And seeing they don't have a fecking clue either, you've summed it up perfectly.

The RFL favour Leeds and probably ignored it is my guess. Unless

it was on one of those increasing contracts? but wait! The leeds fan says they're not allowed hmmm I wonder then....

Our SC rules are live and I don't think any of our SL clubs will exceed the cap limit. With the HMRC giving their guidelines on Image Rights etc all clubs should now be working on the same basis where previously they were not.
This is to Wigan's advantage as we will be claiming the same as eveyone else whereas under Whelan we did not claim anything for years.

As for Melbourne, it seems they will be over the limit by more than was first thought by the press. They always concluded the Storm would keep their big four and allow others to go. If it is now this bad perhaps one of those four will have to leave.

It has been said on this board that Wigan are looking to bring Slater over. That wouldn't surprise me. He may leave for one year until the mess is sorted and the new rules and TV deal kick in for 2012. If any of them were to go to other codes they would want to sign the player on a 3-4 year deal. Perhaps Wigan are offering to have Slater on a one year deal knowing he will return to Aus for 2012. That could well suit Melbourne and Billy Slater or any of the other three.

Although the press thought the four would stay, those in power at Melbourne will know exactly the extent of the cap bust. They may be looking for a way to keep the four and a one year stint away then return may be the best they can make of a very bad job. They know they can trust MM and IL will go along with Melbourne I'm sure.

Just imagine the season ticket sales if Billy Slater signed for Wigan, even it was only for next year!

In the meantime the rumoured signings of Finch, Lima & Hoffman are mouth watering enough, especially if Hock were to return next year as well.

Apparently it is less than first thought as the increase in the Cap in the NRL was not taken into account.

The figure seems to have dropped from in the region of $1.3 million to $1 million and the latest comments seem to suggest that they will not need to shed as many players as first thought.

I can't believe some opposition fans are speculating that these rumoured signings will take us over the cap. The caps is live and IL would sooner pull his own teeth than break it (which he couldn't anyway because its live....).

Dave

The auditors of your last set of publically issued accounts insisted that a statement was included to confirm that Wigan were under investigation form the HMRC in connection with image rights payments. This would suggest that Wigan were "playing" the system as much, if not more than others.

Has this investigation finished? The only clubs I've seen reported in the press as being in the clear with HMRC about image rights' payments are Hull KR and Warrington.

It seems that every other teams fans are truly bricking it if we sign the aforementioned players, juging by the ammount of SC related posts.

Jonh is entirely correct. Although the figure for this season (and this season's rules) is more than expected, there is a lot of subtle changes happening to the SC rules for next season in Australia.

The summation of these subtle changes, and the understanding the club have gained on exactly how they are exceeding the cap implies that they are not in as dire a situation as anticipated.

The media will probably lead with the superficial point, but the devil's in the detail.

It doesn't suggest anything.

I was under the impression all clubs were being investigated (which is the only way HMRC could find out what each club did with respect to image rights).

I have it on record from the salary cap auditor at the RFL that Wigan did not take advantage due to the doubtful legality of all this when DW was in charge, which was FT's point.

Dave

It's because they don't seem to have the capacity to realise that there will be players leaving as well as coming in.

Anyway, nothing official yet.

Yes, it's fascinating the number of fans from other clubs who suddenly turn out to be experts in Wigan's financial affairs at times like this.

Unlike many of them, I make no claims to have stats to hand, or inside information of any sort. But I'm close to the club, and the atmosphere about all this is fairly relaxed and fairly confident. So I'd just say this to all the worriers from Warrington and Leeds: Don't get your hopes up.

If we paid some of our players the salaries quoted on this thread the Melbourne breach would be chicken feed

Theres some daft buggers out there who are just desperatley hoping we are going to breach the cap because they are scared we are going to tear it up next season. We are top now so imagine what we would be like if said players actually joined us, no wonder they are bricking it.

It is quite comical.

Posters who normally talk in a rational manner, have now been reduced to finding any tenuious information regarding the Cap in order to subdue there own personal paranoia that Wigan could blow them out the water next year.

I hope and pray they come off.

Hoffman signing exites me, Finch signing really exites me but Lima signing makes me want to kiss strangers in the street!.

What about all 3 signings put together? In fact i think you best keep that to yourself



Season tickets will be a record high if we get to OT and we sign them 3 imo.

I'm exactly the same. Hoffman and Finch are very good players (Hoffman could turn out to be a great signing) but my god I really wanna see Lima at Wigan.

He’ll be a real fans favourite

Hodges street, Springfield.

That's not what was said at all. But Leeds couldn't pay smith 30 grand this season and 100 next. That's not allowed.

Yeah defo for 3. Not 4 though.

Why not?

Goes well with the straw man argument with the made up wages.

But the only way 4 would be coming is if Quinn came as a replacement for Roberts, which I imagine would be near enough a like for like wage. Thats the only scenario I could see 4 coming in, with 5 quota players going out.

I'm pretty sure it is?

Oh by your reckoning:

Webb: £150k
Delaney: £150k
Senior: £130k
Maguire: £130k
Burrow: £130k
Buderus: £150k
Diskin: £100k
Eastwood: 130k

A total of 2.3million I'd say that puts you over....and I appear to have missed Peacock...another £130k

Yes it is.

What they could not do is take him on at £100K in the first place in 2010 then say "hang on, we can't afford that so you take £30K this season and we will add £70K to your wages next year and add another £10K for your trouble".

That would be deferring £70K of the wages he was [udue this year[/u. When Wigan did it there was nothing in the rules against it. There is now.

Signing a player on £30K this year and giving him a £70K pay rise next year is [inot [/ideferring wages. He was not due the extra £70K [uthis year[/u. It's a pay rise in 2011 pure and simple.

Why is it so hard to understand the difference?

Dave

Maguire might be playing down the story, but it's hardly a firm denial.