: Wed May 13, 2009 8:51 am  

1) I thought Cas and Wakey were spending the full cap?

2) The previous poster suggested Shenton and Atkins staying put would be asign of improvement in the level playing field, so the fact that Ellis left Wakey for Leeds previously would do more to suport that argument than rebutt it.

: Wed May 13, 2009 10:16 am  

I am sure Ellis would have done just as well at Wakey. He got a better offer from Wakey too but decided he wanted to win things. He often said there was nothing more to it than wanting to win things.

One of best players we have had at Wakey, people go on about Solo. But IMO Ellis is a quality player and English too.

: Wed May 13, 2009 10:18 am  

El Diablo wrote:

1) I thought Cas and Wakey were spending the full cap?

2) The previous poster suggested Shenton and Atkins staying put would be asign of improvement in the level playing field, so the fact that Ellis left Wakey for Leeds previously would do more to suport that argument than rebutt it.

No not spending the full cap.

Wakey as a club has changed a lot since Ellis left.

: Wed May 13, 2009 10:55 am  

adam9641 wrote:

No not spending the full cap.

Wakey as a club has changed a lot since Ellis left.

Ah, thought they were.

I hope you're right on the 2nd point. Keeping Atkins could be a measure of that. Although I'm not convninced he's in the same class as Ellis was when he left.

: Wed May 13, 2009 11:00 am  

El Diablo wrote:

Ah, thought they were.

I hope you're right on the 2nd point. Keeping Atkins could be a measure of that. Although I'm not convninced he's in the same class as Ellis was when he left.

Ellis was a one off; he was quality and has gone on to prove how good he is. I always thought he was best in super league, and it's great to say Wakeys started his success off

I hope we can keep hold of Atkins, give him a new deal a long with our other top young players. Leeds are always lined with Atkins though and I just have a feeling it will happen sooner or later.

: Wed May 13, 2009 11:49 am  

El Diablo wrote:

1) I thought Cas and Wakey were spending the full cap?

The regulations allow all clubs to spend up to the full cap now, i.e. there's no 50% of turnover rule, but whether they want to, or can afford to, is another matter.

: Wed May 13, 2009 1:26 pm  

The cap is not the issue it once was. Every SL club is allowed to spend exactly the same under it if they choose to. Obviously other factors come into that decision when operating a business plan, where no two clubs are exactly alike.

There are now more clubs allegedly spending the full cap than there once was and at least one (or two this season) who clearly should be but choose not to.

: Wed May 13, 2009 10:43 pm  

Trimalchio wrote:

I understand and sympathise with your views on this but as Cas and Wakey are probably not able to spend upto a full salary cap isn't there an issue that the development of such players is at risk having to play alongside inferior team-mates (NRL journeymen etc)? Would Gareth Ellis have continued his development as witnessed at Leeds had he stayed at a struggling club? I doubt it. This would not be the case if the competition was truly equal.

Until all 14 clubs in SL are able to spend the full salary cap we will still have an unequal competition. When this is no longer the case the likes of Leeds and Wigan simply won't be able to continue cherry picking poorer clubs, and until that day the likes of Shenton and Atkins are fair game IMO. Maybe there is an issue here about the level at which the cap is set but ultimately Cas and Wakey will never be able to compete consistently for silverware until they are able to compete financially.

Any club can spend the full cap if they wish and Wakefield were a top 5 club who went well in the playoffs when Ellis left to join us.

: Wed May 13, 2009 11:05 pm  

Don't get me wrong, if players move to clubs where they perceive they have a better chance of winning things or they don't like their current club for whatever reason, then thats fine. If its down to Leeds+ a few others being able to spend more then the comp will never be even.

Seeing a bunch of Leeds juniors do fantastically well over the past few years has added immensely to my enjoyment of what the side has achieved. There will always have to be the odd signing here or there - Aussies as well as Brits - but they should be the icing on the cake not the bulk of the side.

I just try and look at it from the point of view of fans from other clubs, and think how depressing it must be to hear all this talk of players possibly leaving to join 'bigger' clubs. If our own juniors had followed that route then McGuire et al would be at Sts, Bulls or Wigan as when they were breaking into the first team Leeds looked miles away from winning anything.