Leeds Rhinos sporting director Ian Blease says that the salary cap is holding the club back, despite its impressive reputation.
Blease was brought in to the club earlier this year, sparking suggestions that Paul Rowley would follow him from Salford to Headingley.
However, Brad Arthur was instead brought over from Australia, and the two have since been working together on the squad.
Speaking to club media, Blease recently said of the club: “Let’s not underestimate the pull of this club. It’s up there in terms of rugby league clubs.
“You don’t have to sell this club much, I’ve noticed that already. Agents are picking up the phone to me. I’ve got agents that I’ve not dealt with calling in and saying, what about this player, what about this player? So that’s going to be a big part, but I don’t have to sell the club, that’s for sure.”
Therefore, fans will always expect a high calibre of players to be brought into the club – and after another underwhelming campaign this year, many will surely be hoping for particularly impressive signings this year.
Ian Blease suggests salary cap may harm Leeds Rhinos recruitment plan
Credit: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com
Blease has suggested that fans will have to have patience, mirroring other comments in which he said he thinks the squad will be much the same next year, despite having quota space.
He said: “Yeah, I think there’s got to be a realisation of that and you’re right, some of our members and fans can’t quite see the detail that we know because I’m in the background, I appreciate that and I get that.
“But we are governed as a game by a salary cap, which is what I’ve got to stick to, and I won’t put the club in jeopardy in any way, shape or form trying to build a team that’s successful but without operational rules that we’ve got to be guided by. So I’ve got to do that.
“There is an element of me wanting to jump straight to the next level but I know, given what I’ve walked into and took over, that’s going to take a little bit of time.”
He did, however, say he’d still try to make some additions, saying: “We need to look at another one now, or two, if we can get anything else moving in the background. We’re governed by the salary cap, but I’ll do my damnedest to bring the best to this club.”
