for it, as i think the standards generally have slipped.
I do not claim to have the answers (which is unusual
) but i think if the cap was based on a clubs comercial activity and the inovation this would be good for the game, i reiterate Wigan would not be in the top 2 clubs if this were the case.
What it would force clubs to do is fight tooth and nail for every penny to increase there ability to recruit the more expensive players, which as we know does not guarentee success anyway. Remember the cap has not always been fair and was conected to turnover up until this season I think, and still the traditionally "poorer" clubs have provided a more competative league.
Retaining the cap removing the ceiling would force clubs to fight to enhance there turnover.
Allowing dispensation for Academy players who make the first team would focus the teams even more on youth development and a dispensation for an Academy player who makes an International selection for England/GB would add to the ability to retain them at the clubs they are products of.
I would also like to see overseas players wages count extra towards the cap maybe 110% of there actual wage to ensure only the very best were recruited and considered worth the spend.