Hadn't realised this!! Could well be trouble ahead for SL!

Hadn't realised this!! Could well be trouble ahead for SL!

this looks like big big trouble for SL

No idea how we will compete with the NRL in future. We need some mammoth investment and the income from sky is not going to be enough

I was listening the RL on RY podcast this morning and they talk about the NRL salary cap increase during the show - worth a listen (more so since schoey is on the WC trip)

Just read this myself and agree it is certainly a cause for concern. The game in the NRL is getting bigger and bigger financially but SL is seemingly struggling and the SKY deal was very much undersold.

In real terms its a major threat to SL clubs to be able to keep hold of the top English/UK players as an example for us Taylor, Watts then the likes of Manu. The marquee rule isn't really going have much affect to stop a possible drain on the top players leaving SL for the riches of the NRL no matter what nationality they are.

Think this will certainly be a topic high on the agenda for all SL clubs owners and the RFL too.

I agree... i don't think the marquee rule will put a dent in seeing players leave. I think the intention of the marquee rule is too allow clubs to sign and retain world-class players (such as Tomkins, although he's not world-class anymore but that's another issue)

Hypothetically, we could keep hold of Kelly as a marquee player but lose say, Jake Connor, Josh Griffin and Josh Bowden. They would be excellent squad players in the NRL and wouldn't cost them a large part of the salary cap. It could be a horrendous situation for our club

it is indeed a bit worrying. one possible reason why there may not be a huge drain on superleague is the already large pool of talent at the NRL clubs both in the first team squads and reserve grade (remember the holden cup is of a decent standard). yes they may pick off a few of our best players but may not want to sign players just to stick in reserve grade - a player who looks great in superleague is not always so hot in the nrl (hardaker, joe burgess, ben crooks et al).

i'm not sure whether a salary cap raise over here would solve anything, as we would never be able to compete on those terms with the NRL - it would bankrupt the game.

One possible idea may be to look at some sort of dual reg where teams link up and swap players, that way if we were to lose a few superleague players there might be a good up and coming aussie to take their place, though i'm not sure this would solve anything - just putting the idea out there

perhaps if mr wood and his cronies had been prepared to negotiate a better TV deal for the game a couple of years ago rather than take the initial offer and spent more effort in getting top sponsors on board we would be in a better negotiating position.

IF and it's a big if we do get more money in the game some way down the line, aren't we in desperate need as a sport for it to be invested in improving the development of younger players, keeping players in the sport as a whole and developing the game more nationally as opposed to just blowing it all on a couple of players a team?

I get that there might be some player drain but there is plenty of choice for NRL teams already.
Currently there are maybe 4 British/English players in the NRL I'd consider for our team, I don't think the likes of Bowden would get a gig as good as he is, Watts and Taylor maybe.
But in any case if players want to earn £70k/year sitting on the sidelines most of the season let them, if we (RL as a whole via individual clubs) develop more players and to a higher standard here then this should not be a huge problem.

The game doesn't have enough commerciality in the UK for us to get anywhere near the TV deal in Oz so clubs either need to improve their income streams or we need to get better at developing more quality players. No point whinging about it

I get what you're saying with regards to Bowden and the NRL having a much greater choice but if the minimum wage for an NRL player is coming in then NRL clubs may well look at taking the players such as the Bowdens, McMeekens etc as they are getting proven players that would cut it in the NRL as opposed to an inexperienced player.

Granted they may not get regular games but RL is a short career and if they can double their earnings whilst having a year or two in Australia I'm sure they'd look at it as a serious option, hell I would.

I agree the focus must be on developing home grown players but the farce of the U23's was proof that the RFL aren't that way inclined, its all well and good getting players through the development to around 16 but then not having the structure in place to get them up the next level by playing regularly at as a high a level is possible then the production line stops. This is something that should be one of the main requirements of any team not just in SL but wanting to get in to SL, that they must have a development program and a proper academy set up with age groups up to U23's.

Its a big issue for SL and British RL in general.

Agreed on the development front, but I can’t see anyone “whinging”?

Salary Cap needs doubling at least. The vast majority of players in SL are on a pittance for a pro sport.