[quote="mwindass":vh05jv54]https://www.totalrl.com/salford-red-devils-hoping-to-complete-takeover-deal-this-week/ Salford update..... King is hopeful of a deal this week that would stop the sale of players. If that doesn't happen it sounds like we've got a 2 week period along with Wakey, Leigh and Cas to sign players before it's opened up to the rest of the league. This would include quota and cap dispensation for them.[/quote:vh05jv54] Realistically though in this 2 weeks even if we agree a deal with Salford the players are either just going to not commit or like Cross just flat out refuse to meet us knowing that in 2 weeks Warrington etc are going to come in and they’ll have loads of offers maybe even a bidding war between clubs. As much as I think we need players in those positions we now know Cross and looks like Sneyd just don’t want the move, Shorrocks might still be an option but you’d think he’d likely also want to stay in the area. I’d just leave it if I was RM now, walk away and make offers for Macdonald, Marsters, Nikorima etc if and when the dispensations open up and at least bump the prices up for anyone else. It’s hard to tell with Salford but reading the noise in the past few days them not responding to other clubs for players I think they think they might have something sorted short term, how long it will last is anyone’s guess.

It's a right mess, can't blame Salford, as they are trying to keep their pla yers as long as possible, hoping for investment. And the players don't really want to leave. Like DSJ says, can't see how this two week window thing would work. .

[quote="Dave K."]It's a right mess, can't blame Salford, as they are trying to keep their pla yers as long as possible, hoping for investment. And the players don't really want to leave. Like DSJ says, can't see how this two week window thing would work. As you say Dave, it's all just a mess. Personally i think we as a club should just move on and keep our powder dry for throughout the season as something usually crops up.

[quote="Dave K.":34j4kmfc]It's a right mess, can't blame Salford, as they are trying to keep their pla yers as long as possible, hoping for investment. And the players don't really want to leave. Like DSJ says, can't see how this two week window thing would work. .[/quote:34j4kmfc] Fair play if Salford are confident they don’t need to sell absolutely anyone and can get a takeover done in 2 weeks this will work out great for them. On the flip side they’ll not be able move anyone on in this 2 weeks, but once the dispensations are granted it’s open season and they lose everyone. I hope they get a buyer and end all this nonsense, it’s going to be farce if they don’t.

They are just buying time as I said when all this started. The RL is a toothless Tiger we all know that and they have no real control over the Clubs at all, the owners dictate what is happening and Salford have just been buying time and hoping that their new investment comes through. Good for the fans of Salford but more worrying is the bigger picture where we see just about every Super league Club running at a loss (some in a phenomenal amount of debt) and once Salford get sorted every one of our elite division will be dependant on hand outs from their owners to keep going. Whilst London just relegated were on the cusp of extinction only to be saved by NRL investment. That's the real issue with our game, we don't generate enough income and are therefore as a sport living above our means and that can only go on for so long the current model ia in the long term unsustainable. I hoped that IMG would be the answer but that's proving to be all smoke and mirrors with the clubs only doing what is best for them and not the game in general. You can't blame the clubs for running things its their money that's keeping the game going but its about time radicle solutions were sort and that will only happen if the RL grow some.

[quote="DSJ1983":1su4ftue]Realistically though in this 2 weeks even if we agree a deal with Salford the players are either just going to not commit or like Cross just flat out refuse to meet us knowing that in 2 weeks Warrington etc are going to come in and they’ll have loads of offers maybe even a bidding war between clubs. As much as I think we need players in those positions we now know Cross and looks like Sneyd just don’t want the move, Shorrocks might still be an option but you’d think he’d likely also want to stay in the area. I’d just leave it if I was RM now, walk away and make offers for Macdonald, Marsters, Nikorima etc if and when the dispensations open up and at least bump the prices up for anyone else. It’s hard to tell with Salford but reading the noise in the past few days them not responding to other clubs for players I think they think they might have something sorted short term, how long it will last is anyone’s guess.[/quote:1su4ftue] For my thinking if there's truth in that Cross just didn't bother to turn up then as much as he'd have improved us somewhat, we want players than want to be at the club for the right reasons. Whilst I appreciate Salford will want as long as possible to try to resolve this time is moving on rapidly and action should have been taken weeks ago, instead its allowed to continue becoming more critical with no apparent contingencies in place only faint hope all Salford have done is buy time. Allowing this circus to continue is just a crazy situation to be in as a sport. Salford, the RFL and IMG have quite honestly made a mockery of the sport with this situation. I don't wish bad on Salford as the sport needs as many pro clubs as possible but they need to face sufficient punishment or sanctions including a pts deduction. I hope that the RFL do not go down the road in allowing any dispensations as this will just remove just about any & all integrity of the 2025 league. At a time when the sport really needed to get its act together it has once again done the opposite and I think serious questions need to be asked about the the suitability of the RFL & IMG to deliver what is required both short and long term for the future of the game here. It needed serious investment in the sport and a root & branch overhaul of everyone and every aspect of the RFL, not some box ticking gurus as that is ultimately and evidently papering over cracks.