I was gonna ask the same thing, I bet the disparity in wages back then was far different to now. From the difference in exchange rates, which won't it have been around the 3 dollars to £1 era? to the huge increases the NRL have got every new TV deal since those days, it must be night and day.

Personally, I think he could come back home if the deal is right and everything he says about wanting to finish his career playing in SL and being homesick and wanting to be closer to relatives etc is true. But I gotta admit a part of me does think that he'll end up staying there.

Salary cap makes no difference with the marquee rule. I've stated on another thread that there's no SoO or playiing for Australia to keep him NRL, as there would be with an Australian.
All the talk that there's no SL club with the cash for one player is just plain incorrect. As Shifty Cat has posted above he may well stay in Oz, but because he wants to, not because of money.

Leeds are not paying all his wages. He is being subbed by Penrith

If Wakey signed him I’d be amazed and delighted - he’s a good player and better than what we have. So what? That still doesn’t make him the world beater some are making him out to be does it.

Put it another way, I’m happy we have David Fifita but it doesn’t make him Andrew does it?

Truth is that despite the ludicrous golden boot this year SL has few if any world beaters and Widdop won’t change that.

You can’t be this daft surely.

You’re right and that was my point. If Widdop was all he’s cracked up to be then no SL club could win his signature. The idea he is coming to SL for ulturistic reasons is utterly ludicrous unless you’re eight years old.

So something don’t add up do it? He’s lost his selling power in the NRL for some reason - my guess is he’s now seen as past it.

You can’t be this daft surely.

You’re right and that was my point. If Widdop was all he’s cracked up to be then no SL club could win his signature. The idea he is coming to SL for ulturistic reasons is utterly ludicrous unless you’re eight years old.

So something don’t add up do it? He’s lost his selling power in the NRL for some reason - my guess is he’s now seen as past it.

Link please

He’s got a contract that runs until 2021 so he doesn’t need any “selling power” right now. Could easily see out that time and come in 2022 and get offered the same type of money by a SL club.

AUSTRALIAN DAILY TELEGRAPH. cannot link as is subscription only

Just to say moran is not the only millionaire weve got on our board, we also have a gentleman called stuart Middleton who made a shot load of money as part of the card factory chain.

And yes, absolutely they would pay that money if they thought they would get an appropriate return on it in a super league title.

.

He’s the gift that keeps on giving

There’s a difference between a good player and a special player to me Widdop is a good player but nothing special when you think of the great half backs

That's good enough for me.

He’s going to be 31 by the time he comes to Wire/Hudds.

And he’s always said he wants to play in SL, going right back to when he started out.

He’s been one of the most consistent high level half backs in the NRL in his time there and is England’s best player. But at 31 teams won’t be clamouring to sign him because NRL clubs will want something more long term and know he wants to play over here at some point so why would they try and sign him for a year at most?

Would Widdop count as non fed? He came through the Melbourne system iirc so really he shouldn't be classed as fed trained.

Yeah, I believe so.

You are well and truely on another planet if you think Widdop is past it.

They've become extinct in SL. Hence, he would be a good signing for a SL club.

And it makes you wonder if they’ll put a decent bid in for the next RL tv deal doesn’t it?

Confirmed that he’s joining Warrington in 2020. Very impressive signing, if Wire don’t win a GF with him and Austin at HB they’ll never win one.

Anyone remember that Cas fan earlier in the day who reckoned he’d signed for them for this season?

That’s if Austin is still there next year. Is a very good signing even if he is a bit overrated. Suppose a lot will depend on injury issues and who his halfback partner is but fair play to Warrington.

I think that was pretty tongue-in-cheek, given that the post also said Widdop had been made exempt from the non-fed quota and that the RFL were paying his wages.

It’s a great signing for Warrington. He’s an excellent player and every SL club would take him.
Wire are going to have 300k of the salary cap tied up in two players though. Inevitably, that means compromise in other areas of the squad. Time will tell if the approach works.