Squads, salary caps, SL size

[cpwigan]

The start to 2011 has highlighted the importance of a squad of quality players young and old. Wigan and every other SL team require a full first team squad of players capable of playing SL not just making up numbers of a RFL squad list.

Which begs some questions and one of my favourite soap boxes. The salary cap makes having such a squad difficult and if Wigan have to work incredibly hard to have sufficient depth then what chance have other supposed SL clubs got? Far too often clubs struggle to field competitive SL teams throughout the course of a season and standards drop in the competition. On that basis does British RL have sufficient players for so many SL teams, would the standard / squad depth improve with a bigger cap, who if anybody can afford a bigger cap? Do we play too many games but what happens re revenue/income?

[doc]

CPW, can you remember what the cap was when it was first introduced?

I'm sure it was higher than the current level.

[cpwigan]

I don't but I would guess that in REAL TERMS it is now worth far less despite a minor increase.

[lucky 13]

I think the cap needs a couple of changes raising for the ones who can afford it. The cap should reward and inspire clubs to improve and also protect, in it's presant form it does niether. From our point of view, we need to own our ground, to maximise our potential. We have no way of making money from friendly games and we play second fiddle even missing out on a home play off game. Think we dont make on food n drink match days all would help and no rent. Think this maybe on the cards at some point.

[ancientnloyal]

I can't see where rugby league can get the extra capital to fund larger squads. We say 'raise the cap' but thinking about it the SL chairmen are right to vote at keeping the cap as it is... we simply can't afford it. Biggest income is SKY money and I doubt that a media bidding war will get alot more cash into our game for each club. Reducing to 10 teams perhaps is an idea with larger squads... i'd like to see mid-week matches and more cup competitions, something do-able with a larger squad. Fewer teams will enhance the quality of players and games... clubs would get more money from gate revenue's also. I'd probably like to see another regal trophy or mid-week cup... gates would be low but hopefully big enough to make a profit and send two teams to, say, city of manchester for a final in june.

[exile in Tiger country]

I really don't see how having fewer teams with larger squads is any different to the same number of teams with smaller squads.
Surely the teams that are now in SL have the best players in Britain?
So all we would be doing would be moving those players from the clubs that lose a place to those that retain a place, or have I misunderstood something?
To me the best way to improve players is to have them playing fewer games, to allow bodies more time to recover.
Play each team once home and away, and do away with the playoffs.
26 games would give the players a longer off season, allowing them more time to recover.
I know this isn't the main reason for Southern hemisphere dominance, but they play a lot fewer games than our lads do.

[cpwigan]

An example 200 SL players divided by 14 clubs or 200 SL players divided by 12 or 10 clubs equals bigger better quality squads for the SL clubs and then better quality games whenever injuries strike.

For me, 2011 is showing ho important a squad is to Wigan and if it stretches us to the max then I shudder to think how some clubs manage in terms of competitiveness and quality. It can at times become a surivival of the fittest last man standing competition rather than an elite high quality competition.

[jaws1]

IMHO I think the time is right to SCRAP the u20's and allow the clubs who want to field a team in the Championship starting off in div 2 to do so.Why should a club bring players through the system be forced to let them go for other clubs to have the benefit.Some players peak early some don't .That way clubs would be able to use the championship salary cap to pay the players and they would be involved a better competition against better opposition.The players not in the first team squad could play for the 1st team under the provision of the £50.000
rule in SALARY CAP.
We could upgrade Orrell so the matches could be played there.

[GeoffN]

The start to 2011 has highlighted the importance of a squad of quality players young and old. Wigan and every other SL team require a full first team squad of players capable of playing SL not just making up numbers of a RFL squad list.

Which begs some questions and one of my favourite soap boxes. The salary cap makes having such a squad difficult and if Wigan have to work incredibly hard to have sufficient depth then what chance have other supposed SL clubs got? Far too often clubs struggle to field competitive SL teams throughout the course of a season and standards drop in the competition. On that basis does British RL have sufficient players for so many SL teams, would the standard / squad depth improve with a bigger cap, who if anybody can afford a bigger cap? Do we play too many games but what happens re revenue/income?

I think things are improving, though slowly. Terry Matterson made the point on Sky that removing relegation has had a massive effect on the lower clubs' ability to produce their own youngsters, instead of having to go for the "quick fix" to try and ensure survival. The new quota rules have helped a lot, too.

We're now seeing the lower clubs start to produce more quality players (even if they can't keep them, which is a different argument). I think it's working as it is, though it's early days.

[HGWarrior]

I can't see where rugby league can get the extra capital to fund larger squads. We say 'raise the cap' but thinking about it the SL chairmen are right to vote at keeping the cap as it is... we simply can't afford it. Biggest income is SKY money and I doubt that a media bidding war will get alot more cash into our game for each club. Reducing to 10 teams perhaps is an idea with larger squads... i'd like to see mid-week matches and more cup competitions, something do-able with a larger squad. Fewer teams will enhance the quality of players and games... clubs would get more money from gate revenue's also. I'd probably like to see another regal trophy or mid-week cup... gates would be low but hopefully big enough to make a profit and send two teams to, say, city of manchester for a final in june.

How much money actually comes from Sky now? Wigan should be getting in best part of £3M from gate receipts (15000x£15(average ticket price?)x13 = 2925000). I know stadium rental has to come out, then there is replica shirts etc.

Salary Cap used to be £2M - now £1.6M. RU salary cap is £4M - this will be where more & more players will go and who can blame them??