I wonder if Salford received a special dispensation to spend over their agreed salary cap limit in recent years, and this has been denied or revoked for 2016. I’m basing this on Section E4 of the RFL’s operational rules:
Quote The RFL="The RFL"No club may have a Salary Cap Aggregate Liability in excess of 50% of Club Relevant Income…
The Head of Salary Cap and Registrations will scrutinise [the club’s budget and agree a figure which represents 50% of Club Relevant Income (to be known as the Club Agreed Salary Limit).
A club may exceptionally seek a dispensation from the RFL to spend in excess of 50% of Club Relevant Income as a Club Agreed Salary Limit. Such a dispensation will not be granted unless:
(a) the Head of Salary Cap and Registrations is in agreement that the club can spend in excess of 50% of Club Relevant Income on its Salary Cap Aggregate Liability, having regard to the club’s financial history, the level of debts at the club, a liquidity assessment of the club and an assessment as to club’s overall club development strategy; and/or
(b) the club provides a personal guarantee or another appropriate form of security from a shareholder(s), director(s) or other business or entity associated or affiliated with the club, guaranteeing that that the club will meet the amount of the Salary Cap Aggregate Liability in excess of the Club Agreed Salary Limit.'"
Now, let’s presume that Salford’s Club Agreed Salary Limit for 2016 is around £1.2m, which based on 50% turnover of the club’s 2013–14 accounts. The current marquee player rules present a problem as £175,000 is a decent chunk of the cap, leaving around £1.025m to assemble a squad of twenty-odd players (not far from the max salary cap in the Championship – for those that can afford it).
Of course, this is a huge presumption, not least because a) there are quite a few other dispensations that can effectively increase a club’s cap spend which are not accounted for here, b) Salford’s 2014–15 accounts are due and turnover may have increased from the previous year, c) I’m not privy to owt, and d) I’m pants at maths, legal shizz etc.