Agreed 100%. More game time at SL level for the youngsters is what's needed. Thankfully we got cracking at sorting out our academy a few years ago & now it's producing us some great first team talent. Some teams, such as Saints, seem to have been caught cold. All the credit for this has to go to Leneghan, we sing his praises a lot but he really does deserve it.

While we can't use transfer fees to pay higher than the SC we can use it to invest in our youth development in other ways e.g. better facilities, more/better backroom staff and to pay transfer fees for the odd player.

According to one of the weekly RL newspapers we won't be getting a transfer fee for Mossop, just first refusal if he was to return to SL

I'm sure IL said at some meeting that there was a clause in Mossop's contract that he could go to the NRL. If that's the case there won't be a fee.
Two seasons ago and last this would have worried me but after seeing how the props have gone so far this year then we have plenty replacements available all of
SL quality.
We also have Powell coming in later so he will be used at some stage although I think his appearances will be restricted this year and after a full off season he will be a regular in the 17 for 2014.

Ambition, strange thing in sport compared to every other job.

In the real world ambition is usually bettering yourself within the same company, getting a higher position for more gain. In sport more gain doesn't always equate to more ambition, personally if i enjoyed playing rugby i'd just see getting paid as an added benefit therefore i'd want to play where i was happy.
Would i be happy with doing the job i love in better conditions for better pay and a higher standard of living on all counts, no brainer really.
If i could play RL to these guys standards i'd be looking to go to Oz or NZ when i was playing in the academy.

living in Dubai you would be amazed at the amount of people who realize its not all ways greener on the other side, lots of people aren't suited to living 1000's miles away from friends and family. I can't answer this my self but what equates to a better life style? the common answers are usually beaches, sun and accommodations. Well majority of people after awhile stop going to the beaches like most people who have swimming pools don't end up using them that much. And i would argue that places like upholland, standish, apply bridge and haigh hall are nicer areas than a lot of sydney areas.

I can only speak for me, i love new areas, i love the adventure, it only gets boring when you exhaust everything you can from something new.

Any jobs going at your place?

There was an article in RLW about Tomkins possibly moving to the NRL as soon as next season, but signing some agreement to return to Wigan (shades of Iestyn Harris).

ATM you'd have to say its all rumours - the two clubs supposedly chasing him (Cowboys and Warriors IIRC) both denied it (one of the quotes was from Dean Bell), to which the journalsist's response was that this was a 'smokescreen' to hide what they're doing. Sounds like a load of tripe to me.

FWIW I don't actually think we'll see a tidal wave of players moving to Aus. The likes of Tomkins will of course be on the radar (and possibly Briscoe, Hall, Watkins) but I can't see NRL clubs risking much money on backs. As for forwards, Brits are currently hot because of Ellis (who initially took a pay cut to move to Wests), Graham and the Burgess'. However, all it will take to stop the flow is a few to be no more than average. You certainly can't look around SL and see another Burgess or Graham ATM.

I'd also agree that 'quality of life' isn't dependent on living in the sun. Apparently close to a third of all Brits who emigrate to Australia end up returning to the UK, which speaks volumes about how hard it can be.

Lets send them Wilkin then ASAP!

Apparently the departures of Mossop and Hock's will be announced tomorrow. And so the player drain continues as the RFL watches on and does absolutely nothing.

[urlhttp://www1.skysports.com/rugby-league/news/12215/8665481/Andy-Powell-set-for-Wigan-switch[/url

Wonder if tomorrows press conference has anything to do with this?

Think of the positive - the national team should eventually become competitive for the first time in god knows how long

All the paper work as been signed by both players [gaz/lee and both clubs they will play in oz next season wigan will get fees for both players.

You have that young Leyther Crosby to fill hocks boots, you also do worse than keep an eye on Hopkins too - FT conditioning would bring him to SL standard in no time

I tend to think the RFL should look at any and all options to keep players out of Union (as they did with Tomkins) but not necessarily the NRL, as those players are still available for England. As I say, its not as if the NRL is going to sign up many backs at all - they wouldn't bother for average players and the British ones that stand out are few and far between.

