sergeant pepper wrote:
Watching all the fans of the bottom feeder clubs announcing this as the death of RL is making me smile.
Really hope this is the seismic shift that many on here have been waiting 10+ years for. At last the backwards, cap in hand have nots have been put in their place.
Now let's watch the big boys crack on at trying to get the sport back to where it should be.
Mrs Thatcher is smiling in her grave right now at your views and how you express them. Are you a Blue Meanie from Pepperland?
The problem with your view is that putting the 'have-nots' in their place, as you so charmingly put it, leads to a competition just like the Scottish Premier League. Let the market take over and it inevitably leads to monopoly. (Anyone fancy a bet on who will win the SPL next year? Is there any point in watching?)
That's fine if Wigan are in the Celtic role, but what if we end up like Rangers with Saints in the Celtic role?
The good thing about the salary cap is that the league is genuinely competitive. Hull KR have beaten both Saints and Wigan this season. Are you really interested in watching Rugby League dominated by just a few teams or are you interested in watching games that are competitive (which most - though not all - are)?
Even under the present system there are really only 4 potential winners (even if you count Wire!!!) - so it's not as though we are being hampered that much by the 'cap in hand' brigade. But at least we have an interesting competition, with the top 3 losing 14 games - about 30%- between them already, often to the 'bottom feeder clubs'
I loved watching us in the 80/90s, especially as I remember us in the second division, but in truth only Widnes really managed a sustained challenge. I reckon the game is far more enjoyable now, though I guess others will disagree.
Peace and Love!