Don't all teams have to field a reserve side next season ???

Yep.

just ignore that one

I’ve a feeling that quite a lot will be ignored Snowie mate.

They’re up now so not point whinging about it. I’ve got grumbles about level playing fields etc but we’ll just have to see how it goes. It’ll just be one away game I can’t make unless it’s in Manchester of course



Anyway if Wilkin is back to hurl abuse at that’s one bonus of their visit to Belle Vue

Just read that TW have offered SBW a contract worth $9m.

How does that fit within our cap, which is something like £1.9m

That’s the marquee rule where only a certain amount (200k???) applies to the cap.

You know how it goes - pay one player shed loads more than the rest of the squad (put together in this case!), performances don’t merit said pay gap, discontent settles in, team spirit suffers. It’ll be interesting to see how it goes if it does come off.

I totally get your point Cats13, but surely there should be some restrictions on this.

Isn't there a 2nd marquee player allowed these days too.

If theres no limit, then who's to say one year, they dont bring in the two highest earners in the NRL

Are you saying that's a bad thing?

Yes and no PT.

Good that our league could attract then in the first league, but how many SL clubs would be able to compete with this.

Just think there should be some kind of limit with the marquee ruling.

If there isn't, and it's gone from one, to two, where will it stop at, and then if there no restriction on salary coatings, is there much point in a cap at all.

Incorrect

Which bit?

At a guess all of it

The whole point of the marque rule is that it only counts 100k on the s/c and that there is no limit, which was to allow those clubs that can afford it to sign a couple of superstars.
As for not being fair - sadly , life isn't but, what will be interesting here is that Toronto, with their very deep pockets, will be competing with Wigan, Leeds and Saints for the "big" names which may bring either an end to the cap or a change in the rules.

The worrying thing for Trinity fans is that Toronto look like they will be competing in the top half of the league and nowhere near the wooden spoon.

On a side issue, if Toronto are awash with so much money, surely they have to compete in the Challenge Cup and fulfil the same commitments as other SL clubs.

Should not be allowed to play 4 or 5 games on trot . We did it but teams were traveling 60 + miles at worst not 6000 .Thing called jet lag. Then the away team as got to fly back expected to play 5,6, or 7, days later jet lag again. .If Toronto have got to play home and away every week that's fair if not with a plastic pitch it's given them a very big advantage

They don’t take central distribution (they never have) and they pay for travel and accommodation for 25 players/staff

That's quite a coup in PR terms - although I'm not sure how well known Money Bill will be in Canada?

From an on-field perspective, I would suggest that despite his absolute devastating brilliance at the height of his powers, his impact may be much reduced these days.

I wouldn't be so sure that they will be competing in the top half of the league Wrencat, based on a ridiculous bid for a once world class name, now probably decent mid table NRL player (If he was currently playing league). Lets be honest, last year there squad was lower level SL, lets not forget for the past few seasons Andrew Dixon and Liam Kaye have been two of there best players, no offence to those 2, but could you see them getting into a top SL team? A few have retired, a few rumoured to be moving on and they have signed nobody yet.... Even if they do pull off some top signings I will reserve my judgement - People are quick to forget the days of MK bringing over the likes of the world class Kevin Locke - Who apparently had options to sign with the majority of NRL clubs, 5 months later he was playing down at Belle Vue for Wakefield!

So basically it's all stopping the same as previous years. Why would they do that?

Agree with that. Even their coach said they're keeping the same squad and bringing in just a couple, which made me think those couple better be good. If they have cash it's pretty late in the day now to get some quality SL players in, just about every club is still on the look out for that last player or two to fill their squad. Toronto look to me they need a fair few signings imo.

Noticed how Phil Clarke never said that like he did about the Salford players, and I personally think the comment is more applicable to Toronto, I agree with you and its 2 or 3 games we should be winning, just like London. Oh.....wait

One thing is for certain. Phil Clarke will be tipping Toronto as Grand Final winners. He is the worse tipster in the world and also the best at stating the obvious eg " super League games are usually won by the team that scores the most points !"

Whether their bid for SBW is successful, we have to wait and see and I agree with you that money itself, is no guarantee of success.
However, with money spent in the right direction, they "should" be able to put together a squad that sees them well clear of the wooden spoon and pushing for a mid table spot and you would expect a top 8 finish.
Whether you rate McDermott and Noble doesn't matter, what is undeniable is their experience at coaching / managing top SL sides.
I know that Noble failed at Salford but, I dont see Toronto as wanting to just make up the numbers and assuming that their backers are happy to keep throwing stacks of money at the project, you would gamble that they will be pushing for a play off spot within a few years.

Btw, I still think it's crazy having a "plastic" side from N. America competing in SL and taking the lace of a "traditional" club and I believe that the league should have been expanded to 14 clubs to prevent yet another side crashing and burning in the Championship - a move that I seriously struggle to understand but, with big money to burn, they will at some point challenge the big 4/5 SL clubs.

Maybe someone could confirm whether they will have to run academy and reserve sides and compete in the Challenge Cup ?

Fairly sure they're not running a reserve side.

I do believe Toronto are in the Challenge Cup in 2020