: Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:57 am  

Bilko wrote:

I don't believe the smaller clubs are being dragged forward, I think the bigger clubs are being dragged back. The game is not attractive to watch these days - even compared to five years ago. The multiple interchange system makes the game far, far, far too forwards dominated in my opinion.

Thought this for a while TBH. Until teams are allowed to fully spend what they earn, standards will slip. If we've got the money to spend, why shouldn't we spend it? Just because some of the smaller teams like Cas, Wakey et al can't keep up, it drags down the more ambitious teams. Supporters of the SC think that it should be entirely possible that a team could win the league one year and finish bottom the next (that's true competition, yes?). If this is the case then we might as well forget the whole thing and draw who wins the games out of a hat.

: Tue Mar 10, 2009 12:07 pm  

AJ wrote:

They would in terms of fitness over the 80 minutes yes. But they might be too far behind come half time in real terms, they simpily wouldn't be able to apply a modern defence to the skill levels we saw in our team of Edwards, Greg & Hanley.

how do you think offiah would go in the modern game, i suspect he would be alot like penny, scores some gooduns, lets in alot too, wigans team were so far ahead of everyone else they only needed 12 defenders at the time, but that has changed now

: Tue Mar 10, 2009 12:13 pm  

robliv4eva wrote:

:CLAP: Thought this for a while TBH. Until teams are allowed to fully spend what they earn, standards will slip. If we've got the money to spend, why shouldn't we spend it? Just because some of the smaller teams like Cas, Wakey et al can't keep up, it drags down the more ambitious teams. Supporters of the SC think that it should be entirely possible that a team could win the league one year and finish bottom the next (that's true competition, yes?). If this is the case then we might as well forget the whole thing and draw who wins the games out of a hat.

And what happend when these teams were allowed to spend what they earnt? Several ('Big') clubs nearly went under. Wigan can spend the same as Leeds and Saints, why haven't they been challenging for trophies?

: Tue Mar 10, 2009 12:13 pm  

AJ wrote:

They would in terms of fitness over the 80 minutes yes. But they might be too far behind come half time in real terms, they simpily wouldn't be able to apply a modern defence to the skill levels we saw in our team of Edwards, Greg & Hanley.

: Tue Mar 10, 2009 12:16 pm  

John D H wrote:

And what happend when these teams were allowed to spend what they earnt? Several ('Big') clubs nearly went under. Wigan can spend the same as Leeds and Saints, why haven't they been challenging for trophies?

because leeds and saints didnt have a set of duck eggs choosing which players to bring in.

: Tue Mar 10, 2009 12:18 pm  

Players are far fitter these days, but in terms of standard of rugby played, the standards have gone downhill dramatically.

: Tue Mar 10, 2009 12:33 pm  

Wigan and Leeds certainly monopolised the star players but I remember clearly going to watch Wigan play Huddersfield, Cas, Wakefield and Salford a few years ago and being tempted to stay at home to watch maybe Leeds v Saints on TV because it wasn't a foregone conclusion.
Now I wouldn't consider it because no matter which team Wigan play, the result is in doubt.

: Tue Mar 10, 2009 12:35 pm  

Salty wrote:

Wigan and Leeds certainly monopolised the star players but I remember clearly going to watch Wigan play Huddersfield, Cas, Wakefield and Salford a few years ago and being tempted to stay at home to watch maybe Leeds v Saints on TV because it wasn't a foregone conclusion.
Now I wouldn't consider it because no matter which team Wigan play, the result is in doubt.

i think you could say the same for most teams last year apart from saints and leeds on their day.
this year there are 2 definite whipping boys and i think saints have slipped closer the the rest.

: Tue Mar 10, 2009 12:39 pm  

John D H wrote:

And what happend when these teams were allowed to spend what they earnt? Several ('Big') clubs nearly went under. Wigan can spend the same as Leeds and Saints, why haven't they been challenging for trophies?

Please Listen to the other side of the argument

Nobody is saying there shouldn't be a salary Cap (Apart from maybe BK )

What people are saying is that it should be a % of the Turnover of a Particular club i.e

If a Club Turns over 10M Why can't they spend 5M
If a Club Turns over 4M They Spend 2M

Something similar to that would encourage clubs to concentrate on Building there Business/Club rather than Leeching off the other clubs with Better Youth Policies etc.

There are Numerous other suggestions Like Rogues who says a % of a Players Wages Shouldn't be counted if he was Club trained encouraging the use of more Home Grown Players.

: Tue Mar 10, 2009 12:42 pm  

John D H wrote:

It would be close for an hour but the Saints of 2006 would beat that old Wigan side. I think the Bulls team of 03 would too.

It's a shame it will never happen, then we could prove you are Soooooooooo Wrong!