Salary Cap - Wigan, Bradford

[bartman]

http://www.therfl.co.uk/SL/news_item.php?id=6068

A few clubs look to be in trouble over last year... most notably Champions Bradford :shock:! Be interesting to see how that one pans out.

Result of Wigan's hearing should be in this evening. St Helens, Hull, and Wakefield (how?) all having received slaps on the wrist, along with a Castleford breach in winning last year's National League.

 

[bartman]

Wigan's verdict is in... pleaded guilty, two points deducted and a fine. That makes the relegation battle a hot one again!

http://www.therfl.co.uk/SL/news_item.php?id=6072

What's in store for Bradford...

 

[bartman]

* Idle speculation * And if Wigan is guilty for a 2005 breach, how are they travelling with 2006 spending?

 

[East Coast Tiger]

* Idle speculation * And if Wigan is guilty for a 2005 breach, how are they travelling with 2006 spending?

That will be the big talking point out of this. Cue Saints fans et al for another round of "Wigan are over the cap" - and they'd probably be right.

 

[Fairleigh Good!]

You would be right there East Coast!

Wigan are over the cap. They deliberately overspent last season to ride through an injury crisis whilst in no danger of being relegated.

This season their Chairman comes out to tell the press they cannot sign any more players as they are currently sailing very close to the salary cap limits. A month later in the midst of a relegation battle which is starting to look terminal, they announce the signing of Stuart Fielden from Bradford. Claims are made by Bradford that Wigan have given him 3 times the amount they were offering him.

You do the maths:

Club at salary cap limit in desperate need + Record signing = ???

 

[bartman]

It will be an interesting conundrum for the league if Wigan avoid the drop this season, only to later be found to have broken the 2006 salary cap in doing so. What would the league's penalty be then? Second offence in a row, and another team was relegated as a result...

If anything that scenario is more tricky than what they do about Bradford's alleged breach, which may have contributed to them winning last year's title.

 

[Fairleigh Good!]

It will be an interesting conundrum for the league if Wigan avoid the drop this season, only to later be found to have broken the 2006 salary cap in doing so. What would the league's penalty be then? Second offence in a row, and another team was relegated as a result...

If anything that scenario is more tricky than what they do about Bradford's alleged breach, which may have contributed to them winning last year's title.

Its very likely they will do nothing bar deduct points from this season. Bradford's case seems to me to be more serious as they are taking their time over it. If its more serious the heftiest deduction is still only 6 points.

St Helens broke the salary cap the last time we won Super League. Nothing much happened bar a points deduction.

 

[bartman]

Ah, so no retrospective deductions then. I thought with the extra time they were taking it may be to consider what else to do as it involves the reigning champions.

They need to get these investigations happening within season, to provide a real incentive for clubs to be more vigilant about not taking advantage.