Maybe not, but Widdop’s contract will be higher than the player he’s replacing. Swings and roundabouts isn’t it! There’s a finite cap on the squad, not individuals. To me it makes the game more interesting. I want to see players like Widdop in SL but I also know that paying him more means paying others less when there is a cap on spending.

Not of all time but it probably is in the last 10 years.

Well it certainly isn't Lachlan Coote or Jarrud Sammut.

I think it's rather telling that none of the big clubs were in for Widdop.

You mean Leeds, Saints, Wigan and Huddersfield? Because they all were.

Who's claiming they are?

Around warrington, the super league team, Warrington Wolves, are known as the "Wolfs". The word "Wolfs" can be seen spray painted on walls within the town of Warrington

Widdop will be here in 2020. By then Westwood, Atkins, brown, akuoala and lineham will have probably moved on. The only one that would need replacing is lineham. Why does everyone cry about the salary cap when warrington sign a player and go deaf, dumb and blind when they release them?

I don’t think anyone is crying. Warrington have the same cap as everyone else and can spend it as they please. The fact is that spending more on some players means you have less to spend on others. It’s not rocket science. Your post makes that point quite well actually. As you say, if you retain or replace one of those players and add Widdop, you’ve gone from five players to two.
Nobody is crying and moaning that Wire aren’t sticking to the cap. The discussion is about how clubs use the finite money they have in different ways.

Agree with you regarding the balancing act, every club has this type of issue with a budget to work to, whether or not a full cap is spent.
However, if you're accusing Warrington of having nothing else other than 1,6,7 and 9 then I totally disagree.

Yep, just about everywhere. It's the same as Isambard Kingdom Brunel being always photographed infront of massive chains with a big hat on.

I don’t think Leeds were but only because we’d already used our two marquee spots and also signed Lolohea for the halves. If we had a marquee spot still free I’m sure we’d have made a play for him.

I hadn't realised that Warrington have so many CFO's who also appear to be fans of other teams. Is it the 'modern' way? Outsourcing financial insight into the running of a successful business. I am fairly surprised Simon Moran, the multi-millionaire tycoon turned to fans for this insight...but there you go... everyone is 'in-the-know'. LOL.

Anyone got any photographic evidence that this is true?

Well I'd rate Wire as just about a bigger club than Huddersfield, however, if the other three in question were really after him he'd go to any of them over Warrington.

I do find it rather amusing seeing Wire mugs lapping up the acquisition of a player who'll be turning 31 early in the 2020 season. He's probably only here after a last payday and the Warrington jokers have duly obliged.

What fact(s) are you basing this on?

It depends what quantifies a club being "in for him" within press circles. It may be the case of just making an enquiry.

Quote ="JonnoTheGreat"Well I'd rate Wire as just about a bigger club than Huddersfield, however, if the other three in question were really after him he'd go to any of them over Warrington. I do find it rather amusing seeing Wire mugs lapping up the acquisition of a player who'll be turning 31 early in the 2020 season. He's probably only here after a last payday and the Warrington jokers have duly obliged.'" Coff www.widnesvikings.co.uk/article/ ... ommits-to-

Quote ="JonnoTheGreat"Well I'd rate Wire as just about a bigger club than Huddersfield, however, if the other three in question were really after him he'd go to any of them over Warrington. I do find it rather amusing seeing Wire mugs lapping up the acquisition of a player who'll be turning 31 early in the 2020 season. He's probably only here after a last payday and the Warrington jokers have duly obliged.'" Coff www.widnesvikings.co.uk/article/ ... ommits-to-

There is at least one photograph in existence that shows 2 wolfs fans displaying their artwork. Maybe one of the Warrington fans on here has a copy of it?

https://goo.gl/images/GJmAsG That is the photo in question

https://goo.gl/images/GJmAsG That is the photo in question

That's just down to people who can't spell. From my experience the fans preferred tag is the Wire, closely followed by the Wolves.

Yeah it’s been a real chore seeing some old time over the hill NRL players pull on the Wire shirt over the years...

That couldn't of been difficult to find, it's been used that often it's caused an image rights issue in WA10.

You are correct, the only reason to join Warrington ahead of Saints, Leeds and Wigan is because of the absurd amounts of money they pay. No doubt he’s a good player but there’s so many question marks around it and the figure I’ve been told he’s getting paid is ridiculous especially for someone with a chronic shoulder problem who will be coming towards the end of their career. He’ll also likely have spent a year playing in a different position, hardly ideal. Wire need to start looking at producing youngsters who will become world class instead of trying to buy their way to glory otherwise that elusive grand final win will continue to elude them. £300,000 of cap space gone on crocked Widdop and Austin (then again he probably won’t hang around until then anyway).

It’s funny you should say that because in Saints most successful season in 2006 just four players (Wellens, Cunningham, Roby and Graham) of the core XVII were produced by Saints. All of the others were bought (Gardner, Lyon, Talau, Meli, Price, Long, Anderson, Kayliss, Gilmore, Wilkin, Hooper, Bennett, Fa’asavalu).

This coming year’s Wire core XVII have, believe it or not, the exact same number of Wire produced players (Cooper, Currie, Patton, Philbin) with the others being bought (Mamo, Lineham, Goodwin, Atkins, Charnley, Austin, Ratchford, Hill, DClark, Hughes, Murdoch-Masila, JClark).
With, then, most of the rest of the squad made up of home grown players (King, Livett, Moran, Smith, JJohnson, Walker, Doro, Robson). Leaving Davis, LJohnson, Akauola and Westwood.