[quote="Crosswire":bfl8px1z]Salford lost the least of all SL clubs last season - they are just in trouble because they don't have a wealthy benefactor. Where would we be without M&M? [b:bfl8px1z]rather than trying to cherry pick from their carcass, wouldn't it be better if the clubs got together to try to work out a plan to keep them going as a viable SL club pending some meaningful outside investment?[/b:bfl8px1z] If we don't start looking at the bigger picture we might not have a professional game to support soon, they could be the first of many dominoes to fall.[/quote:bfl8px1z] Didn't they do that with the £0.5M early cash injection / emergency loan? Salford must have known about this cash flow crisis well in advance but still managed to sign Chris Hill, Bullock, Esan Marsters etc. Plenty of clubs would like central financial assistance to gain entry to/remain in Superleague. Clubs with bigger underlying support bases (Bradford/Widnes) and well run clubs like York. Maybe Salford need to accept they are a Championship level club in terms of finances.

Apparently salary cap dispensation for players signed from Salford. I hope we are picking over the carcass.

[quote="Wires71":2lwn9zmm]Apparently salary cap dispensation for players signed from Salford. I hope we are picking over the carcass.[/quote:2lwn9zmm] There is a caveat to that though it will only count for this season so any players signed will have to be implemented into the cap if signed for more than one season.

[quote="karetaker":ax9106cg]There is a caveat to that though it will only count for this season so any players signed will have to be implemented into the cap if signed for more than one season.[/quote:ax9106cg] Ah, so which is it? 1. Players signed with contracts > 1 year will count on 2026 and beyond cap. 2. Players signed with contracts > 1 year will count on 2025 and 2026 and beyond cap.

[quote="Wires71":2gfxwi8d]Ah, so which is it? 1. Players signed with contracts > 1 year will count on 2026 and beyond cap. 2. Players signed with contracts > 1 year will count on 2025 and 2026 and beyond cap.[/quote:2gfxwi8d] That’s the line I found in the post. That's because if dispensations are to be approved they are only likely to remain in place for this season only.

[quote="karetaker":14hog20y]That’s the line I found in the post. That's because if dispensations are to be approved they are only likely to remain in place for this season only.[/quote:14hog20y] I don't mind 2026 cap implications as we have players off contract at the end of 2025 and we can plan for that.

There is another meeting of all clubs this afternoon.

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... s-30781540

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... s-30781540

I can't help thinking the problems at Salford ,which are not new, should have been discussed before expansionist London was forced back to the Championship.

[quote="ninearches":nyhpn08c]I can't help thinking the problems at Salford ,which are not new, should have been discussed before expansionist London was forced back to the Championship.[/quote:nyhpn08c] Yes indeed. Great post. Another RFL masterstroke. Relegate a team in an expansion area whilst keeping a team that is very close to being bankrupt. Oh and leave the issue dragging on to within 3 weeks of the start of the season.

[quote="ninearches":1xco9fzv]I can't help thinking the problems at Salford ,which are not new, should have been discussed before expansionist London was forced back to the Championship.[/quote:1xco9fzv] We that was the point I saw. 2 days after the fixtures were announced, Salford cried broke. They purposely, imo, held out so it was too late for the rfl and the img grading to have an affect on 2025 and guarantee they remained in SL despite the issue.

They have finally come to terms with their financial position :- https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/sa ... r-revealed

They have finally come to terms with their financial position :- https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/sa ... r-revealed

Hull have cooled on Sneyd, looks like he will go to Leigh.

[quote="rubber duckie":2x7aynsf]We that was the point I saw. 2 days after the fixtures were announced, Salford cried broke. They purposely, imo, held out so it was too late for the rfl and the img grading to have an affect on 2025 and guarantee they remained in SL despite the issue.[/quote:2x7aynsf] I hope this triggers the governance function of the RFL* into action. Maybe verify that teams entering the season's competition will be financially viable for the duration of the season's competition BEFORE they are included in the fixtures. Simple examination of draft accounts supplied by chartered accountants and a bank statement would do it. Salford should also be punished in their IMG grading for this to ensure no repeat. Their behaviour has not only affected them but could have buggered up the 2025 competition for all the other clubs by having an 11 team league. *I notice the RFL has stopped publishing it's board minutes since October 2022.

