Union Players

[shaunedwardsfanclub]

I am told that there is a proposal, being discussed by the RFL, that will allow clubs to sign a Union player and for that player to be exempt from the salary cap.

[thegimble]

I am told that there is a proposal, being discussed by the RFL, that will allow clubs to sign a Union player and for that player to be exempt from the salary cap.

So we let Joel go and the week after we sign him back and he does not count on the cap. Nice.

[cpwigan]

Hopefully, such a move will give League clubs an opportunity to fight back.

[highland convert]

Yes and more league players will go so they can be invited back with more money. Why sould a union player get 400k to play for wigan when a league specialist only get 150k cos he stayed loyal. The whole salery cap would implode with the main players deserting the sinking ship Common sense. if loyalty costs bu**er loyalty, Jim

[cpwigan]

I presume there will be constraints. I read today IL talking about young Union players.

[shaunedwardsfanclub]

Only one player will be exempt from the cap. We wont be able to sign the whole of the All Blacks team.

[jaws1]

I am told that there is a proposal, being discussed by the RFL, that will allow clubs to sign a Union player and for that player to be exempt from the salary cap.

Why just Union players we have brought players through the acadamy should they be exempt.
Could bite us in the arse this one just say Warrington or any club for that matter could buy top 5 top union players pay them £400.000 each a year and their salary excempt from cap ?????why have the Salary cap in the first place.Chris Ashton could be back in SL with a top salary excempt from the cap if that's the case .This proposal should be squashed before it's started.

[highland convert]

Makes a lot more sence to split the salery cap 3 ways. £500k max on overseas, £750k on signed players and £750 on Senior Academy Junior academy exempt. +£250K on signed players if no academy. Gives £1.5m to clubs who don't train their own. £2m to academy clubs. That way we can pay our youth what they are worth and encourage other clubs to boost their academies. Obviously there would have to be a lot of fine print as to who is who. Wire sign a Wigan academy in the year prior to first team, Club trained?? However The money has to be there to reward our young players or we have to accept they will move on. Jim

[shaunedwardsfanclub]

I presume there will be constraints. I read today IL talking about young Union players.

My understanding is, and this is down to the SL agreeing to implement changes, that each club can sign a RU player. In year one the players salary will be exempt from the cap and in year two only 50% will count.

[highland convert]

Hope it is pointless. We cannot pay ex union player union type wage and keep our own on the breadline. Yes union have better players. League is a poor imitation in some ways but that is because the bigger stronger players head for the money originally hense so few league boys would make the grade. A certain stains player will be looking for a way back in a couple of years. Joel has the body type and the flair to make it. Nrl get first dibs at players and the difference shows. how to cure it, raise the profile bin the cap. All you are saying is hire cheap second rate players so the teams hiring cheap second rate player have a chance. The point is if the club put another fifty quid on the season tickets so you could watch top professionals battle it out would you say yes please or grumble. Clubs are also restained by what the market will stand. Work the maths, if Wakey get 4000 per game at an average of 20 a pop they are getting £80k *2 (Home games only) even with sky bonus they will struggle to pay wages. So second string players making up the numbers. Like formula one. Barring accidents we know which teams will be podium week on week. Only eight cars in it from week one. It is little consequence which teams we are playing the team that averages 10k per game or more will always come out on top. The cap should be the disposable income of the club not the players wages. If say the franchise went to the club who guarenteed £2m per year regardless of gate in players wages we then have teams with the income to put up the players. Then there is sufficient money to attract the union boys in. We cant buy them in if in three years they take half our cap to keep them.
JIm