Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Mon Jul 18, 2022 5:42 am  

sharky64 wrote:

Alright guys, big update tonight. Had a BBQ and said mate/source came over. Expect a lot this week. A few things coming together apparently and immediate incomings. A big announcement at some point, don’t know what and don’t know when. But all good news according to him. Fingers crossed eh.

Cheers mate, hopefully an exciting week ahead

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Mon Jul 18, 2022 8:32 am  

LeedsLurch wrote:

Slightly off topic but some thoughts on the uk salary cap.
After many years of managing the salary cap it has brought most clubs down to the lowest common denominator. It hasn’t really levelled the playing field as we still see the same few teams at the top competing for silverware. We are seeing many of our better players go to other sports or other competitions where they can get a better going rate for their skill set. I realise the last few years have needed managing a bit more savvy as far as spending goes due to the pandemic but that doesn’t excuse the years before. If we want to see top sportsmen playing in our sport then we have to be able to pay them in line with other sports, our rich football cousins are out of our league but that doesn’t mean we can’t make it more attractive for people coming in to the sport. Other than the top paid the average wage in RL is not that much better than a well paid job in loads of other industries. As a youngster looking at a career I would have to ask myself why I would put my body on the line week after week for the return that RL offers.
The answers aren’t simple but in short, the salary cap has to go. Stop stifling those with ambition, let clubs find investors or raise the money needed to be competitive. If there are casualties and clubs can’t keep up then so be it. Would the competition be worse if we lose those that can’t keep up?

Could not agree more. The clubs that are capable of taking this sport forwards are being held back by the clubs at the bottom. The reasons are many, and could go on about for hours but increasing or scrapping the salary cap ( i know GH doesn't want this but Leeds have so much potential to be a super club and drive the sport forward ), plus scrapping relegation needs to come in sharpish, if they won't scrap the cap, it needs doubling. If these two points aren't looked at and sorted the game in this country will be in real trouble in the next 5 to 10 years imo and may well never recover. If you look at some of the sponsors involved at several clubs, it's really low level bargain basement stuff... it's really poor.

I love the game, and i always will but something needs to be done sharpish.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Mon Jul 18, 2022 8:35 am  

LeedsLurch wrote:

They have only lost money over the last 2 years due to covid. Some did generate a profit previously but that argument is still flawed. Strangle a spend and you strangle opportunity. Those that can should be able to. Meanwhile all being held back by those that don’t even spend the cap citing that it’s not fair.
The sport will never grow while it is being held back “in the interest of the greater good”
The real world does not work that way and neither does it in sport, grow up and grow a pair and have the courage to move forward. The NRL did it 30 years ago or so and has gone from strength to strength (mostly). They haven’t been weakened by sentiment for the traditional clubs, in fact many of those have fallen by the wayside or have been amalgamated into others

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Mon Jul 18, 2022 8:57 am  

Wigan have just brought Mike Cooper in early, poss debut against us on Thurs. Any chance of us announcing a prop too before then?

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Mon Jul 18, 2022 9:12 am  

sharky64 wrote:

Alright guys, big update tonight. Had a BBQ and said mate/source came over. Expect a lot this week. A few things coming together apparently and immediate incomings. A big announcement at some point, don’t know what and don’t know when. But all good news according to him. Fingers crossed eh.

We're freeing up cap space and badly need a line leading prop, Walmsley misses Saints game for 'personal reasons' and now we're expecting a big announcement? Interesting...

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Mon Jul 18, 2022 9:14 am  

sharky64 wrote:

Alright guys, big update tonight. Had a BBQ and said mate/source came over. Expect a lot this week. A few things coming together apparently and immediate incomings. A big announcement at some point, don’t know what and don’t know when. But all good news according to him. Fingers crossed eh.

Willie Talau - finally

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Mon Jul 18, 2022 9:29 am  

Walmsleys wife was giving birth,dream on!

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Mon Jul 18, 2022 9:38 am  

The Ghost of '99 wrote:

So which clubs would spend more if they could? Warrington. And....? Catalan?

Any with the ambition and balls to do so. Those that can find investors and sponsers. Time to get rid of the parochial, M62 corridor mentality

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Mon Jul 18, 2022 9:53 am  

LeedsLurch wrote:

Any with the ambition and balls to do so. Those that can find investors and sponsers. Time to get rid of the parochial, M62 corridor mentality

Again you're living in some fairytale world where clubs at the moment don't try and maximise income and, if only they could spend more, the income would appear magically. It's like some weird Rugby League version of trickle down economics.

Re: Transfer Talk / Rumour thread V4 : Mon Jul 18, 2022 10:29 am  

Something has to be changed Ghost... what we have been doing for donkeys years has not been working and the sport here is in decline, that is beyond doubt or argument. Some tough decisions need to be made. If the product on the field improves, that in turn will generate more income from TV and supporters and also support from investors, sponsors etc. The game is badly wounded in it's current state.