If you took anything from Coops revelations, you’d think that he was pretty peeved. Make of it as you wish.

Any person, in any job, who is facing reduced pay will obviously be a little peeved.

Like I say though, if it's just for this short period covering this reduced season, then I can't see their complaint.

Take it on the chin like many other folk are having to do.

Obviously we are not party to discussions specifically at Warrington so it's difficult to comment for or against either side. The directors at the club have a duty of care to only offer what the club can afford to pay and the players have to do what is right for their family. I don't think on the face of it that a 15% reduction till the end of the season is a bad deal, but of course the end of the season has been pushed back and could potentially get pushed back again, or we could see the season cancelled if the season is null and void following a nationwide second wave.

If fans do not get back in to the games at any point, it puts the club in a difficult position should the salary increase come in before the fans do. Maybe there needs to be an agreement that before fans are allowed in its a 15% reduction, with increases agreed as and when fans return.

I'm sure it will all get resolved, I just hope neither side holds the other to ransom, as it would cause deeper issues within the club.

On Inglis, I agree this is for 2021 so the fact we signed him shouldn't come in to consideration for whether players accept a 2020 salary reduction to the end of the season. If the club are asking players to sign lower contracts for 2021, with COVD listed as the reason, yet still spending up to salary cap then that's a bit wrong in my book. But we don't know that that is the case, so we shouldn't assume.

Spot on Alffi.

The majority of of the country has felt the effects of this pandemic (despite some quacks on here likening it to a bout of flu that'll be sorted out by Dettol) from both a health and economic perspective.

It's therefore reasonable to expect that a club wide solution is put in place to safeguard the viability of the club including the player's medium and longer term futures and if that includes short term measures on pay then i'm sorry but that is the correct course of action IMO. As long as it is fair across the board not a 'scam' to increase profitability or pay for high profile new comers

Much will depend on the club getting close to realizing their full income stream and the confidence that there will be some new found stability when is the $64,000 question.

The reason that it is likened to flu is because it's symptoms are indeed flu-like.

(And yes, before you ask, I've had it and spent a week in hospital with its effects).

There doesn't seem to be much excitement or interest in the competition restarting.

Usually there would have been loads of threads on here talking about our chances, strongest starting line up, should we keep Price or get rid of him, how do we fit Ratchford and Widdop into the team. It all feels a bit "meh, there's gonna be some RL on TV, it's not a proper competition this year, even if we win it will be an anticlimax".

I get that they probably need to put RL out there to try and fulfil obligations to the broadcasters but if there are increased risks to the players, we have to ask is it really worth it?

Also taking the approach that some people seem to want, of saying to the players, suck it up and take a pay cut we don't care if you're annoyed, doesn't seem the best way to assemble a team of super-motivated players, with relentless mindsets focused on winning the Grand Final for Wire. Players might get forced to be out there but when we're 24-6 down at home to Salford, no fans in the stadium giving them stick, they're already disgruntled at how they've been treated, I wonder how many of them are going to think OK lads its do or die for the season now, lets put bodies on the line to turn this round, or will they think feck this lets just get through the game and go home. It puts Price and the coaching staff in an impossible position, if the players feel they have been shafted, whether you think the players are justified in thinking that or not.

In other sports players' unions have done hold outs and refused to turn out en masse and if they are being screwed about this is something they should think about here. It looks like it's going to be a devalued season with disinterested supporters anyway.

To be fair that isn't happening, everyone is playing their part, fans of the club have already said they don't want refunds where they have the means to do so, owners of the club have combined with a cash injection of +£1m when their own businesses are suffering and the players (already) and in to the future have agreed to reduced salaries. It's just the finer details of when / how that full pay kicks in that is in discussion. I hope there is no ill feeling currently and I don't expect there will be. It's a difficult situation, the club doesn't know when it's income streams will be switched back on in terms of numbers through the gate, and presumably what those numbers would look like at that point. This could also all go pear shaped very quickly if a second wave came along, lots of things for each party to think through - these things take time.

