WEMBLEY-bound Wigan Warriors will beat the salary cap.

That is the confident prediction of chairman Mike Nolan after his team secured a healthy Challenge Cup Final pay day.

Nolan, who only took over as Wigan boss five months ago said: "It is a great feeling to be there but it is marvellous from a financial aspect. It is going to have a big impact on us.

"It will go a long way towards sorting out the salary cap. We will make it without too much worry.

"It is based upon projected income without Wembley and the massive sponsorship deal with Tesco being considered. They can now be taken into consideration so it isn't a problem."

Nolan, who will take up the issue again at Wednesday's RFL Council meeting, added: "My main gripe is they are taking money off us arbitrarily, I just don't agree with that. The idea of a salary cap is quite good but they should have given time to phase it in. It is totally unfair in business and in particular rugby league, which is cash strapped, that money is taken off the clubs as a punishment. It seems a bit perverse to me. Wigan have smashed the salary cap by a staggering 24 per cent, resulting in £33,000 per month of Sky TV money being witheld by the RFL until they meet it.

The Chairman admitted that he was struggling to unload players to cut the wage bill.

"We have had a couple of inquiries for Lee Hansen and Martin Hall but if everybody else is on a 50 per cent salary cap, where are they going to go? There are going to be a lot of redundant rugby players," he added.

"We will always strengthen the side when necessary and stay within the salary cap. If it means we will have to double or treble the income we will have to do it."

Nolan now has the traditional honour of the chairman to lead Wigan out on the hallowed turf.

"It will be fabulous leading the players out at Wembley. I am really looking forward to that.

"I am not used to 80,000 cheering, more like 800 booing me out," he quipped harking back to his playing days.

Wigan kick-off Super League at home to Castleford on Sunday. The kick-off has been put back until 7.15pm because of television.

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