If it's that straight forward answer these questions

1. How much are we under the salary cap this year.
2. Will Eastwood come over next year.
3. How many of the pllayes out of contract at the end of the year will be offered new contracts.
4. Given the above how much salary cap will we have next year.

If you answer don't know to any of the above then it isn't straight forward.

bar Q1, all those questions are irrellevant to our recruitment for THIS year, not spending SC money THIS YEAR helps us naught for next,

and whilst ill readily admit to not knowing the exact amount left on the SC we have at least eastwoods salary + whatever we were offering Soliola, which is more than ample for a forward and centre who would greatly improve our squad

yes there are, but the specifics of the individual contracts arent the argument


you act as if poor form and low confidence cant be dealt with or there arent reasons behind it, and that its out of the clubs control

his record shows he is infallible does it?



why? this squad of players has yet get close, they have also yet to show their top form, how do you know how good it is?

I also trust GH's policies but you have to accept that this season we have a smaller squad than in the last two Championship winning seasons and he is ultimately responsible for that.

Signing a high quality eighty minute NRL hooker diminishes Diskin's role in the side. Once 'Bedsy' beds in the impact hooker role might as well go to McShane. Diskin is left to cover injury or plays a role that's alien to him and he's not suited to.

Eastwood - Unlucky with the tightening of the Visa application rules in Canberra but he was deemed a neccessary signing. What has changed since the application was turned down to make a replacement not as neccessary? Who has now replaced the world class Ellis?

Soliola - A target for a position within the side that was viewed as a weakness both within the club and externally since Toopi was paid off.

Scruton and Tansey's replacements?

The failing I see is having no plan B or in Eastwood's case no plan C (as Plan A was probably Pritchard)

If you identify areas for strengthening but fail (for whatever reason) to do so then that's an issue of concern for 2009.



So when Gary Hetherington says something like 'we have a squad that can reach our goals for this season' how should that be interpreted?

THe questions are relevant. You can't go signing a player without klnowing how it will affect the squad next year. If they have to spend 20k in upgrades for players next year, then they need to factor that in for any signings, whether they be this season, or next. They will still fall under next seasons salary cap, unless we are looking at a loan.

There is also no point signing someone for this season who plays prop/second row, without knowing the finer details of the Eastwood situation as an unbalanced squad will cause problems

The question is this - what benefit do the owners of the club get from an under-performing team - nothing.

Has GH done everything he could to strengthen the team - I would say yes - he tried to sign a centre and a second row forward - both internationals - neither came to fruition - GH must take some of the blame.

What can he do then - sign a lesser player or wait until the correct player comes along - I personally would prefer to wait.

Lee Smith who has never played centre in his entire career is now the preferred right centre - sometimes it pays to be honest - you can fool some of the people!!!

Is this squad capable of winning the comp - sure is - adding a test centre/second row it would have been a certainty.

Revenue will be down this year the real crunch will come with season ticket sales for next year - a poor showing this season will adversely effect revenue for next.

One things is for sure there isn't a shrewder CEO in SL - whilst he is charge the club will not go bust nor will it break the salary cap - nobody gets it right all the time but on the whole GH has been a great boss who deserves a bit of latitude for lack of team strengthening this year -especially as we are not party to all the facts.

What? so GH should not have signed him because he had a speeding ticket, the tightening of the visa process started after we had signed him



Planning for the future, tut tut, how dare he

I could understand all this hanging around for Eastwood if he was all that, he's not IMO. He's an interchange prop in the NRL and for New Zealand and there are dozens who do that job just as well in world rugby league. I don't think he'll ever pull on a Leeds shirt BTW, he's got a three year deal at the Bulldogs with an option, it doesn't mean he'll exercise it even if his Visa difficulties miraculously disappear.

If his possible recruitment for 2010, 2011 and 2012 is causing Leeds difficulties in sorting a much needed replacement in 2009 then Leeds should cut him adrift and get on with what's important now.

Did it? Link please.



Thanks for confirmation our recruitment for THIS season wasn't up to scratch.

Leeds wouldn't go broke if they spent the full salary cap either and might well be better placed to have a successful conclusion to this (so far disappointing) season although I'd personally stop well short of guaranteeing success as you appear to have stated in your post.

No CEO will be allowed to break the salary cap in future as it's now a live assessment and since it went live there has been no reported issues.

