Quote ="fes"Why should Fax be thrown out if Hull got through last year under (I think) the same circumstances?'"
When Hull did it in 2008 there wasn't a ruling in place to dictate a mandatory expulsion so the RFL fined them instead. They had also beaten two teams (Rochdale and Widnes) with an ineligible player so it was not so clear cut who to reinstate in Hull's place.
As a result of it happening the RFL changed the Operational Rules for the Challenge Cup so that any club found to have fielded an ineligible player would be automatically expelled from the competition (unless they could prove that they had been unaware of his ineligibilty) and that their last opponent (and only their last opponent) would be reinstated in their place. The tie with Batley was postponed so if Halifax are expelled then Swinton will be reinstated and would play Batley for a place in the QFs against Catalans.
