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Wigan Warriors chief executive Kris Radlinski sat down to discuss a range of topics, including Super League’s new recruitment window, salary cap concerns and topping the historic 2024 Grand Slam season.

In the words of the CEO, does it get much better than what your club enjoyed in 2024?

KR: The success was amazing and I always think about moments. Leigh away in 2023, Oliver Gildart try could have been a try. 20 minutes later, we pick up the League Leaders’ Shield, that takes you to Old Trafford and that gets you the Penrith Panthers game and it’s all started there. The Penrith game was amazing. I don’t think enough emphasis has been put on, to actually win a Grand Slam means playing more games than everybody else, probably partying more than everybody else because you’ve won, which is important, and then you have to make up three games in nine days, which is a big ask.

KR: Some teams, before we had even finished our season, they had already had their recovery and people were starting to train again. Our overseas guys aren’t back until January. The Super League season is a physical journey, but mentally, 10 months is a long time to get it right.

We’re lucky that players look after themselves, it’s very much looking after your body and feeling good. Players come back in good condition. These guys are a dream to work with. I’ve said this often, all coaches coach the same sort of shapes and lines; but it’s the ones who are thinking differently, about the person, the rest and recovery, the family and the life away from rugby, are the ones getting the best out of players. I think Matt does that better than most, he spends a long time sitting on the floor and talking to players. He builds that trust and rapport with players, and it’s pretty special.

What’s important as well, the rest of the players who are in here at Robin Park and doing long days, they respect and know that they’ll [overseas and international players] come back and bring something.


With five more academy players promoted to the senior team, you must be proud watching youngsters get their chances at the club?

KR: It’s a business model that’s worked for us and we’ll always continue to do that. Our team does a great job where these guys train early, do work experience and give them a sense of hard work and real life.

I always say that significant gains can be made in pre-season. Some of these lads can put on 5kg in their body shapes and can win a lot of friends in pre-season as well. The senior guys, they’ll notice if there’s a young guy going above and beyond and he builds a reputation. I don’t think you can waste that period as a young player. It’s a chance to shine.

One of the most exciting prospects at the club currently is Jack Farrimond. How would you reflect on his progress, plus anything you can share on his current contract situation?

KR: Jack has probably got around four-and-a-half years left. I think we did a six-year deal with him with a development plan, and spent a lot of time looking at what he’d do in 2023, which might have been training with the first-team, 2024 playing a handful of first-team games and potentially a loan, and so on with progression. It was a very honest conversation with him and his dad.

I don’t think we announced it at the time because it was an academy contract, but he’s tied up long-term.

He had courage to score that try at Magic Weekend, a big game against Saints, that’s mature thinking. The best thing about that for me was all the other lads celebrating with him. It was a strong moment in a really important game.

George Williams was doing things at 14 that he shouldn’t have been doing; not necessary just scoring tries, but kick chases, and support play. Jack’s the closest I’ve seen to him.

Matty Smith has returned as head coach of the academy, was that someone you were keen to get back involved at the club?

KR: Matty Smith is a student of the game, he’s very intelligent. He’s done a great job with St Helens Women. When we found out Joel Tomkins was moving to Catalans, we were having a look around and his name was brought up. Matt Peet met with him and liked what he saw. I think it’s great for the department. I think he’ll grow here as well.

With a new recruitment window from December 1, off-contract players at the end of the next season allowed to talk to rival clubs, has that changed negotiations much at the club?

KR: Me and Matt are aware of the new date, and we’re more than comfortable with a new deadline. The way the squad is, and with the length of contracts players have signed, we’ve not got loads to do. Recruitment is a 12-month discussion.

What we don’t know in the future is what the salary cap is going to look like. I think that doesn’t allow you to plan, and we’ve got threats from the NRL with coaches over there with experience, knowledge and insight of Super League. We’ve got to be really careful and strategic about what it looks like, allowing you to plan for the future.

Finally, how do you top 2024?

KR: Of course, everyone is buzzing for Las Vegas. Liam Farrell is the standard driver of everything, he’s the one who leads everything. As long as you’ve got somebody like that, who doesn’t get carried away with much and remains focussed. Can we do it all again? Who knows. Are we in a good place to do it all again? Probably. Everything is stable and everything is set, and then it’s up to us.


https://www.wigantoday.net/sport/rugby- ... 24-4926562

Most professional, insightful view from Rads. Perhaps gives reasons why we’re just ahead of the chasing pack with him and Peet in charge. Only slight concern are the approaches from the NRL, another reason the clubs need to vote for increases in the SC. And give players the right to earn money from off field endorsements and marketing and help raise the profile of the game at the same time.

Nezza Faz wrote: ↑Wed Jan 01, 2025 12:27 pm Most professional, insightful view from Rads. Perhaps gives reasons why we’re just ahead of the chasing pack with him and Peet in charge. Only slight concern are the approaches from the NRL, another reason the clubs need to vote for increases in the SC. And give players the right to earn money from off field endorsements and marketing and help raise the profile of the game at the same time.

Exactly this!

I'm not sure if it was challenged legally if the earnings from other external endorsements would stand anyway. If Wigan doesn't have an issue as they pay the wages how is players having sports sponsored earnings or other such things harmful to the game I would say it's a huge benefit.

josie andrews wrote: ↑Wed Jan 01, 2025 1:33 pm

Nezza Faz wrote: ↑Wed Jan 01, 2025 12:27 pm Most professional, insightful view from Rads. Perhaps gives reasons why we’re just ahead of the chasing pack with him and Peet in charge. Only slight concern are the approaches from the NRL, another reason the clubs need to vote for increases in the SC. And give players the right to earn money from off field endorsements and marketing and help raise the profile of the game at the same time.

