I do like reading these panic monkey threads.
This year we have lost two players to Union. Count them 2. Thats about 0.5%of our SL player roster.
People love to take anecdotal evidence nowa days and extrapolate that to create some pattern to fit their own strange paranoia.
Its a hit that both clubs and the league are well able to take. We cast aside a bigger percentage of our players each year to lower leagues.
Injury over the courseof a season has a greater impact.
People love to buy into hype too. Eastmond had great potential but lets face it has not been tested in RL. If he does well fair play to him but its a gap easily fixed.
Tomkins again is no great loss to Wigan even his more talented younger brother is not irreplaceable.
In the end money is the key. We could throw off the cap but that would lead to quick wage inflation for no good reason other than there being more money. Not more talent.
We need financially stronger clubs profitable club. This will lead to better wages for all players rather than throwing huge money to keep one or two players whilst bankrupting the clubs.
If we had a billion dollar tv contract a higher cap would work. But we dont the cap has to reflact the capacity of the clubs to bear the burden. Clubs alone cannot be trusted to act finacially soundly as chairmen will bust finances on the hope of on field success. With some faint faith that the money will follow.
Give me a sound business plan with a long term growth of league over some short term monkey panic because one or two employees have got a better paid job.
Jes!