Cases don't equal illnesses or deaths.

If the World Cup doesn't happen here this year, then I fear we, as RL fans, will never see it, or international rugby here again ever again.

Perhaps Covid is just the excuse that the Aussies need to abandon international RL? Its not like they are particularly enthusiastic about it in the first place and always seem to make coming here, whether it's for internationals or the WCC, seem like a huge chore?

Greater Sydney is in two week lockdown after what is, in our terms, a minor blip of cases. I can't see the World Cup happening, not because of the situation here, but because of Australian and New Zealand approach to Covid elimination.

Then they should pull Out and the world cup should go ahead.

WHO CARES IF AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND ARE NOT THERE.
I don't. I wanna see rugby and I'm suck of not seeing full stadiums to enjoy the game that we love live

Its realistically a 3 team tournament. What would not having 2 of those 3 sides there achieve for the sport?

I know it won’t happen, but if Australia and New Zealand didn’t want to come they could easily assemble a quality squad from SL based antipodeans which would be competitive. And also a coach. Of course they wouldn’t allow that I know.

The Australia/NZ strategy is an interesting one. You can’t eliminate COVID, you can just vaccinate against it and accept some winter illnesses and deaths, just like the Flu. So when they’ve vaccinated most of their population (some will never want to be vaccinated) then what next? Do they lock down every time a case appears out of fear? You only need to read the comments from the Aussie contributors to TRL to see how scared they are about even a single case, it’s made them unrealistic and insular and in a constant state of looking for an enemy. It will be a weird place to visit in the future, and it may well spell the end of international RL.

But only 15% of the 58000 returned their samples. Still a pretty low infection rate but disingenuous reporting nevertheless.

Only one of them teams can afford Williams and they aren’t located in Yorkshire.

I would have thought that all three clubs have benefactors with enough cash to match our offer. However, they may not wish to do so as they perceive that they can spend their cash more effectively, elsewhere, to improve their future squad.

Whatchoo talkin about LTS...?

No other team apart from Warrington can afford Williams.

Curious how have you come to that conclusion.

A very weird conclusion to come to given the wealth of backers at clubs apart from Warrington.

Well he was on over £450k a year at the Raiders. How big a pay cut do you think he’s going to take? Do any of Leeds/Huddersfield pay any of their payers over 200k a year? I don’t think so. We were paying Tyrone Roberts 300k a year.

Not sure you can make any accurate assumptions about relative wealth at the moment. The world has changed and Wire finances have obviously taken a hit. Unless, of course, you are in fact right in the middle of the financial action.

Methinks you will find LTS is correct about the destination of Master Williams.

I know how much we’ve offered him for next season and it’ll be nowhere near to what Leeds or Huddersfield will/have offered.

I'm sure Williams is headed to Warrington, but I think that statement is a bit daft. Wigan's owners are very wealthy. Ken Davy could easily fund it as well, Leeds could at the drop of a hat, but again their commitment to matching that kind of spending when the rest of their team is pants is the question. Saints are another club that could easily spend as much on Williams if we wanted to. He's just not a priority with us having an international 6 and a very promising 7 already and no back row, centre or fullback for next year. Half the clubs in SL could spend that much on a player if they wanted to. Most are ruled out as he wouldn't sign for them.

I think the Williams saga has always been a straight shot between Wire and Wigan. And he's chosen you because the offer is higher financially and he'll see you as a better chance of trophies as you have a stronger squad currently.

Where's the announcement by the way? Duckie and yourself confirmed it two weeks ago? Is shifting Austin so you can fit him in this year the issue?

Info was wrong, it happens. I’ve since heard it might not even be announced till 2 weeks time but who knows.

Surely your second paragraph about Williams choosing Wire because of a higher financial offer contradicts you’re first one? Yes you are right though, he turned down Wigan because they offered at least 100k less than Wire at least.

I'm sure the owners of Saints, Leeds, Huddersfield and Wigan could afford Williams, but what LTS I think was getting at is that no club has owners that are willing to back their clubs to the same extent that Moran and Middleton do at Warrington in terms of these individual signings. I would assume that Austin and Widdop are out in front in terms of the highest paid players in the league, and this follows marquee contracts for the likes of Roberts / Sandow and a spend on transfer fees well in excess of any other side.

So everyone else can pay what we can but he's coming to us because no one else can pay what we can?

Sound.

Not really. Your statement was that no other club could [iafford[/i him. My point was that there are clubs who can afford him, but it's more a case of priorities. Wigan for example COULD afford to match your offer, but they don't want to. It's like if you're in a bidding war for a rattan garden set on Ebay. If you stick £3,800 in and no one matches it, it doesn't mean no one else can afford the set, just that no one values it as highly as you do at that moment.

They really couldn’t hence why they gave up their option of signing him. They’re signing players from the Championship and Leigh currently. For want of a better phrase they don’t really have a pot to pee in currently.

Oh nooooo, ambo for karetaker!

Yes, the difference is between could pay and are willing to pay.

We need a halfback whereas Saints and Wigan are probably right to spend their money elsewhere.

I think there's going to be some seriously depressed Saints fans when this young Leeds team starts beating them. Maybe a year or so away from that but the addition of another half back is close to the final piece in the jigsaw.