In any event I suspect the cap differences between SL, NRL and RU are getting so large that the RFL couldn't practically do much to help in more than a few isolated cases. Leeds made a profit of £300k last year IIRC - that's not a huge amount above and beyond the cap to be able to spend.

Its all very well suggesting increasing the cap to stop poaching, but if Leeds can only afford an extra £300k, how much could others realistically afford before causing financial distress? I suspect the extra is a lot less than some fans think.

The only real way to up the cap by a significant amount is increase revenue to the sport as a whole - TV rights etc. That's what's driven the NRL cap through the roof.

And what are we going to do with those fees?

Nice for IL to pocket the money I guess, but for a supporter it means very little.

How do you think Wigan funded the transfers of Matty Smith, Blake Green and Scott Taylor?

The question is still valid. What are we going to do with the money from Hock and Mossop? Fund the wages of a 31 year old ex RU prop?

If there are better players out there than Mossop and Hock who we could spend the cash on why where they not the target?

It's just a race to the bottom. Clubs who sell players are rarely able replace them with ones of higher quality.

If we paid anywhere near the (reported) fees we are getting for Hock and Mossop then we really have been done.

Are you seriously arguing that this is the case?

We'll see won't we. Remember the doom mongers who had us 6th in the League table after losing Finch, Leuluai, Lima, Carmont, Roberts, Fielden and Hock. I have a feeling Powell may surprise many of the doubters on here. His fitness won't be problem, just give him a chance.

Maybe the Hock and Mossop money will be used to bring in one or two more players, or fund the scouting/development systems to find the next batch of players.

You seriously think IL will "pocket" the money? How much has he "pocketed" since he took over the club?

The main reason why we've not generated a significant revenue increase is down to our poor international scene IMO. Sport in the UK is all about the international game - RU, Cricket, Golf, Tennis - in those sports the international game is the one area that keeps them ticking. Football is the only exception to the rule I can find. A thriving international competition projects a very attractive image for potential sponsors, broadcasters and media outlets - that's the quickest way those sports have grown and increased their revenue. In Rugby League this is what we need to follow and get behind. The World Cup this year is massive for the game over here.

Players going to the NRL is inevitable now. IFL's strategy of meeting players halfway and agreeing to let them go for a couple of seasons with the proviso that they come back is making the best of a bad situation. Time will tell but I think this is smart from the man. The implications this has for Super League is obvious it weakens our domestic game over here, but what can we do? The cap hasn't increased in sixteen years, clubs are going bust trying to reach it and we have a governing body who gave away our sponsorship for free to Stobart. Train wreck. However internationally I think we can benefit from the money in the NRL drawing our international players over to a better game, better coaches,in a better competition competing with the best players in the world week in week out. We've now got Graham, Burgess brothers, Mossop, Hock, Reed, Widdop with possibly Tomkins, Briscoe and Watkins set to join them. With Ellis having played there that's nearly a full pack, fullback, winger, two centres and a halfback playing in the NRL. We'll have a stronger international team because of this and that is good for the international scene which is key (IMO) to increasing revenue through tv contracts and sponsorships so that eventually we can increase the cap and begin to improve as a sport.

I disagree.

The way it's going, the only way we are going to see our best players is to subscribe to Channel 9 or whatever it's called in Australia.

That certainly won't improve attendances in this country for GB/England because leaking talent WILL lower attendances in this country ultimately. Our clubs won't have any star players and that will have a 'knock on' affect on attendances. People won't pay hard earned cash to watch mediocrity.

Then when it's international time, UK supporters club allegiances won't help the players picked if they play for Parramatta or whatever Ozzie club.

Let's say they arrange an international match at Headingley, and no Leeds players are picked. Will that affect the attendance ?

I think it will.

Didn't Leeds turnover circa £10m last year? Presumably they've reinvested a significant proportion of their operating profit into ground development, big screen, provisions for future improvements etc.

I think it's a bit short-sighted to assume that Leeds can only afford to spend an extra £300k on wages, just because that was their declared net profit last year. Which in itself is hardly an insignificant amount. Would be interested to read the accounts.