Re: Contract window - behind the 8 ball again : Tue May 09, 2023 6:33 pm  

Slugger McBatt wrote:

That is the plus about the new stand. We will be in a position to generate revenue that might not be available to other Championship clubs, hopefully increasing the prospect of us bouncing back up.

Exactly.

Potential income from facility rental.
Income from Wakefield AFC activity.
Income from other pitch rental.
Savings on utilities from solar panels and water recycling.

The most important thing is to run the function side like a business outside match day and make it profitable in terms of bookings for Weddings, birthdays, corporate training events etc - I’d be contacting loads of companies ask ing if they wish to book xmas do’s, annual presentations and awards etc.

List is endless from NHS, West Yorkshire police to local businesses like Coca Cola, supermarkets etc. a lot of effort will need to go into marketing but it will pay dividends.

Re: Contract window - behind the 8 ball again : Tue May 09, 2023 7:14 pm  

Just thinking about 2024 and recruitment for this.

Who does everyone think we should sign?

I think priorities are the below for me.

A speedy winger who can find the line - there was a rumour of Gareth Gale on social media. He can score a try and is a pretty aggressive unit. Would be decent. I know he is under contract but I 100% would go for Lachlan Walmsley at Halifax. Lad has some pace and athletic ability and has an unreal try scoring record. Worth a fee imo. Whatever league we end up in he would be one of the top targets.

A quality centre - probably worth looking overseas for this.

A quality 9 - I would absolutely look at Daryl Clarke and give him security if 3 years. A quality 9 is a must and would be great for Bowes.

A second row - Andre Sevelio maybe. A big player who has probably gone off track a bit but would be worth a good look.

Anybody else see any players of interest?

Re: Contract window - behind the 8 ball again : Wed May 10, 2023 7:46 am  

The other reality is that we know players would negotiate anyway, except it would be done in some quiet location, with no one really knowing, and then released as a surprise announcement at the end of the season.

It would suit no one if it were done at the end. It would create a mad scramble, with players desperate for an income and clubs having no idea who would be coming. This way, it brings certainty and ends the subterfuge.

It's always been the way with clubs at the bottom. It was the same with franchising (with the model they adopted). The only way to avoid it is to be better at staying in the top half of the league.

Re: Contract window - behind the 8 ball again : Wed May 10, 2023 8:27 am  

Slugger McBatt wrote:

The other reality is that we know players would negotiate anyway, except it would be done in some quiet location, with no one really knowing, and then released as a surprise announcement at the end of the season.

It would suit no one if it were done at the end. It would create a mad scramble, with players desperate for an income and clubs having no idea who would be coming. This way, it brings certainty and ends the subterfuge.

It's always been the way with clubs at the bottom. It was the same with franchising (with the model they adopted). The only way to avoid it is to be better at staying in the top half of the league.

We need to avoid the scramble certainly for most of the signings.

I notice Sam wood at KR is out of contract. He’s another centre/wing with some ability and about to hit his prime years. There’s a fair bit of talent available who we can talk to now. Even if we only secure a couple of players who will improve us in 2024 it’s important we don’t end up trying to pick up all our signings in a mad scramble

Josh Simm (Centre Wing) playing same club as Croft in aus and going well.

Simm, Wood, Clarke, Walmsley etc would all be players who would be good and improve us imo.

I notice Croft hasn’t played in QRL last few weeks too. I still think there’s a player in there with Croft if bridges aren’t burnt.

Re: Contract window - behind the 8 ball again : Wed May 10, 2023 12:11 pm  

Trojan Horse wrote:

Just thinking about 2024 and recruitment for this.

Who does everyone think we should sign?

I think priorities are the below for me.

A speedy winger who can find the line - there was a rumour of Gareth Gale on social media. He can score a try and is a pretty aggressive unit. Would be decent. I know he is under contract but I 100% would go for Lachlan Walmsley at Halifax. Lad has some pace and athletic ability and has an unreal try scoring record. Worth a fee imo. Whatever league we end up in he would be one of the top targets.

A quality centre - probably worth looking overseas for this.

A quality 9 - I would absolutely look at Daryl Clarke and give him security if 3 years. A quality 9 is a must and would be great for Bowes.