[url=http://www.visabureau.com/uk/news/16-02-2009/new-strict-uk-visa-rules-hopedf-to-change-behaviour-of-league-stars.aspxYes[/url

I agree with this on Eastwood. I've not seen taht much of him, but no player is worth potentially sacrificing the recruitment for 2 seasons for

Eastwood replaces Ellis

Buderus on a big contract

Upgrades for International Lee Smith and possibly Ryan Hall

Wheres this extra money for a word class centre, Its well known that
Scrutton was offered a contract but got a better deal from the Bulls (and rightly left)

To prove me wrong once and for all why don't you tell me what you would have done, not give Hall/Smith a rise?, offer Scrutton an improved 3 year deal?, not sign Buderus?, You have allready said you knew Eastwood wouldn't get a visa so theres no need to explain that one.

Back on subject, congrats to Saints on signing Soliola for NEXT year, does anyone know if saints will be losing and current players due to his signing/cap next year?.

Based on the contracts that are lodged with the RFL yes but there have been plenty of rumours of wives and image rights being paid which will not form paryt of the contract. These, if they are about, can only be uncovered in an audit.

It's still possible that payments may be made to players without affecting the clubs books and these would be extrewmely difficult to uncover.

The "live" salary cap is based on trust and previous agreements on overseas players and salary caps have shoewn that whilst CEO's are willing to agree to regulations they will then try their utmost to find loopholes to gain an advantage or blatantly attempt to cheat the regulation.

For that reason I take any "live" salary cap evaluations with a pinch of salt.

Where does it say the tightning of the visa process started after we had signed him?

I admit the last time i held a season ticket doug laughton was sat on the bench picking his nose. but i don't jump on the bandwaggon in october either, and i do love to see leeds doing well, but now A signing always seems imenant when season tickets go on sale, they don't always materialise, in fact not very often, but gary dangles the carrott by leaving a squad number that never gets filled. by which time the coffers are full but the squad isn't.

What's Smiths rise? When did he agree a new contract?

What about reductions? Surely Donald is on less than what he was when he signed 3 years ago in order to get his new deal? Peacock signed a reduced deal in order to get a longer contract. Senior if offered a new deal, will surely be on a reduced contract? Kylie is out of contract, and again you wont be paying him more on his next contract to what he got first time of signing.

FFS

[url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/leeds/7582562.stmLeeds sign Eastwood Aug 08[/url


[url=http://www.visabureau.com/uk/news/16-02-2009/new-strict-uk-visa-rules-hopedf-to-change-behaviour-of-league-stars.aspxFeb 09 NEW strict uk visa rules![/url

If the bureau give a press release saying today we have tightened the system then sorry I can't find a link to that, but I dont think they do.

You could have made a mint as a visa advisor to all the SL clubs, And I can't remember you voiceing any concerns about this during that period.

The RFL have successfully prosecuted salary cap breaches that were applied retrospectively at the season end. Adopting a live system merely shortens the then existing process.

I see the adopting of a franchise system beneficial to the RFL cap compliance team. A CEO would jepordise his clubs medium term future if discovered attempting to deliberately circumvent the cap. I'd like to think no CEO would consider taking that risk with a club I supported.

Enough said.

I thought with international honours came an automatic rise?

Not sure why Donald should take a pay cut

Kylie is out of contract next year, we don't know the full squad for next year yet

I'm aware of what your saying but just pointed out this years changes and asked what OTS would do to solve the problems he sees in the squad

When was it deemed not as neccessary? who is available?

Does Leeds' being knocked out of the Challenge Cup at the first hurdle in the fourth round now mean a sizeable chunk of player match payments/bonuses will no longer be required? Can these be added to the WCC winning bonusus that didn't need to be paid this season? Would these payments have needed to be estimated and counted within the cap calculations? Does their non payment now give Leeds a salary cap spend bonus in 2009? Or do the players get paid irrespective of appearances or performance with no bonuses these days?

Probably when the CEO publically stated that 'Leeds have assembled a squad capable of reaching the club's goals this season.'

Who is available? Who isn't? They are all full time professional players these days. Was Gareth Ellis available? Was Martin Gleeson available? The CEO will have access to all the other CEO's and once approved to all the player's agents. If there is a will, there is a way.