im not sure on his visa, but the rfl operational rules are pretty specific with regards to Dobson

[iC1:4:7 An "overseas Player" who is removed from a Club Register during the Season cannot then
be placed back on that Club's Register in that same Season save with the permission of the
Board.[/i

I would expect them (the rfl) to justify their reasoning for giving HKR dispensation in this case (if thats what they are to do)

If his stay in the UK is based on his governing body permission to work (i.e the quota issue) and he is currently "from" NZ (on quota), then he will need a new visa in the Tongan passport, as this is the nationality that will allow him to be off quota and therefore work, assuming Rovers' quota is otherwise full.

I think.

I am sure that this course of action the club has taken will have been planned to allow mason to arrive and that the club will have discussed the implications with the RFL. It would be an almighty cock up if we lost Dobson to get Mason here for the Crusaders game while his passport was in the post. No matter what certain neighbours of ours think of Neil Hudgell, the bloke is no idiot and is a lawyer by day and has a very good understanding of the workings of the RFL.

if he does he does, if he doesnt he doesnt.

The rules are pretty explicit and there isnt really a reading of them that would allow HKA to re-register Dobson without the dispensation of the RFL board.

If the RFL are to give said dispensation then they should publicly explain why.

So the rules state Dobson can't be re registered and Mason will need to apply for another visa when he obtains his Tongan passport.

Good news for hkr then.

The Operational Rules only give one method to remove a contracted player from the register - termination of contract:



This would explain the RFL statement, and would mean that Dobson is currently a free agent.

Farcical.

I agree with everything you are saying here. KR are playing the same game as everyone else, just being slightly more creative and are taking a punt on Masons Visa finally arriving before Dobbo is fit again. I like their balls on this one. If it cocks up then I expect Newton to be re-registered!

There is the other possibility that he is out for the season and will be re-registered for 2012

Do you have 100K spare in your cap to pay an injured player?

Does anyone?

In which case why couldn't a club deregister and reregister overseas players week-by-week according to whim/form/injuries with, if salary cap allowed it, eight on the payroll covering five "registered" spaces.

So Leeds, for example, could deregister the injured Delaney and Leuleui and temporarily replace them with a couple of other Australians, who could in turn be deregistered when they came back.

It stinks. I hope HKR have messed up on this and some other club signs Dobson for nothing.

There is a logical explanation.

Is Dobsons injury season long ?

I think our chairman has more savvy then to let this happen, whatever the legal or RFL rule implications are, Hudgell will have looked at them and only made the decision once he was assured Dobbo could be re-registered, it states in the rules that they can be re-registered 'wwith the permission of the board', which I am sure will have been discussed and approved.

They probably could if they could find an Aussie who was willing to come over and play for a few weeks. Of course there is also the question of visas.

Hull KR are in a unique situation with having Mason already signed but unable to get a visa and an overseas player suffering a major injury so early in the season.

This situation that Hull KR found themselves in is unique.

You hope.

I seem to remember the Bulls having a chairman who was a lawyer, he went on to sign Iestyn Harris, look where that got us ! ££££££££££££

££££

Unless you imagine that he had the visa already and was just unable to come to the UK as the operational rules didn't allow him to train or play here.

Once Dobson's injury became clear, he was suddenly on his way.

Maybe so, but at the moment he's a free agent and any club with cap and quota space available can sign him for nowt.

Or any NRL club, or any RU club...

From the Twitter feed of one of the RL reporters for the Hull Daily Mail...

On the mason side. does this mean he has to leave the country to re-enter on his new visa when that is ready? before Dobson can be reregistered

mason won't be at hull kr next season anyway

Not as I understand it. He can transfer in the UK.

Whatever has happened or is about to happen its a tangled web of deceit and rule bending.

I have long held the belief that this game leaves itself open to criticism and the RFU have a set of rules that work for the game.

Our rules work by people finding ways around them.

....or friends in high places....