We need to tackle salary cap problems – Peacock

The England captain is a deep thinker on the game and is always keen to see the sport he loves progress.

It is easy to see why he is genuinely concerned about a potential player drain in light of the NRL’s increased spending levels and those of rugby union.

However, the cap was introduced to help make the league more competitive, forcing a spread of talent around each club while also helping ensure members remained prudent and financially afloat.

By raising the levels for the first time in four years – Leeds forward Peacock feels it should increase from £1.7m to £2.5m to counter Australia’s recent hike – it would undoubtedly threaten the ability of the less financially able clubs to compete.

Those such as Wigan, Warrington and, perhaps, Leeds and Huddersfield, may welcome the chance to spend more but the likes of Castleford, Wakefield and probably Bradford may not.

The gap between the haves and have-nots would simply get bigger.

Peacock feels, though, adopting a two-tier approach – the sort of bold act he wants to see the game embrace – could remedy that problem.

“Some clubs obviously cannot afford to spend the full cap now so I’d have two leagues of 10,” he told the Yorkshire Post.

“One would have a salary cap of £1m and the other – the top division – would have that cap of £2.5m.

“If each club didn’t have to include their highest-earning player that would help as well and it would at least start to ease the threat of what could happen.

“All 20 clubs would have to have a licence and there could be promotion and relegation between the two.

“It would make each division more competitive and we’d still be able to attract and keep high-quality players.”

Peacock has aired his concerns about too many English players heading Down Under before but those have grown in light of the NRL’s new television deal with the added issue of high-profile overseas stars now being tempted home as well.

It is perhaps ironic that, given much of the discourse surrounding England’s failure on the international scene has been due to too many overseas players suffocating domestic talent yet now the national captain is worried about losing them.

However, Peacock is clearly referring to the stellar Australians and Kiwis who have enhanced Super League, such as his current team-mate Danny Buderus and the likes of Trent Barrett and Matt Gidley who have lit up the competition.

Any English player would benefit playing alongside or against such quality so the prospect of being unable to attract such luminaries again has to be a worry.

Peacock says: “We could end up with some journeymen Australians in future Exiles teams against an England side which doesn’t have most of its own stars because they‘re playing over in Oz.

“It would be pointless so we have to make sure it doesn’t come to that; we want to still be able to see some of those greats over here.

“We’ve the situation now where our best three forwards (Sam Burgess, James Graham and Gareth Ellis) will be playing in Australia next season.

“They won’t be available for this match if it’s played next year and there will be more going over there if nothing’s done,” he adds.

Peacock, who yesterday revealed his determination to try to lead his country into the 2013 World Cup regardless of the fact he will be nearly 36 by then, has supporters of his views.

His former Bradford and Great Britain coach Brian Noble has noted previously that the cap reduces the spending of the top clubs without doing anything to improve the lower ones so the sport is left with the “lowest common denominator”.

But Super League clubs, who discuss the cap level annually, are loathe to make significant changes.

The common consensus is that, while it will be more difficult to attract those big names, it could help English youngsters flourish and, if Australia’s talent pool is as strong and as vibrant as suggested, they will not come fishing too much in England’s own ponds either.

Ultimately, Australian supporters will be the biggest winners as they see the likely return of their top players.

Buderus has already been linked with a return to Newcastle Knights and Wigan duo Brett Finch and Ryan Hoffman, Warrington’s Monaghan brothers and Hull’s Mark O’Meley are sure to be tempted.

It has irked fans for a while that England can entice their finest operators denying them the chance to savour their own sons.

That will change now though and Peacock – who turned down chances to move to Sydney when he was with Bradford – admitted: “If I was 23 again, I know I’d be in Australia.

“I’d have gone and you can understand why our best players will want to go for both the rugby and the earning potential,” he says.

Meanwhile, his immediate task is facing St Helens at Widnes tonight as Leeds attempt to bury the memory of last week’s heavy home defeat versus Warrington.

That was their first loss in five games but fifth-placed Rhinos are still just one spot and three points behind their hosts.

“We need to put in a performance,” says Peacock.

“We failed to do that last week. We made too many errors and against a side like Warrington, with all their quality, they will hurt you.

“We have to get on with it now and produce against Saints.”

Their opponents are beset by problems with seven first-teamers unavailable through injury or suspension.

It has not deterred them so far this season though and Peacock said: “We know how good they can be and have real threats of their own with people like Leon (Pryce) still waiting in the wings to come back.

“We’re sitting in there behind the rest and realise we have to deliver a performance to get back in that mix.”

Peacock plays his sixth fixture since returning from the knee injury that kept him out for nine months.

“The knee’s fine,” he said.

“Obviously, I do feel it sometimes after games but that’s normal after being out for so long.

“As for 2013, whether my body allows me to (play) is another thing but at the moment I feel good enough to be able to achieve that goal.”

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