A second row - Andre Sevelio maybe. A big player who has probably gone off track a bit but would be worth a good look.

Anybody else see any players of interest?

Some wild optimism here surely, given your earlier posts in this thread outlining just why it's hard for Wakefield to recruit right now? Fev are currently 2-5 favourites to be promoted (I think that's too short, but they're undoubtedly favourites) whereas Wakefield are probably about 1-3 to be relegated, so why would Gaz Gale leave his hometown club who probably have a 60% chance of being in SL next season for one that has about a 25% chance?
As for going for Walmsley even though he's under contract...let's say a £30k transfer fee then plus £30k salary, that's a big chunk of the £200k-ish Wakefield will get next year if they're in the Championship just on a wing.
Daryl Clark, who has reportedly already signed for St Helens? That's going to be a hard sell to come and possibly play Championship RL instead.
I think you need to start with trying to work out what your current playing budget is, then working out what it would be in the Championship with well over £1million less in central funding.

Re: Contract window - behind the 8 ball again : Wed May 10, 2023 12:24 pm  

The Phantom Horseman wrote:

Some wild optimism here surely, given your earlier posts in this thread outlining just why it's hard for Wakefield to recruit right now? Fev are currently 2-5 favourites to be promoted (I think that's too short, but they're undoubtedly favourites) whereas Wakefield are probably about 1-3 to be relegated, so why would Gaz Gale leave his hometown club who probably have a 60% chance of being in SL next season for one that has about a 25% chance?
As for going for Walmsley even though he's under contract...let's say a £30k transfer fee then plus £30k salary, that's a big chunk of the £200k-ish Wakefield will get next year if they're in the Championship just on a wing.
Daryl Clark, who has reportedly already signed for St Helens? That's going to be a hard sell to come and possibly play Championship RL instead.
I think you need to start with trying to work out what your current playing budget is, then working out what it would be in the Championship with well over £1million less in central funding.

I have said previously that you would need to budget accordingly. Only a fool wouldn’t. There would be a loss of 1 million potentially however there will also be increases to bridge the shortfall from Wakefield afc (we don’t currently have) and the new business/corporate side. Add to this savings from solar panels/water recycling etc. I wouldn’t be able to guess but I would hazard that by the end we would have the largest budget in the championship should we end up there. Similar if not more than Fev do currently who are full time.

You would need to look at two budgets for the championship and the superleague 2024 but as it stands we are in superleague and I would recruit for superleague 2024 and also and few players who would the club would want and agree to sign in any league.

With Clarke etc it may take more to lure him but that’s the joy of nagotiations.

The rumour of Gale wasn’t me mentioning that. It was posted on social media. I have no idea if it’s true. Just a rumour.

Part of being a fan is being allowed to create a wish list without thinking of the financial constraints. I think the ones I mentioned are all possibilities. Some more than others. Clarke would be the hardest to pull but probably one of the most valuable signings we could make.

If it was 30k fee for Walmsley then I’d seriously consider for a player who averages consistently 1.5 try’s per game. It’s something we now lack without TJ or Lewis.

Re: Contract window - behind the 8 ball again : Wed May 10, 2023 12:33 pm  

Trojan Horse wrote:

I have said previously that you would need to budget accordingly. Only a fool wouldn’t. There would be a loss of 1 million potentially however there will also be increases to bridge the shortfall from Wakefield afc (we don’t currently have) and the new business/corporate side. Add to this savings from solar panels/water recycling etc. I wouldn’t be able to guess but I would hazard that by the end we would have the largest budget in the championship should we end up there. Similar if not more than Fev do currently who are full time.

You would need to look at two budgets for the championship and the superleague 2024 but as it stands we are in superleague and I would recruit for superleague 2024 and also and few players who would the club would want and agree to sign in any league.

With Clarke etc it may take more to lure him but that’s the joy of nagotiations.

The rumour of Gale wasn’t me mentioning that. It was posted on social media. I have no idea if it’s true. Just a rumour.

Part of being a fan is being allowed to create a wish list without thinking of the financial constraints. I think the ones I mentioned are all possibilities. Some more than others. Clarke would be the hardest to pull but probably one of the most valuable signings we could make.

