Confirms what a lot of people already knew, Koukash keen to sign SBW. www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... ny-5712810

Confirms what a lot of people already knew, Koukash keen to sign SBW. www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... ny-5712810

More chance getting Andy Williams.

This is SBW we are talking about, nothing would surprise you when it involves him. He strikes me as the kind of guy who doesn't stick around very long and likes new challenges.

After playing for the Bulldogs, he moved to France to play Union with Toulon before moving to New Zealand where he played for the Crusaders in the first year and the Chiefs in the second. Following that he did a stint in Japan, then moved back to Oz with the Roosters. Amoungst all of that he has also had 6 professional boxing bouts.

Obviously not a man to shirk a challenge, who knows if a year in England is on his "to do list" and if the money is right it could prove very worthwhile. Like I said, it isn't that unrealistic...

It is when you consider the small detail of something called the salary cap! Pie in the sky this talk.

That'll be the least of our worries. Ways and means.

Nonsense. I realize what MK has said in the past about breaking the salary cap but if by some miracle SBW and Chase both end up here along with every other player we've signed we'd have broke the cap and would deserve stripping of competition points. It's fanciful talk and whilst I'm sure some clubs have used some 'creative accounting' in the past, this would be blatant cheating of the highest order.

Don't get me wrong, I'd absolutely love to see SBW in the Super League let alone at Solly but the current structures in place in the game simply don't allow these types of signing's. Legally and within the rules anyway.

Simple way to get him over is for the Doc to pay him a retainer for say so many boxing fights and be his promoter. Wouldn't count on the cap and would offer him a chance to fight over in Europe.

I personally doubt it would happen at this point in his career but it's good to dream.

I'm purely chewing the fat here, but Wigan found a way to get dispensation for Tomkins, so it would be in the same spirit of the game if the RFL gave Salford dispensation. Also, by over ruling the SL chairmen, it would show strong leadership from the RFL.

There's something slightly perverse about a supposedly professional competition that makes it virtually impossible to recruit or retain star players.

As I said ways and means. Koukash isn't stupid, he's a clever and astute businessman who knows what he is doing. I was quietly confident when I heard this back in June as I thought the RFL may agree to the marquee signing rule. Whilst it makes it more difficult that they didn't, I trust Marwan and his team have done the background checks and is confident we can balance it.

I'm sure a nice £400k house in Worsley in SBW's name would help. After 12 months he can do what he likes with it, preferably sell it though and pocket a £400k lump sum before he goes on his next adventure.

Just the thought of Hock & Hock in the back row is enough make anyone giddy. Though having seen Williams play in the halves for the Roosters a few weeks ago #13 it would be a massive attacking option.

There would be a tax implication if he did.

In the Rag Barker quotes this:-



then prints a 650K valuation on the offer ...

I'm with Mike Tommo - Red Eyes in that the prospect of landing him is far fetched considering the sort of contract that usually tempts SBW.
He ultimately follows the money, never signs more than a 1 year contract & his current deal with the Roosters is a reported 1 million Aus $

What I do respect is the character of the Chairman in refusing to settle for also-rans & still trying to snare the 'Marquee signing' in the face of ridicule & disbelief.

We know he was ' serious about the Tomkins Bid ' when he took over all innocent like.
In July , It was reported that he was in talks with 3 NZ internationals


Jack Gibson once wrote, "Winning starts in the front office" ie with the management / Coach ,
We think it's far fetched but nobody's told Marwan he still seems convinced he can get an A-rated signing .
The Coach seems to be on board , just need the players & fans to believe ... after 30 odd years of accepting mediocrity I want to believe too

It's hard to tell what is actually going with our recruitment, the pessimist in me that can all too well remember the previous administration, sees all of this as too good to be true. On the other hand, this could purely be agents using the club to get their players better deals, it could be Koukash himself using all these stories to hide his true plan, but what if there is some truth and he delivers on some of these promises.

So far he's delivered on Morley and, it would seem, Rangi Chase. If we somehow managed to sign one of Mannering, Mautilino, Pritchard or Luke, we'd have one heck of a team next year. Heck I'd be happy if we signed Fisiiahi to go with those we'd already signed, but people talk about changing perceptions of our club and the attitudes within it. Playing alongside Morley will go some way to change attitudes inside the club, but could you imagine what SBW would add to the club.

