Super League salary cap amended
Super League clubs which develop and deliver talent for the national teams are to be rewarded with significant increases to the amount they can spend on players’ salaries.
Under changes agreed this week at a meeting of Super League clubs in Harrogate, clubs which produce players for England’s Elite Training Squad and England Knights will be given dispensation to spend up to £100,000 more than the £1.65m salary cap limit.
Made on an individual basis, the strategic dispensations will be twofold: one for developing a current ETS/England Knights player and one for the club the ETS/England Knights player currently plays for.
Dispensations will be made on a graduated scale with clubs earning salary cap allowances based on the number of qualifying players they have in the ETS and/or Knights squads.
Under the new system, Super League clubs will receive two allowances per player if they have developed and retained him on their playing register. The two allowances will be shared if a player has been developed at one Super League club and is currently playing at another.
As Catalan Dragons develop and retain the majority of elite French talent, they will receive the full salary cap allowance.
“These dispensations are designed to reward clubs which invest in player recruitment and development programmes that strengthen the national team and the Super League competition itself,” said RFL Chief Operating Officer Ralph Rimmer.
“Whilst all the clubs remain committed to the fundamental principles of the salary cap and to maintaining its current ceiling, the new allowances will enable the clubs to retain their UK-developed talent.
“The benefits of having a successful national team are far reaching: these allowances will reward those clubs who do most to help England achieve that success and incentivise every club to provide elite talent for the Super League competition.”
The allowances will apply for the seasons 2012 and 2013 and will initially be based on squad lists as of August 1, 2011.
The 2011 ETS and England Knights squads are as follows:
Elite Training Squad
Ryan Atkins (Warrington Wolves, Stanningley)
Chris Bridge (Warrington Wolves, Waterhead)
Tom Briscoe (Hull FC, Featherstone Lions)
Danny Brough (Huddersfield Giants, Thornhill)
Garreth Carvell (Warrington Wolves, Stanningley)
Eorl Crabtree (Huddersfield Giants, Huddersfield YMCA)
Leroy Cudjoe (Huddersfield Giants, Newsome Panthers)
Brett Ferres (Castleford Tigers, Smawthorne Panthers)
James Graham (St Helens, Blackbrook)
Ryan Hall (Leeds Rhinos, Oulton Raiders)
Ben Harrison (Warrington Wolves, Barrow Island)
Ben Jones-Bishop (Leeds Rhinos, Queens)
Jamie Jones-Buchanan (Leeds Rhinos, Stanningley)
Jonny Lomax (St Helens, Orrell St James)
Danny McGuire (Leeds Rhinos, East Leeds)
Michael McIlorum (Wigan Warriors, Queens)
Adrian Morley (Warrington Wolves, Eccles)
Richie Myler (Warrington Wolves, Halton West Bank)
Sean O’Loughlin (Wigan Warriors, Wigan St Pats)
Jamie Peacock (Leeds Rhinos, Stanningley)
Paul Prescott (Wigan Warriors, Wigan St Judes)
Leon Pryce (St Helens, Queensbury)
Luke Robinson (Huddersfield Giants, Siddal)
James Roby (St Helens, Blackbrook)
Michael Shenton (St Helens, Upton)
Kevin Sinfield (Leeds Rhinos, Waterhead)
Joel Tomkins (Wigan Warriors, Wigan St Pats)
Sam Tomkins (Wigan Warriors, Wigan St Pats)
Kris Welham (Hull Kingston Rovers, Myton Warriors)
Ben Westwood (Warrington Wolves, Normanton)
Jon Wilkin (St Helens, East Hull)
Kirk Yeaman (Hull FC, Myton Warriors)
England Knights
Joe Arundel (Castleford Tigers, Castleford Panthers)
Jodie Broughton (Salford City Reds, Queens)
Josh Charnley (Wigan Warriors, Wigan St Pats)
Chris Clarkson (Leeds Rhinos, East Leeds)
Paul Clough (St Helens, Blackbrook)
Mike Cooper (Warrington Wolves, Latchford Albion)
James Donaldson (Bradford Bulls, Wath Brow Hornets)
Liam Farrell (Wigan Warriors, Wigan St Pats)
Jamie Foster (St Helens, Blackbrook)
Luke Gale (Harlequins RL, Middleton Marauders)
Zak Hardaker (Leeds Rhinos, Featherstone Lions)
Ben Harrison (Warrington Wolves, Barrow Island)
Danny Houghton (Hull FC, East Hull)
Scott Moore (St Helens, Blackbrook)
Lee Mossop (Wigan Warriors, Hensingham)
Richie Myler (Warrington Wolves, Halton West Bank)
Stefan Ratchford (Salford City Reds, Wigan St Pats)
Chris Riley (Warrington Wolves, Woolston Rovers)
Matty Smith (Salford City Reds, Blackbrook)
Liam Watts (Hull KR, Featherstone Lions
Kris Welham (Hull KR, Myton Warriors)
Joe Westerman (Hull FC, Featherstone Lions)