It's purpose was to stop clubs from spending money the couldn't afford.
Trying to address clubs running at a loss.
Which it hasn't for almost all teams still, Leeds eventually made a profit, but didn't stop teams from spending more, cheating to win SL and in cases going bust, over and over, and in other cases, cheating the cap to avoid relegation....all penalised with a deferred fine and deferred points deducted, that they then appealed and got lifted...so much there's the mockery of punishment to prove it's there to make an even competition.
The rfl may be dressing it up and even able to state it primarily that it is there to make a more even competition, but if this was truly the objective, why is it not then compulsory for each club to pay full cap?....this is the only way to have a market where balance could theoretically be achieved... Perhaps this conflicts with British/European law, I don't know, but it is the only way.
So however the rfl want to dress it up, without that rule it's just bollox....which it is now completely bollox since the marquee ruling, because now there is no ceiling at all, just a tiered cap.
The woods are behind the trees.