I'm not getting carried away, but he is worth pulling the stops out for and, despite the other chairmen trying to prevent it, you could imagine that sky and the RFL must be happy to have a true international star joining the English game.

James Graham, Sam Burgess George Burgess, Tom Burgess, Luke Burgess Scott Moore, Mike cooper, Lee Mossop, some kid from Leeds, Sam Tomkins (unofficial), Pat Richards and probably some more ive missed off all going to the NRL because its more money and better than Superleague.

I cant understand a) michael Weyman going to HKR b) Luke Walsh to Saints and C) Joel monaghan not exploring a return to the NRL (ok he could do without digging up the dog incident again)
superleague at the minute is a bit I dont know why half decent youngish overseas players are coming here...

Sonny Bill would be great for the Game never mind Salford but he will stiff his "mates" at sydney and take a three year deal with Rugby Union no danger...

Yeah headline making I’m afraid. Not a chance in hell of this happening. This would take up half our salary cap so would be impossible unless we had Chase SBW and the U20’s side

I really dont want us spending that amount on one player whoever he is...Talismanic as SBW is its too much for one player. if we have that amount to spend then my personal choice would be building squad depth.

I think with someone like Koukash in charge now whatever we spent on SBW would be more than recouped in media exposure, advertising, bums on seats and merchandising.

A for instance was talking to a lad I work with who has no interest in either code of rugby but he specifically mentioned SBW based on the MEN report and said that he'd come and watch as he knows what a brilliant player SBW and in his words a 'supreme athlete'.

I very much doubt anything other a polite refusal from SBW will come out of this but the Doc in this case is now getting his name known in the NRL. I'd love to see the type of money being talked about used on Fisiiahi, Sam Rapira and if it can stretch Josh Mantellato (fringe player and amazing kicker with bags of pace).

I’m sure Koukash is canny enough to know that the way to get SBW in the team is to have him paid at least part of his salary by a third party that is unconnected with the club. That would avoid being caught by the Cap auditors.

I’m sure this already happens at other clubs where the owner has a network of wealthy connections.

Sponsorship via his boxing career is the easy way around all of the money concerns.

Of the big names that have been bandied about I have to say this is the most plausible - especially given we are talking about a one year contract which would suit the purposes of both Salford and SBW. Imagine the kickstart a name like SBW could give to the club.

A SBW fight @ Barton is a good shout too, might give the Doc some bargaining chips with the SMC/Peel when looking to buy his stake in the club.

I'm sure a fight against David Price, Derek Chisora and/or Audley Harrison would generate some reasonable interest, particularly if it was on the undercard to a half decent main event. I am sure Salford's Jamie Moore who is now trainer to Hull's promising young up and coming Tommy Coyle would relish a spot on the undercard too. I can just picture it now, the "Brawl in Barton" going down in history alongside the "Thriller in Manilla" or the "Rumble in The Jungle".

Agree 100% fella.

Just a reminder folks that when interviewed by Brad "Freddie" Fittler Brad asked are you going to commit to the Roosters I'm a Rooster, wouldn't you like to leave a legacy here ? Sonny replied by saying I only do what makes me happy if I'm here for longer then so be it if not I'll move on and do something else. (or words to that effect the interview is played regulary on premier sports).

As for the salary cap I've spent the last god knows how many years wondering how the likes of Wigan/Leeds/Saints/Wire have kept a cast of all stars under the salary cap whilst we have had 30 years of dross, they somehow manage it even if one or two of them have been found out,

To be honest if my dreams start to be fulfilled I couldn't give two hoots how we join the club....

SBW has turned Roosters from mid table also rans to NRL title contenders.
so we 'tongue firmly in cheek here '
Chase - SBW & the Old guard with our U20's would do OK ...
Also it doesn't stop squad building for 2015 with a 1 yr deal
SBW, Ashurst , Morley, Meli , Emitt, McGoldrick. Williams ,
could be off the players wage bill. so it doesn't stop Marwan shopping and a precedent set that anyone is a acheivable target.

You'd hope that McGoldrick is gone at the end of the season, from what I was told he's also our highest earner and he's just not the right quality.