If it was 30k fee for Walmsley then I’d seriously consider for a player who averages consistently 1.5 try’s per game. It’s something we now lack without TJ or Lewis.

If you believe any of this then you are in cloud cuckoo land.

There is no chance on earth Darryl Clarke will sign for Wakefield for next season, much bigger and wealthier clubs will be in for him who can offer him a Super League deal.

Fev are not full time and have only been able to assemble the team they have because their owner puts in a small fortune. In fact the only way to be able to fund a top end Championship team is through owner investment and we all know our shower of a board are not willing to do this.

I am not privy to the exact details of the Wakefield FC deal but I do know for a fact that it doesn't even come close to covering Tom Lineham's annual wage.

As for looking to spend £30k on a winger who is unproven at this level is just insanity.

Re: Contract window - behind the 8 ball again : Wed May 10, 2023 12:46 pm  

altofts wildcat wrote:

If you believe any of this then you are in cloud cuckoo land.

There is no chance on earth Darryl Clarke will sign for Wakefield for next season, much bigger and wealthier clubs will be in for him who can offer him a Super League deal.

Fev are not full time and have only been able to assemble the team they have because their owner puts in a small fortune. In fact the only way to be able to fund a top end Championship team is through owner investment and we all know our shower of a board are not willing to do this.

I am not privy to the exact details of the Wakefield FC deal but I do know for a fact that it doesn't even come close to covering Tom Lineham's annual wage.

As for looking to spend £30k on a winger who is unproven at this level is just insanity.

Your opinion is the board are a shower but it’s not mine. I think the work is ‘limited’ in what they can invest. That’s not the same thing.

The Wakefield afc deal I can’t see being lower than a players wage for use of facilities/training pithy/game day etc. how many home games? 20 +? It may not be lucrative but i would hazard there has to be some decent profit in it for Trinity. It may be worth 2 full time players on modest contracts should the championship be our destination. You’re not privy to it and neither am I but I can see it being a boost financially that we will shortly have that we currently don’t. It may be 100k a season or maybe 300k I don’t know but it’s money we didn’t have and money other clubs don’t receive. Positive steps.

We can offer Clark a superleague contract though if we wish. Whether that will be void remains to be seen in a few months time but we can still sign with intent. It may take security of a longer deal for Clarke to sign but he would likely be one of the clubs biggest signing. He would t be an option in the championship ofcourse but if you want to improve you have to try and pull in the best you can and not just close off options without considering because someone thinks it cuckoo.

Re: Contract window - behind the 8 ball again : Wed May 10, 2023 12:48 pm  

Trojan Horse wrote:

I have said previously that you would need to budget accordingly. Only a fool wouldn’t. There would be a loss of 1 million potentially however there will also be increases to bridge the shortfall from Wakefield afc (we don’t currently have) and the new business/corporate side. Add to this savings from solar panels/water recycling etc. I wouldn’t be able to guess but I would hazard that by the end we would have the largest budget in the championship should we end up there. Similar if not more than Fev do currently who are full time.

Negotiations for 2024 player contracts are already well under way, I think you're clutching at straws a bit regarding potential new income, I mean Wakefield AFC, they play in the tenth tier of football, is there really big money coming in there right now? Down the line I'm sure there will be some improved revenue streams with the new facilities but that's going to take time.

BTW where's your evidence that Wakefield would get a larger budget in the Championship than Fev (who aren't full time btw, though do have quite a few players who don't have a job outisde rugby)? Fev have some big sponsorship deals and a fully-established system of exploiting the ground to the maximum with multiple events taking place at the clubhouse on a regular basis, that's why Fev are still able to operate on a fairly large playing budget despite tiny central funding. If a club doesn't have that in place, it will be competing at Halifax/Batley/York budget levels.

Re: Contract window - behind the 8 ball again : Wed May 10, 2023 12:57 pm  

altofts wildcat wrote:

Fev are not full time and have only been able to assemble the team they have because their owner puts in a small fortune. In fact the only way to be able to fund a top end Championship team is through owner investment and we all know our shower of a board are not willing to do this.

That was the case until a few years ago but Mark Campbell has said on several occasions in recent years that the club is now basically self-sufficient in terms of funding, It certainly seems true that the days of him funding the club solo are long gone, it's time rather than money that he invests now.