Story in brief:
Willie Mason has been cleared to play on Sunday 13th March against Crusaders RL and will be announced within Justin Morgan’s 19man squad tomorrow...

At the present time, the club awaits final clearance on Willie's Tongan passport which is anticipated in the next few days.
In the circumstances, Michael Dobson has been de-registered to free up a quote place.

Once Willie's passport formalities are completed and Michael Dobson is again fit to be selected, he will be re-registered.

The club will be making no further comment on this matter.

What's the problem?

KR have an overseas player who can't play due to injury. They have an overseas player who is fit. So they de-register one to allow the other to play.

It's unlikely they're breaking any cap rules as the RFL will monitor the live cap and they won't be fielding ineligible players.

why should it be allowed? if he doesnt have his passport he shouldnt be allowed to play end of. Not re register dobson to sneak his way in, its wrong.

Don't see the problem, it's within the rules. Maybe not the original spirit but there's nothing to stop them. Before they did this Dobson could play and Mason couldn't. Now Mason can play and Dobson can't. Meanwhile they have to pay someone who can't play. Their money, their gamble. There's a part of me that wants Dobson to be fit before Mason's passport is sorted though, just for the lulz.

No cap issues. They can shower money on random passers by who are also not registered to play for them if they want.

Don't remember anyone making such a big deal of it when Catalans did the same thing and de-registered Stacey Jones to allow Michael Dobson himself to play for them while Stacey was injured.

Mountain being made out of a molehill because it's Willie Mason and the media want to prattle on about him every 5 minutes.

Should Marc Herbert, Brett Kearney & Patrick Ah Van not be allowed to play for us either then? Because they're in the same situation Willie Mason is (i.e. no UK or Kolpak passport).

didnt we have to de-register rob parker to give us a 20/25 spot to register morley when we had him on loan in 2005? Dont see what big deal is. Its been common practice for a number of years to de-register players, particularly injured overseas players, to allow someone else to be registered in there place.

De-registering is nothing, it's just because you've got to have a 25 man squad named. If you're the person to drop out of the 25 man squad, you obviously weren't going to be playing anyway. When we registered Morley, the only person who actually lost out was Lynch, who lost his place in the 17 to him.

This "news" is absolutely nothing and can't believe the big deal being made out of it. But then, the way they've banged on about Mason all week, you'd think he was the only player actually turning out this weekend.

Where can I get my Tongan passport from?

Are they? So who did we have to de-register to let them play? I'm not sure any of they have change nationality to get a place have they?

Mind you Mr Ah Van sounds pretty Dutch to me...

Besides we have 4 Quota Spots full. Hull KR have all 5, however they wanted Mason to play and found a loophole in the rules by making him change his nationality to his mothers side (Tongan) so he can register as a Non-Federation trained player. Simple really. Would you complain if we deregistered Orford (when he was injured) last year and signed Herbert??

No, we would not complain. Others might have though.

So does this mean that Willie will not be able to play for NZ anymore?

International Selection doesn't appear to rely on such out dated concepts as nationality

Tongashop.com

Yes. They are all just as eligible to play as each other but counted as Quota players. Once Willie gets his Tongan passport, he'll then no longer be a quota player. But right now, he's just the same as any other. They've only de-registered another player so that they can get him playing now instead of waiting until his daft passport comes through. They've broken no rules.

Granted, him getting that passport is a complete joke. But what they've done here to get him playing isn't.

It'll be incredibly funny though if he now doesn't get that passport. It'll be interesting to see what they do once Dobson then regained fitness.

Anymore? Unless this was an obvious joke and it has gone over my head.

Or Mancunian, that's Ah Van Ah kid

I'm not sure that Mason is the biggest signing in Super League history to be fair.

I really don't see what the fuss is.

In fact, wasn't there talk of trying to get L'Estrange a french passport just so we could take advantage of exactly this situation? Or was that just silly board talk?

wow what a story,it all started when Ben Galea tried to get a maltese passport but couldnt in time so the rfl agreed to the Tonga route for Big Willie as his mum is Tongan so all ok there me thinks.Then becoz his tonga passport isnt here yet we dereged Dobbo to allow Mason to play while the passport comes thru.You couldnt make this circus up could you ?
Everyone wants Willie Mason in Super league,it will help this game of ours no end not just my team.Dont forget the RFL have agreed to this.
Just cant wait to see his 20 mins on sunday should be a hell of an occason !!!!

With Dobson de registered, he is effectively a free agent. So if any CE fancied waving a pile of used fivers under his nose, there is nothing the codheads could do about it.

Shame he isn't a prop though....

Apart from the tricky business of his contract.

What they have done is fine within the rules of the game. Within the spirit of the game

We don't have a leg to stand on with this though after bringing in Morley in 2005. interesting that the rules were changed after we did that though!

...and on further reading, it's possible they've fscked up in hilarious fashion.