KEIRON Cunningham says he is not surprised by the unpredictable nature of results in the opening seven rounds of Super League 2017.

“I’m sure the bookmakers are having a time of it," said the Saints head coach.

"That’s the competition, the one we’re living in.

"I said last year and the year before, this is where the game’s going to go and this is what everybody wanted – a really even competition where anybody can eat anybody, very similar to the NRL."

Salary Cap, which has restricted clubs' spending to £1.825m this year but is proposed a rise to £2.1m by 2020, is playing its part.

"We’re all in the same pool and the same pot for the same players," said Cunningham.

"Long gone are the days where your top four get all the best players and the rest share what’s left.

"We’re all spending salary cap, we’re all in the same pot for the same players. Recruitment is key.

"There’s no bigger key area than development. The sooner we give the league a bit of a kick up the backside and get this reserve competition underway properly the better.

“The future of a lot of clubs hinges on development, especially where the salary cap is and what we’re fighting against.

"We saw what happened with Joe Greenwood. The Gold Coast Titans had done their homework a little bit on him but they’re prepared to spend a lot of money on a junior kid who might or might not work.

"We can’t afford to gamble, whereas they can."