Paper Talk: Catalans’ extra salary cap, Hastings future, Belgrade could join league
We’ve had a flick through the Monday papers, some of the key stories are below.
Catalans’ extra salary cap
A report in League Express claims clubs in Super League are furious that Catalans have been able to exploit a loophole in the salary cap which puts them in a position to spend £200,000 more than any other club. It relates to the exchange rate of the Euro to the Pound which stood at 1.4 when they joined Super League in 2006, but is now down to 1.11, and that drop hasn’t been reflected in the salary cap regulations.
More good news for Salford
After winning two from two at the start of the qualifiers, there could be more good news for Salford fans as new half-back Jackson Hastings is apparently happy to stay at the club beyond the end of the season, reports League Express. The former Manly man has been linked with Huddersfield in the past and is believed to be attracting the attention of Leeds.
Away trips to Belgrade
Teams from Wales, France and Canada have made their way up the league structure having started in League One and now a team from Serbia wants to do the same. Red Star Belgrade, founding members of the Balkan Super League, have enquired about entry to League One according to a report in this month’s Forty-20 magazine. They are bankrolled by Australian entrepreneur Colin Kleyweg.
Overseas clubs required for revenue
Former Leeds and England captain Jamie Peacock says that overseas clubs are vital to the future of rugby league. Writing in his column in The Mirror, Peacock says the player drain to the NRL, coupled with the lack of quality coming the other week and the weakness of the pound, means its difficult for Super League to compete at the top end of sport. The extra revenue generated from deals as a result of overseas exposure would allow clubs to spend more on high quality players, he says.
League One talent attracting Super League clubs
With the lack of players heading these ways from Down Under, more Super League clubs are looking in to the Championship and League One for new talent. One man catching the eye, according to League Weekly, is Newcastle’s Lewis Young. The 23-year-old, who was the league’s Young Player of the Year in 2017, moved to the north east for his university studies, and is believed to be attracting attention from Hull, Leeds and Salford.
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