Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Feb 29, 2024 10:00 pm  

Zig wrote:

The Aussies salary cap continues to grow but the playing personnel remains similar = more money going to the same players.

Talk of the NRL expanding by a club or two in the near future. Perth & Christchurch mentioned, so there is that. Let's hope so.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Thu Feb 29, 2024 10:49 pm  

MattyB wrote:

Talk of the NRL expanding by a club or two in the near future. Perth & Christchurch mentioned, so there is that. Let's hope so.

I've always wondered why they don't expand to Hobart in Tasmania

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 01, 2024 9:50 am  

The Whiffy Kipper wrote:

I've always wondered why they don't expand to Hobart in Tasmania

We should expand to Tasmania given that many of our countrymen resided there in the penal colony.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 01, 2024 10:07 am  

New sides mean more of our young players being targetted

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 01, 2024 10:40 am  

Interesting note from the head of RL commercial that there are apparently 20 marquee players in SL. Seems very high to me - wouldn't have thought many clubs could afford them.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 01, 2024 12:51 pm  

MadDogg wrote:

Interesting note from the head of RL commercial that there are apparently 20 marquee players in SL. Seems very high to me - wouldn't have thought many clubs could afford them.

I’m not surprised, if you have a federation trained player on more than 100k (which every team will have bar maybe London) you might aswell set them as marquee to save £50k on the cap.

Made no sense when the likes of Saints claimed to not have marquee players, just gets you more value out of the cap.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 01, 2024 2:00 pm  

NSW wrote:

I’m not surprised, if you have a federation trained player on more than 100k (which every team will have bar maybe London) you might aswell set them as marquee to save £50k on the cap.

Made no sense when the likes of Saints claimed to not have marquee players, just gets you more value out of the cap.

Exactly
And even if the club doesn't spend up to the cap you would still claim it for the 1/2/3 players that eat up most of your cap whether they choose to use that Space or not

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 01, 2024 2:11 pm  

NSW wrote:

I’m not surprised, if you have a federation trained player on more than 100k (which every team will have bar maybe London) you might aswell set them as marquee to save £50k on the cap.

Made no sense when the likes of Saints claimed to not have marquee players, just gets you more value out of the cap.

Surely this is against the spirit of the game (heard that somewhere else)

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 01, 2024 4:46 pm  

[Gareth] wrote:

Depends on what they (Field & French) want to do with their careers

a. Be small fish in a big pond but on very decent money
or
b. Be club legends and multiple cup/championship winners in an 'inferior' league on less money (albeit it still more than most can dream of earning) but with more medals to look back on when they retire

I know what I would pick and I wish them well when they go back to the NRL

Well, there's that, but also, they are Aussies, after all. Australia is home, with friends and family. Can't blame them for getting homesick in time. As posters have said, neither owe us anything, considering their achievements at Wigan. I think French's departure from Parra was not the happiest, and quite simply, he is a much better player now that the one who first arrived in England. And he wasn't too shabby then!

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Fri Mar 01, 2024 5:26 pm  

moto748 wrote:

Well, there's that, but also, they are Aussies, after all. Australia is home, with friends and family. Can't blame them for getting homesick in time. As posters have said, neither owe us anything, considering their achievements at Wigan. I think French's departure from Parra was not the happiest, and quite simply, he is a much better player now that the one who first arrived in England. And he wasn't too shabby then!

Andrew Johns and Brad Fittler were both calling for Field and French to get NRL gigs next year hopefully we can stagger their departures so we dont lose both at once if they do go home