Eastmond offered 200k p/a to switch

[Sutty]

Big debate on Twitter saying that more players will chase the money unless the RFL wake up and acknowledge the problem. Martin Offiah points out that in 1990, Ellery Hanley earned more than the majority of today's players!

If stories are to be believed Saints matched the Bath offer, rendering the money chasing stories irrelevant.

I think there's more to it than simply matching the salary.
The cold, hard truth is that RL is a game played (mainly) in the M62 corridor, we get little or no media coverage from the large broadcasters in this country, the RFL seem inept at putting out a big campaign to raise the awareness of our game. There are many other failings too.

On the other hand, RU gets huge media coverage, the 6 Nations has had a huge advertising campaign, their players are constantly in the spotlight in the media, second only to Prem football players.

Then there's all the endorsments that come with the hype and public appearances that the England squad will get. Despite his salary being similar to what Saints offered him, I bet he's earning a heck of a lot more than he would have had he stayed at Saints. I can't imagine the RU having stupid rules like endorsments and other income counting towards their salary cap. Can you ever imagine a RU club being fine for going "against the spirit of the cap"?!?

Until the RL ups its game massively, in terms of marketing and something is done about the structure of the league then we will never be able to compete with the likes of the RU "big boys". That's before we even consider what a benefit full media coverage would do for our sport.

As a brand, RL is one of the best viewing spectacles in the World. NFL is similar to RU in that it's games are so stop start etc I don't think I've ever been glued to the tv set wondering what's going to happen next. Is someone going to drop a ball and the opposition score against the run of play, is there going to be some biff etc?. but look how huge that sport is, all through money and media advertising. I'm not suggesting that we'll ever rival those sorts of sports, we just haven't got the money available to get close to them.
But, IMO we've got a product with absolutely huge potential, and we need to get it out to the wider public. Until the RFL, Sky, ESPN, BBC or ITV start making more of an effort for our sport, and selling it to the wider public, we're going to remain stuck in the dark ages and never expand.
Media is such a big thing these days, that it's not inconceivable that RL could eventually get swallowed up altogether. We've always lived in the shadow of the "upper class" RU, and that was even without anywhere near as much media coverage. Something has to be done NOW, before it's too late!!!

[shaunedwardsfanclub]

Big debate on Twitter saying that more players will chase the money unless the RFL wake up and acknowledge the problem. Martin Offiah points out that in 1990, Ellery Hanley earned more than the majority of today's players!

You can bet your bottom dollar that Saint sdidn't offer the same money as Bath. If they had they would have had to sell half of their team to meet the salary cap. Eastmond will get a basic salary of circa £200k with attached bonuses - Saints simply couldn't compete.

There will be more. The bottom line is that money talks. These guys do not play for thr glory they play to pay their mortgages.

[Panchitta Marra]

What position do people think Eastmond will play with Bath and England RFU.
Would he suit scrum half or will he be put on the wing or at full back like Jason Robinson was.

[yoda warrior]

He would be wasted at scrum half. He's not a great passer of the ball and his main strength is running with it. The complete opposite of the skills required for a scrum half, so i think he'll end up on the wing.

[Wes]

He was and Saints can, Saints only had to offer half of his salary towards the cap as he was/is classed as home grown. If they offered him 220k only 110k gets knocked off the cap and to be fair to saints for the last 5 years they havnt matched players like for like so they will be well under the cap! To my reckoning so you could give or take 1 or 2 saints have 12 home grown players named in their 19 for their match against quins this wkend.I think Wigan are in a similar position thanks to IL. A little off topic from the thread and im sorry for going off tangent but does anyone know if Warrington are under the cap?

[Fujiman]

He was and Saints can, Saints only had to offer half of his salary towards the cap as he was/is classed as home grown. If they offered him 220k only 110k gets knocked off the cap and to be fair to saints for the last 5 years they havnt matched players like for like so they will be well under the cap! To my reckoning so you could give or take 1 or 2 saints have 12 home grown players named in their 19 for their match against quins this wkend.I think Wigan are in a similar position thanks to IL. A little off topic from the thread and im sorry for going off tangent but does anyone know if Warrington are under the cap?

Your wrong re the cap

[Wes]

fujiman- my apologies you are correct here, i was mistaken but iv re educated my self however my principle from earlier post would be better than this rule:- Any player who has played for the same Club for at least 10 consecutive seasons will have half their salary excluded from the Salary Cap for his eleventh and subsequent seasons. This is measured from the season in which the player was registered as a professional player with the club and is subject to a maximum of £50,000 for any one club. (No wander Leeds love Senior!)

But that said will Wellens qualify for this yet? and did Cunningham last year?

On the money offered for Eastmond I still had that from good source that they matched the 200k, not that it matters now.

[Fujiman]

fujiman- my apologies you are correct here, i was mistaken but iv re educated my self however my principle from earlier post would be better than this rule:- Any player who has played for the same Club for at least 10 consecutive seasons will have half their salary excluded from the Salary Cap for his eleventh and subsequent seasons. This is measured from the season in which the player was registered as a professional player with the club and is subject to a maximum of £50,000 for any one club. (No wander Leeds love Senior!)

But that said will Wellens qualify for this yet? and did Cunningham last year?

On the money offered for Eastmond I still had that from good source that they matched the 200k, not that it matters now.

No probs mate. You have a good point and its been well discussed on this forum. You should be able to exclude some of the wages of the home produced talent to encourage production of them but also allowing them to benefit in higher wages than otherwise would have allowed

[Kittwazzer]

Just read a long thread on RedVee. In all my years of watching RL, I have never known any player attract so much vitriol and hatred from his own fanbase. He should pack his bags and go now!