To me that's all three elements coming together, in which case the club will be united.

As Alffi pointed out, I think most people realise they need to pull together in order to get the truck out of the mud and back on the road again. I suspect the players meeting with the chairmen /RFL will end in some form of compromise, hopefully one where the lower earners with perhaps less leverage are protected. And yes, all the noises I have heard from fans has suggested people will forgo their ST investments to do their bit as well.

But I don't think there is any option now other than to gradually reopen to 'normal' life. I seem to remember reading that we have now borrowed £190 billion with Sunak spraying money at anything that doesn't move. In a year or two we will be faced with eye watering taxes and big cuts to government spending. So even if a second wave does come along it will probably have to happen whilst the economy struggles on whilst we minimise the spread of infection.

Will the RL restart be a bit of a damp squid ? Unfortunately I suspect it might. Some fans will be wary about returning to live matches just as some people are reluctant to go back to restaurants. And the season will surely be damaged by the interruption. I can't explain why, but I just feel less interested in the season. Perhaps it's because we have had a gentle reminder that to contradict Bill Shankley, there are more important things than sport. Hopefully the momentum will change as the game gets under way again and interest / crowds will gradually return to normal.

Its effects are so wide extremist, you cannot compare it to flu. Leave that to Trump. I’ve had a friend die from it, another brought back from deaths door, and others thought it was hey fever...!

I wasn't belittling it's danger, I was merely pointing out its similarities to flu when taking into account it's basic symptoms.

I've also had family die from flu in the past, so let's not dismiss that as a minor illness, while we will also now experience huge excess cancer deaths because of our reaction to this pandemic.

One thing is certain. We need to return to a normal life and out of this frightened-to-death lockdown society that we have been programmed into. Only that will save a society worth living in, including being able to watch live RL and other sports.

I'm pretty excited at the prospect of a return, but I never count chickens ( chlorinated or otherwise ). I'll start to talk about team selection when we actually have a confirmed opponent, date and venue.

Have the Wire agreed a pay deal with the players ?

Nearly, the salary cap commissioner is in danger of finding a couple of our “loopholes” so we were going to pay them in loo rolls, unfortunately the bottom fell out of that market..






coat retrieved and heading towards the exit

League Express has a quote from KF confirming an agreement with the players has been reached for salary cuts. I guess they start training Monday morning? 3 week lead in.

That’s correct our players return to training Monday morning. Less than 3 week until the first game is a very short turnaround, let’s hope most of the squad have looked after themselves during lockdown!

They started training again this week already

Apparently we were the eigth club to agree terms with their players.

Most of the players who are on social media look very fit and have maybe done even more fitness than training together as a group. There is no replacement for actual match fitness.

When you consider how much of a science sports fitness has become it is difficult to imagine that the players will be anywhere near the level that they should be at come the resumption of the season. On the other hand - this is the longest rest that many of them will have had for a very long time. We may be re-starting with almost a full squad available.

I agree, it's the lack of contact they have had as much as anything, must surely take a while to get back used to the hits in tackles etc.

I wouldn't be surprised to see increased injuries in the first few rounds back as players get used to things again.

We have Hull KR, Huddersfield then Wakey first up. Difficult to know what to expect from them really given the break, Huddersfield were going well before the break, so that could be a tough one. It will be Hull KR's second game back too, as they play Toronto the week before.

Yeah we must have a full squad available, Jack hughes was only 3-4 weeks away from a return when we went in to lockdown, and Matty Ashton is back training which is good to see. And another extended rest for Ben Currie can only be a good thing

Equally, making them play multiple games back to back at the end of the season will massively increase the risk of injury.

I wonder if a number of clubs will lose players to long term and perhaps career-limiting injuries because of this year's crazy schedule.

Yeah it's gonna be a big test for them unfortunately, but with Toronto pulling out of the season that's 2 less games for them to play. Still not great but better at least

Unfortunately only one less for us since we've already played them.