Seems a sensible step to me in assisting those players let down by Crusaders find another club. The other clubs don't have to do anything, no-one is forcing them to sign Crusaders players. If a club ends up with lots of overseas players instead of developing their own then lay the blame squarely and firmly at the door of that club and not the RFL.

I think most understand the need to help the Crusaders players who have been shafted by the club. However, it should not extend beyond the length of their current contracts.

Which would be just daft and would either artificially limit a players potential length of contract with any club to that of their Crusaders contract (which is probably not suitable for either player or club) or we'd have the ridiculous situation of players who were exempt 1 year becoming not exempt the next in the middle of a contract. Either way it puts barriers in the longer term planning for clubs and would make clubs less willing to sign these players.

The RFL's way seems fair and straightforward. As I said if a club has too many overseas players and is neglecting their youngsters then blame that club, not the RFL as some people seem to want to for everything.

If the rfl had not taken this action could the rfl have been liable to pay up the remainder of the players contracts.

What the hell is wrong with you people.

Do your clubs even want our players. These boys have been left in the dark about everything. At least with this ruling they have a chance to get a job. How many of you actually forget that it's a job to these guys.

Oh, how about the fact they haven't been promised to get paid by the end of the year. Would you like to work for 3 months and get paid nothing.

Would Wakeys (for example) overseas players been exempt next year had they lost out as part of the franchising system.
That , in theory, could have happened to Crusaders anyhow.

There's a difference. The Crusaders looked to be all but certain to gain another 3 years. Infact, I believe the players were even told to think so.

Essentially they have all wasted 6 months of being able to find other clubs.

2 questions:

1. Are they still exempt from quota if they sign for a Championship club?

2. Are they exempt from having valid work visas as well?

Thats my view.

This.

I understand why some aren't happy with the ruling, but at the end of the day the players are blameless in all this and leaving them high and dry would help no-one.

My brother made a good point. We're about to lose an expansion club with a few exemptions for a traditional club with none. We're going to have a player shortage. This will actually help.

If any of the dissenting voices lose their gainful employment through no fault of their own, can i reserve the right to beef like f**k about it if someone else offers them work?

Don't know the answer to the first one, as the exemption just grants them "fed-trained" status which is irrelevant in the Championship IIRC?

As the visa is UK Borders Agency issue and nothing to do with their status under RFL rules, they will need a new one on change of employer. Seem to remember Weller Hauraki having to apply for a new visa when he moved from Crusaders to Leeds.

Yes. All of SL.

Seriously, Crusaders players will have signed deals on the understanding that they'd be playing for Crusaders. The Crusaders board have stuck two fingers up at the players, metaphorically, and now you've got 13 players with no job for next season and at a disadvantage in finding a new job due to their overseas status and the stupid overseas restrictions that the RFL impose.

So, to be fair to those players, the RFL have given them the chance to get new clubs and thus be able to support themselves and their families financially.

I can't believe the uproar this has caused. Quotas have a sketchy legality to begin with, so I think what the RFL have done is smart and heads off any possible legal proceedings which might well have seen the beloved quota rules scraped entirely.

Fair on who ? what about the young home grown players ? screw all these second rate aussies get them shipped back just like the last lot that were sent packing !!!

But this is at the expense of improving and developing our home grown talent, the very reason we have a quota system in the first place.

All of Crusaders players contracts are null and void at the end of this season.

The reason why the RFL have done this is that nearly all Super League clubs have either filled there quota for next season or are close to filling it and if the RFL turned round and said that these players can't sign for any other British clubs they would be ed as most Aussie teams will have done there recruitment by now.

Yeah, invite them to play in our league, then mess them about with wages, fold their club and kick 'em out! What did they ever do for us except try to make an honest living?

Sounds just like what the SL clubs are doing to the Championship Clubs to me with the DR's.

That's fair enough, but when a club drops out of Super League aren't all contracts null and void? So if another club had have been kicked out, would their overseas players have recieved the same exemption? I reckon Crusaders were told they were in and this is the RFL trying to save face.

Sorry, not following you at all. How are there any similarities?

I think this is a huge body blow for young British players at Super League clubs. As already mentioned certain clubs will use this as an excuse not to promote and develop British talent.
The RFL should hang their head in shame over this matter.

Franchising is a success and SDL just keeps getting better and better

Comments like these make you look a moron.
It's the right decision for both the overseas contingent and the younger players who would lose out on club trained academy benefits

In the eyes of whom?