Another vote possibly coming. When the original vote was made it was to exempt cap and quota. Now it seem maybe a vote to just exempt quota.

[quote="karetaker":2zhyqunm]Another vote possibly coming. When the original vote was made it was to exempt cap and quota. Now it seem maybe a vote to just exempt quota.[/quote:2zhyqunm] I can get on board with that, there is a precedent from similar instances in the past. Salary cap exemptions would have been crazy.

https://www.totalrl.com/salford-red-dev ... this-week/

https://www.totalrl.com/salford-red-dev ... this-week/

Last season it was estimated in the RL press that Salford spent approx £1.7m on their squad. If they need to reduce that to £1.2m then they need to shed £500k, do we think that there is that much slack across the rest of Super League? And that's before considering the individual salaries. The only way that Salford can do this, whilst still retaining any sort of a squad, is to start with the highest earners. If Salford don't manage to complete a takeover deal very quickly then something needs to change. A dispensation in the cap rules or a climbdown by the RFL.

Salary Cap dispensation for clubs to sign Salford players being requested by Leeds:- https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/ ... st-4951555 If this happens, then the Sneyd to Wire rumour might have legs?

Salary Cap dispensation for clubs to sign Salford players being requested by Leeds:- https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/ ... st-4951555 If this happens, then the Sneyd to Wire rumour might have legs?

They seem big on this story over the Pennines "Manchester Club" ha ha. Without getting over conspiratorial, Interesting that it's coming from Leeds......Ian Blease might know a thing or two, although having met him he's a belting bloke so he must be in a funny position. I hope they get it sorted with this Australian takeover kicking in, but the article states "several weeks" well that doesn't fit the timescale with the start of the season looming. As others have stated it's a real problem that should have been put to bed at the end of last season to preserve the integrity of the competition.

I think the RFL have been too busy tinkering with the laws of the game & disciplinary procedures to worry about the financial viability of Salford ,Rico, & the damage that might cause to the credibility of Rugby League.

They should maybe look to allow Salford players to be taken on 'loan' for a season without it counting on the cap, Salford would still retain the player and not get a transfer fee, but they would release the wages off Salford's bill this year. SL clubs could send players to Salford who are generally ready to make the step up, but are kept out of the first team squad, without a cost to Salford, this would allow Salford to still have a competitive squad this year whilst they sort out the financing then their loan players would go back to them next season.

[quote="ninearches":2p0hwrg3]I think the RFL have been too busy tinkering with the laws of the game & disciplinary procedures to worry about the financial viability of Salford ,Rico, & the damage that might cause to the credibility of Rugby League.[/quote:2p0hwrg3] What could they have done to help Salford's financial viability? I think there have been governance failings here, but they've all been about letting Salford off the hook for some pretty weak excuses and promises that a takeover deal / funding were just around the corner. It's not the RFL's job to run Salford for them and they don't have the money to do that even if they wanted to.

[quote="just_browny":49su3dmk]What could they have done to help Salford's financial viability? I think there have been governance failings here, but they've all been about letting Salford off the hook for some pretty weak excuses and promises that a takeover deal / funding were just around the corner. It's not the RFL's job to run Salford for them and they don't have the money to do that even if they wanted to.[/quote:49su3dmk] I think the point that was being made is that the RFL has a duty of care for the whole game NOT an individual Club. They appear to have taken their eye off the ball and have let this situation fester over the winter and we are three weeks away from the start of the season. What's the point of this grading system when it seems that Salfords reliance on future income that hadn't been secured and subsequently delayed wasn't red flagged? The support given by the RFL was the only option due to the above and timing of events. It would appear that support was conditional and I suppose we'll find out more today

[quote="Uncle Rico":305hdd76]I think the point that was being made is that the RFL has a duty of care for the whole game NOT an individual Club. They appear to have taken their eye off the ball and have let this situation fester over the winter and we are three weeks away from the start of the season. What's the point of this grading system when it seems that Salfords reliance on future income that hadn't been secured and subsequently delayed wasn't red flagged? The support given by the RFL was the only option due to the above and timing of events. It would appear that support was conditional and I suppose we'll find out more today[/quote:305hdd76] Whatever happens today the whole thing is taking to long and the nearer we get to the start the worse it as become. Salford hanging out for the mythical investment and the RFL and all other clubs seemingly twiddling thumbs this should have been sorted months ago has you have said.