Exactly this!

1. I agree in principle that players should be allowed to make money off the field.
2. Under a Salary Cap, this would mean the system is "open to manipulation"
3. Legally I'm not sure how the RFL could enforce/investigate due to HMRC confidentiality.

Wintergreen wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2025 10:32 am

josie andrews wrote: ↑Wed Jan 01, 2025 1:33 pm

Nezza Faz wrote: ↑Wed Jan 01, 2025 12:27 pm Most professional, insightful view from Rads. Perhaps gives reasons why we’re just ahead of the chasing pack with him and Peet in charge. Only slight concern are the approaches from the NRL, another reason the clubs need to vote for increases in the SC. And give players the right to earn money from off field endorsements and marketing and help raise the profile of the game at the same time.

Exactly this!

1. I agree in principle that players should be allowed to make money off the field.
2. Under a Salary Cap, this would mean the system is "open to manipulation"
3. Legally I'm not sure how the RFL could enforce/investigate due to HMRC confidentiality.

This is why I believe the rule was brought in, in the first place, to prevent players being paid a low salary by the club but then having a 'sponsorship' deal way above their salary, like when reportedly players 'wifes' were paid a salary by the club, thought to be part of the players pay.

However, given how the system works now it should easily be managed and caveats put in places to prevent manipulation i.e. the 'club' cannot sponsor a player etc. or sponsorships have to be vetted by the RFL and so on.

I would expect that many players have 'interests' outside of playing such as owning businesses etc. and I would suspect they are not counted on the cap, otherwise we would be potentially denying players an income after they leave the game, so why not give them an opportunity now whilst they may have a high profile within the game, it will not only enhance their chances of staying in the UK but will also potentially raise the profile of the game.

or sponsorships have to be vetted by the RFL and so on.

If I was a player I would insist that my earnings were NOT disclosed to the RFL, even assuming they are competent, which is a stretch.

My earnings are between me and HMRC thank you very much.

The RFL can go and whistle and if they feel strongly about it they can take me to court where I will defeat them on the grounds of restraint of trade.

Wintergreen wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2025 1:07 pm or sponsorships have to be vetted by the RFL and so on.

If I was a player I would insist that my earnings were NOT disclosed to the RFL, even assuming they are competent, which is a stretch.

My earnings are between me and HMRC thank you very much.

The RFL can go and whistle and if they feel strongly about it they can take me to court where I will defeat them on the grounds of restraint of trade.

So do you not think that players wages are already disclosed to the RFL or how else would the cap be monitored, would the RFL just take the clubs word on how much they spend on players, I very much doubt it, unless someone in the 'know' can tell me otherwise.

Like most things in life, there will be someone who has access to information that individuals would not want to be made public, I once in a previous company used to pay very wealthy investment bankers as well as Government Ministers but I did not disclose those earnings, nor did anyone else who worked there, because you sign confidentiality agreements, do you not think there are hundreds if not thousands of people who work within HMRC who can see your earnings, there are but they do not either access them or disclose them due to confidentiality, much like the RFL would be bound by the same.

Restraint of trade is a different matter, one which players should really look to explore as the cap rules or restraints forbid them from earning as it would count on the cap, which I would suspect will be linked to the player promoting their image as opposed to just opening a coffee shop or something like that

WarriorWinger wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2025 3:49 pm

Wintergreen wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2025 1:07 pm or sponsorships have to be vetted by the RFL and so on.

If I was a player I would insist that my earnings were NOT disclosed to the RFL, even assuming they are competent, which is a stretch.

My earnings are between me and HMRC thank you very much.

The RFL can go and whistle and if they feel strongly about it they can take me to court where I will defeat them on the grounds of restraint of trade.

So do you not think that players wages are already disclosed to the RFL or how else would the cap be monitored, would the RFL just take the clubs word on how much they spend on players, I very much doubt it, unless someone in the 'know' can tell me otherwise.

Like most things in life, there will be someone who has access to information that individuals would not want to be made public, I once in a previous company used to pay very wealthy investment bankers as well as Government Ministers but I did not disclose those earnings, nor did anyone else who worked there, because you sign confidentiality agreements, do you not think there are hundreds if not thousands of people who work within HMRC who can see your earnings, there are but they do not either access them or disclose them due to confidentiality, much like the RFL would be bound by the same.

Restraint of trade is a different matter, one which players should really look to explore as the cap rules or restraints forbid them from earning as it would count on the cap, which I would suspect will be linked to the player promoting their image as opposed to just opening a coffee shop or something like that

I suspect the aggregate amount of player expenditure is disclosed (to the RFL), not the individual details.


I'm not sure what you are getting at with your other points. You can't be comparing the "need to know" with regards to salaries from the RFL with HMRC can you? ?????

Wintergreen wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2025 1:07 pm or sponsorships have to be vetted by the RFL and so on.

If I was a player I would insist that my earnings were NOT disclosed to the RFL, even assuming they are competent, which is a stretch.

My earnings are between me and HMRC thank you very much.

The RFL can go and whistle and if they feel strongly about it they can take me to court where I will defeat them on the grounds of restraint of trade.

The club would still be fined though. The action is not against the player, it's against the club.