Has the salary cap and licence system benefited Super League?
Yes and no to both. Salary cap gives some measure of parity and stops clubs with rich benefactors picking off all the top players. It also encourages clubs to invest in local talent. As yet though it doesn’t appear to have made too much of an effect on the Leeds and Saints dominance. I’d also like to see more rigorous scrutiny of club finances to ensure proper compliance by everyone. Licences give clubs stability, albeit not to the extent anticipated financially. In one or two instances I’m not so sure it hasn’t led to some short-term lack of ambition as well. I’m pleased to see that clubs outside the competition haven’t lost heart, for example, Widnes and Halifax who are planning for the next round of applications. If you could change one rule in rugby league what would it be? Generally I think we’ve got the rules right, although we do have some issues with interpretation and consistency in application. I’d reduce interchanges down from 12 to 10 or even eight. Being totally radical an
