As most our squad is locked into contracts for next season and some longer does anyone know if the cap rules allow for players to be bought out, ie paid the full term but allowed to leave and play elsewhere thus freeing up funds?
Not suggesting we could afford it but wether its possible for any team thats at the upper limit to do it, ta.

Don't know the answer to your question Bb, but the problem is (as always) if you let players go, you've got to be sure you can replace them with someone better.

Recruitment is a problem for us and will be worsened after this season's debacle, imo.

I think Wells and the useless 2nd rower from Aus pay offs formed part of the SC the year they both finished.

Yes, think you're right, Wire.

How does it work that Wigan are able to afford Matty Smith, Hudds Brett Ferres and Hull can afford Chase (although they missed the deadline) ? Surely these clubs will have already spent their sal cap for this year? Not the old paying them next year scenario again...

Have to say, in my view, no clubs should be able to sign anyone from another SL club mid-season. One of the few ways that a "lesser" club can compete with a "big" club is when there is an injury crisis that forces clubs to play their youngsters or play people out of position. Doesn't seem fair that smaller clubs can have their season de-railed because of the greedy big clubs.

Roberts retired due to injury and several players went out on loan with salaries being paid by other clubs.

Because of the cost of living down here they can get Chase and other top players for the same money that we have to pay for our players. We are overpaying our players if you link it to value for money. It will allways be thus until we are allowed to pay London weighting at which point we will get a fair crack at the 'quality' overseas players like at Wire and allso be able to retain players like Dixon when the scavengers come a calling in future

.

This is a scam whereby clubs like Wigan 'retain' good young players at someone elses cost instead of releasing them. This is one thing the Salary Cap was designed to do - force the big clubs to release the quality players they cant afford to the lesser teams and thereby raise the overall standard of SL.

The big clubs are merely paying lip service to a salary cap.

They all sign up to this fundamental part of the competition and then find as many ways round it as they can. Ditto the overseas quota.

If these other clubs bothered to produce any players themselves then there would be no need to loan ours and this 'scam' as you call it wouldn't exist.

For the salary cap to be run "legitimately" I'd suggest that you allow clubs to go over the limit and then for every £1 they go over the put in a £1 to a central fund that is distributed to clubs who stay under the cap.

Works in the MLB.

Wigan do as much rule bending as possible. Remember when they said they weren't over the cap when they signed Fielden and a year later were fined and docked points for being over the cap?

Melbourne Storm anyone? Stripped of two NRL premierships, stripped of three minor premierships, fined $500,000 and will be forced to return $1.1 million in prize money and not be allowed to accrue any premiership points in the 2010 season for going over salary cap by at least $1.7 million over five years.

Did them no harm...galvanised their fans and turned them into a bit of a Millwall if I am honest.

Can't see the point of signing anyone until the new coach is in place......no player of any quality is going to join us until that's known...especially after this years fiasco.

Agree with you Gutters on both your points.

Must admit Melbourne were my favourite NRL team until the cheating was uncovered. Gone right off them now.

Returning to Wigan, no doubt they have produced masses of players and should be applauded for their efforts. This just makes it all the sadder that they have been reliant on 7 overseas players this year, including one that reportedly had been sacked by his NRL club for crapping all over a hotel room (and no-one had even heard of). Sad state of affairs really.

Seems you don't remember