Super League officials row over salary cap reduction

[John WP Fan]

On 20/05/2020 at 05:52, Harry Stottle said:

Hi John, If our clubs could get any where near that figure per team I don't think this thread would have even been started, nor indeed some clubs requesting a reduced cap level.

I wasn't suggesting the amount be anywhere near that. I'm saying keep the current limit or one a little higher (I think it should be higher so clubs can compete with the NRL for some players), but instead of a hard limit, impose a hefty tax on all wages paid beyond that limit, with the funds collected used to support the less-wealthy clubs. So the rich teams are allowed to spend more, but when they do they must also help the less-rich teams.

[wiganermike]

1 hour ago, Harry Stottle said:

The cap is 2.1M not 2.8M at present.

Do you remember the 10 year period when Wigan could outspend all the other clubs, not much competition for the prizes was going on then, in your system if any club had the  money and so decided to "win at all costs" it could be re-enacted, good for the speccies of that club, not good for the game as a whole to have one club totally dominant.

The odd thing about that period and the number of different trophy winners is it wasn't that different from the SL era despite Wigan's total dominance over a decade or so. That period of trophy winning (and financial muscle flexing) for Wigan began really in 1985 with the challenge cup win and lasted until 1996 and the advent of SL. From 85 to 96 Wigan won 8 league titles (86-87, and 7 successively from 89-90 season to 95-96) in the same period Hull KR (84-85), Halifax (85-86)and Widnes (87-88 and 88-89) were also champions, so 4 champions in 12 seasons. A fifth and sixth in St Helens and Bradford would win a title in the following two years as Wigan stopped dominating. From 1985 to 1996 Wigan won 9 Challenge Cups and Castleford, Halifax and St Helens also won it so four winners in 12 cup campaigns. 5 other clubs reached at least one final in that period but lost.

In the last 24 seasons of SL most featuring the salary cap we have had 4 champions, the same as during the years dominated by Wigan. In the last 16 SL seasons Leeds have been champions 8 times. In the last 12 Challenge Cup campaigns we have had 6 different winners and 3 teams that made a final but lost. The only difference between 85-96 and 2008-2019 is that in the more recent spell two more clubs reaching a final having not won the cup recently (Hull and Catalans) went on to win the cup final rather than losing to a dominant power of the time.

I don't dispute that Wigan outspent most clubs and dominated back then but in terms of spread of honours the only change between then and now is that rather than one club cleaning up for the last quarter century we have had 4 do the cleaning up and only one of those four 'dominant slots' has seen the incumbent club change in that period. For 75% of the top flight and 100% of the clubs below SL the salary capped era hasn't really made that much of a change in terms of their prospects.

[Angelic Cynic]

21 hours ago, John WP Fan said:

I wasn't suggesting the amount be anywhere near that. I'm saying keep the current limit or one a little higher (I think it should be higher so clubs can compete with the NRL for some players), but instead of a hard limit, impose a hefty tax on all wages paid beyond that limit, with the funds collected used to support the less-wealthy clubs. So the rich teams are allowed to spend more, but when they do they must also help the less-rich teams.

  All sports are cutting their cloth,for post Covid19.

  The national sport,here in England,which is cash-rich,and with a huge broadcasting deal and global appeal,and audience,are wanting changes with a view to the future.

   The government loan which the RFL did very well to secure,has stirred the association football people to release this statement prior to clubs going into administration.

   It may appeal to those followers of clubs where the owners suddenly left,or acted in mysterious ways while in charge

  https://damiancollins.com/a-way-forward-for-football/

  A blueprint of our sport?