Salford Red Devils fire sale imminent with salary cap and quota dispensations considered

[josie andrews]

They’re claiming being skint yet they’ve took their squad to Portugal for pre season training!!

Doesn’t make sense to me

[the pieman]

tickets for matches being sold too. Some of their fans arent happy as they dont want to purchase if no club or team to watch

i get there's an element of the club cant disclose everything that is going on, but equally, they need to put something out to their fans saying "we are having financial difficulties and are aiming to / will fulfil our SL fixtures for the coming season, whilst continuing to look for external investment" or something to that effect

lets not forget that the fans saved them last year with a big whip round

[josie andrews]

Super League clubs deliver verdict on Salford Red Devils dispensations with decision made

Clubs have voted on proposals to grant dispensations on Salford Red Devils players.

Super League clubs have voted against granting dispensations to those wishing to sign Salford Red Devils players - despite the Reds voting in favour of the proposals themselves.

The Reds are on the verge of needing to cash in on their players to overcome their latest financial issues, with hopes of securing the investment that would aid their prospects still not coming to fruition.

Last week, Rugby League Live revealed that senior officials at the Rugby Football League and RL Commercial had contacted clubs to inform them of Salford's current position, while also being encouraged to start putting offers in for players in anticipation of sales being required to ensure Salford's financial crisis didn't further deteriorate.

Clubs were also told dispensations would be considered given the grim nature of Salford's position as it would enhance their ability to cut costs and potentially receive transfer fees. The dispensations would have allowed clubs up to salary cap and full on their quota allotment to sign Salford players regardless.

But at a meeting of owners on Tuesday, a majority vote saw the dispensation proposals thrown out - despite Salford being among the clubs to vote in favour of them being put in place. Many clubs believe allowing clubs to spend beyond the salary cap restrictions in place would damage competition integrity.

Should Salford's worst fears of a fire sale now come to fruition, the vote would appear to work against them as it will restrict the number of clubs who are in a position to sign their players. Castleford Tigers, Huddersfield Giants, Hull FC, Leigh Leopards, Wakefield Trinity and Warrington Wolves are all thought to have cap space, but the rest are thought to have no room to budge.

Unless there is a late U-turn, the decision has poured cold water on a number of rumoured deals. Love Rugby League had reported that Hull KR were interested in signing Nene Macdonald while Leeds Rhinos had expressed interest in Kallum Watkins. Now, however, neither of those deals will be possible.

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... ommunities

[moto748]

Maybe it's just me, but I don't see how this attitude by 'the other clubs', whoever they are, is going to move the situation forward, or do any thing to help Salford. If that's their intention.

[the pieman]

i'm glad the clubs voted against a firesale and moving the cap / quota for the sake of it, as i believe it would set a dangerous precedent and ultimately clubs could then challenge the cap whenever they wanted with the caveat that the RFL / SL allowed it when Salford were in trouble

there's no doubt the situation at Salford needs resolving and quickly, but i'd rather see them play the season in SL than not, if nothing else, due to the disruption it would cause across the leagues if they didnt play out the SL season

[Ipinwigan]

Rugby League is always lurching from one crisis to another, with the only real people to blame being the RL Chiefs.
Lack of promotion of the game outside of the rugby league circles and to existing fans, is non existent.

IMG have been brought in to change things and the only thing I know that they have done, so far, is put in place a Grading System, which quite frankly is not fit for purpose.

The game has stagnated for years now, with reduced TV Contracts and in real terms, lower pay for players, taking into accout inflation, with the salary cap remaining the same for ages.

Unless the Rich Owners take control of the game, I can only see it limping into oblivion.

[josie andrews]

This is a "discussion" that’s been going on on Twitter


https://x.com/cherrywhitepins/status/18 ... 56872?s=12

[the pieman]

This is a "discussion" that’s been going on on Twitter


https://x.com/cherrywhitepins/status/18 ... 56872?s=12

so just our typical Yorkshire bias journalist blaming Wigans ex chairman for Salfords demise - interesting

perhaps, if we let some of the p*** poor Yorkshire clubs go, instead of all being brought down to their level, then the game may be in a better position

[fozzie58]

This is a "discussion" that’s been going on on Twitter


https://x.com/cherrywhitepins/status/18 ... 56872?s=12

so just our typical Yorkshire bias journalist blaming Wigans ex chairman for Salfords demise - interesting

perhaps, if we let some of the p*** poor Yorkshire clubs go, instead of all being brought down to their level, then the game may be in a better position

Anything that balloon says I tend to ignore frankly his ridiculous bias towards the serial bust club Bradford is laughable any how back to Salford quite how forcing them to sell their players helps anyone it just weakens the competition as a whole perhaps the being being staffed on employing IMG could have helped them who knows?

[the pieman]

This is a "discussion" that’s been going on on Twitter


https://x.com/cherrywhitepins/status/18 ... 56872?s=12

so just our typical Yorkshire bias journalist blaming Wigans ex chairman for Salfords demise - interesting

perhaps, if we let some of the p*** poor Yorkshire clubs go, instead of all being brought down to their level, then the game may be in a better position

Anything that balloon says I tend to ignore frankly his ridiculous bias towards the serial bust club Bradford is laughable any how back to Salford quite how forcing them to sell their players helps anyone it just weakens the competition as a whole perhaps the being being staffed on employing IMG could have helped them who knows?

having thought about it a little i think the only way i'd like to see any dispensation for players, is if Salford were to go bust for example, and the players were left without a club / salary. At that point i'd rather see them employed, so could think a short term amendment to the cap could be a solution, but at the same time, if Joe Bloggs off the street is subject to the same conditions, then nowt happens, its up to them to find another job, and they dont get paid until they get one