Super League clubs set to vote on salary cap

James Gordon

A decision on whether to increase, or even scrap, the salary cap could be made at a meeting of Super League clubs on Wednesday.

There is pressure from certain clubs to make a change, with the Super League salary cap having barely changed in the past decade amid worries that the lure of the NRL and rugby union is contributing to a drain of the game’s top players.

The marquee player ruling which was brought in a couple of years ago has done little to ease those pressures.

While some clubs are expected to vote against any change – there are still a handful of clubs who do not spend the full salary cap amount – if the others can agree on just how they want the salary cap to change, then it could be forced through.

Salford owner Dr Marwan Koukash has been a long-time supporter of increasing or abolishing the salary cap, and hinted in an interview with the BBC that he had the support of his equivalents at Leigh and Warrington.

Scrapping the salary cap is thought to be the least likely option, with an increase to the current levels of £1.85m or 50% of turnover a more feasible solution.

Though Super League has remained largely untouched, the same salary cap has been applied to the Championship and League One this season, meaning clubs like Toronto Wolfpack have been able to assemble full-time squads to help them climb the leagues through the Super 8s structure.

Super League Castleford Tigers