Clubs have to advise out of contract players by 1 June whether or not they will be offered a contract for next year; and clubs can offer pre-contracts to players, which will begin on 1 December.
As most of our players on one-year contracts, who should be offered new contracts and which players are likely to attract interest from other clubs?
I sense that it is well substantiated that teams this side of the 62 have a far lesser playing pool compared to Yorkshire clubs.
Certainly makes recruitment harder.
I daresay that we should probably look to retain the vast majority. There's probably question marks over whether Jewitt, Cook and even Smith will go around again; so straight away there's three spaces, and I'd say we were probably 3/4 short of where we needed to be even with the current signed.
Priorities have to be Farnworth, Baker and Cross.
Tomkins, Spedding and Owens all on contract for 2022 already.
I daresay that we should probably look to retain the vast majority. There’s probably question marks over whether Jewitt, Cook and even Smith will go around again; so straight away there’s three spaces, and I’d say we were probably 3/4 short of where we needed to be even with the current signed. Priorities have to be Farnworth, Baker and Cross. Tomkins, Spedding and Owens all on contract for 2022 already.
I'd include Tyrer on your Priorities list - he's playing really well in both defence and attack, knows his way to the try line and is arguably a better goalkicker than Owens.
Totally agree that we should try to retain those we have, but give Finnegan the opportunity to bringing in additional players to the squad, which is too small this season. If Jewitt, Clough and Cook are fit enough and fancy another season, retain them. Tyrer and Grady, who I thought were poor signings at the time, have proved their worth at this level and I would add those to the priority list.
All the younger players also deserve another season. The likes of Else, Tilleke, Edge, O'Neill, Wilde, Hill and Brookes could be the future mainstay of the team. Maybe Else and Tilleke, who have put in decent performances this year, could be attracting interest from SL clubs who these days are looking to pick up young players with potential for the future.
I suppose a lot will depend on the funding position in 2022, with a likely reduction in Sky funding to teams below SL.
On that front Maryn Sadler seems to think that Davy realises the importance to the game as a whole of keeping the SL and non SL together. He was suggesting that the % reduction should apply across the board. Whether the big boys will buy that or not remains to be seen.
Davy's comment that whilst the SL is the top of the pyramid it stands on the base formed by the rest of the game, shows possibly a better understanding than his peers.
On that front Maryn Sadler seems to think that Davy realises the importance to the game as a whole of keeping the SL and non SL together. He was suggesting that the % reduction should apply across the board. Whether the big boys will buy that or not remains to be seen. Davy’s comment that whilst the SL is the top of the pyramid it stands on the base formed by the rest of the game, shows possibly a better understanding than his peers.
--- or maybe he is thinking about the future and possibly his team in the Championship!!!! Surely, it would be better for the game if any funding was distributed fairly between all clubs, as well as the grass roots. This does need all clubs to be realistic about the wages paid to players and executives; as well as clubs making a determined effort themselves to generate local interest in the game. in addition to the RFL promoting the game nationally,
Maybe even go to two Divisions, the Premiership with say 20 teams and the Championship with 16 with a fairer distribution of funds that would ensure that a promoted club would be able to compete in the Premiership.
Is there likely to be a change? No, the SL clubs will want to retain most of central funding and would be happy to see other clubs go to the wall. Probably SL will close shop.
The new agreement should ring bells in the SL. Their funds wil be less than they were, even if they hold on to most of the Sky cash, so they need to trim a bit if they are to survive.
There may well be up and coming players who might wonder just how secure SL is as a fulltime job. The top players probably are happy with their lot but those in the bigger squad, loaned out etc hoping for a bigger contract, could be better off with a day job as security and play for extras.
It must be a bit off-putting to young hopefuls when they sign and the club offer big money to NRL throwouts.
I’ve always argued that they should be two super league competitions, compromising of clubs who have the facilities and potential to gain promotion to SL.
Widnes, Salford, Leigh, Bradford, York, Feth, Halifax, Batley, Toulouse, London could form a second SL tier.
I am not been intentionally offensive to the likes of Swinton, Oldham, Whitehaven. Spelly is a top fella but can the game really afford to short these clubs who are almost close to been amateur set ups?
I would imagine most of our experienced part-time playrs will want to stay. Unless Leigh get relegated (which admittedly could easily happen) the teams competing for them in the North West are going to be less of a draw than Widnes. I think with Cook and Jewitt in particular we need to see how often they can get on the pitch before we offer contracts for next season. I'd definitely be looking at keeping (in addition to those already signred) Tyrer, Grady, Craven, Cross, Baker, Farnworth and Clough.
It is more likely that we will face competition for the younger players if any go on to have a very good season they may well attract the Leighs and Salfords of this world if not top SL sides. With that in mind and given they are inexpensive you would imagine getting the likes of Hatton, Edge, Tilleke and Hill signed up for another year at least to see how they progress would make sense.
Makes sense MT.
Much will depend on where the youngsters see themselves in the future, either working and playing for pin money or aiming to the top dollar SL places. There is talent there and we will need it.
Of course it will depend on how the club's finances are looking too! Hopefully there will be some movement to get the distribution of Sky input sorted asap so that all clubs know what they can count on.
Well, if a SL club comes knocking for any of our youngsters I can't see the club trying to stand in their way. Hopefully we will at least get some sort of transfer fee if they are contracted though. The wider funding issues are up in the air. Hopefully we have kept most of our fanbase during the last year or so if not going to games as that will put us on a better funding than clubs with lower crowds.
Well, if a SL club comes knocking for any of our youngsters I can’t see the club trying to stand in their way. Hopefully we will at least get some sort of transfer fee if they are contracted though. The wider funding issues are up in the air. Hopefully we have kept most of our fanbase during the last year or so if not going to games as that will put us on a better funding than clubs with lower crowds.
Even more important contracts are issued so that the appropriate fees can be collected by the SL clubs in question
Someone mentioned Leigh possibly being in competition for players if they come down, but it will be interesting to see what Degsy does if they do come down as I cant see him hanging around if they go down again.
Someone mentioned Leigh possibly being in competition for players if they come down, but it will be interesting to see what Degsy does if they do come down as I cant see him hanging around if they go down again.
Very true! I would think that this was Degsy's big shot.
He must have forked out big style for this effort and to keep going FT will be throwing more money at it. They might still manage something, there are others struggling don't forget.
Main thing is to get the finance for 2022 sorted so that all teams know where they stand.