What Marc Sneyd’s Salford exit means for salary cap restrictions

Marc Sneyd is the first high-profile departure from Salford Red Devils after he agreed a deal to join Warrington Wolves, with the club receiving a transfer fee in the process.

The Red Devils say they were left with little choice after funding from the club’s new ownership group was subject to further delays.

It brings to an end months of speculation over Sneyd’s future, which at one stage looked to have been settled when the club held firm despite interest from the likes of Hull KR and Leigh Leopards, and came out of restrictions imposed upon them by the RFL.

But with those restrictions now returning, Salford allege that the Sneyd decision will, in part, allow them to field as competitive side a possible while the restrictions remain.

But what does the sale mean for their financial outlook – and their chances of coming out of the restrictions?

Well, the easy part of that equation to answer is the second part: Salford receiving a five-figure transfer fee for one of their players changes nothing in terms of the restrictions. The RFL have had their proverbial fingers burned once when they lifted the measures.

They will need significant proof of long-term funding to convince them there is a stable footing for the club to build upon.

But in the short-term, the rules surrounding those restrictions do mean Salford can now tweak the squad they have to name until things change.

The RFL have confirmed that any player who was in the squad which complied with the £1.2million cap who departs creates a gap to the value of their Salford salary which gives the Red Devils room to add replacements.

So in Sneyd’s case, the club have been able to add players to the value of his contract. The Red Devils did declare a 17-man squad to the RFL on Wednesday which included Sneyd and Nene Macdonald: both have now come out. Macdonald is believed to have an injury.

But Salford can use Sneyd’s salary to add replacements: which is what they have done, with Ethan Ryan and Jayden Nikorima coming in.

But until further players leave, that will be it. The RFL have already allowed changes once: they will not do it again.

It remains to be seen whether more big names – or crucially, high earners – leave to allow Salford to get more of their players currently available to play into their match-day squads.

Because it seems that as things stand, the restrictions are not going to be lifted any time soon.

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