The RFL have finished the investigation now and we are just waiting to agree a fee with Bradford for Kopczak before it can be announced. www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/s ... ord_Bulls/ Bottom of the article.

The RFL have finished the investigation now and we are just waiting to agree a fee with Bradford for Kopczak before it can be announced. www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/s ... ord_Bulls/ Bottom of the article.

Bit of an ambiguous comment, isn't it. The RFL are "hoping"!

How do these things work? Oh aiii that's it offer em a penny for every pound owed after changing the company name. The RFL normally accept that sort of thing.

I'm amazed how Bradford are looking for a fee for a player that isn't really theirs in the true gist of things!!!

Give em walker in exchange.

I would guess that might not be far off what happens to save face and it will be Walker plus an undisclosed fee.

If the two clubs don't agree a fee a RFL Tribunal will do it. Not sure of the timescale but it's in the interests of both to sort it asap.

Heaven forbid he gets badly injured playing for Wales whilst in limbo as then it really will get messy.

is walker off to bradford??

is he out of contract with us..i know hes been told he can go

if hes out of contract then doubt we can give him as part of the bargaining

ken davy will have to get his wallet out i feel

the cheek of bradford though after all what the super league clubs did for them to keep them afloat! including our club when we gave the sales of tickets to them, maybe we could ask for that back!

Well the report's findings aren't public knowledge yet, so you might not end up having to pay anything. But if the RFL rule that you DO, then it can only mean that your club reneged on some kind of gentleman's agreement or something similar, and basically lied to the RFL and every other SL club who were also part of said agreement.
This wouldn't be Bradford kicking up a fuss trying to get money out of you, this would be a decision by the RFL based on an independent investigation. Huddersfield would only have themselves to blame.

But like I said, let's wait and see first. After all, we're only going on what's been printed in a Bradford rag so far, which probably isn't the most impartial source of info

Walker has been in the academy / development system for a number of years, i think this means he warrants a fee for us investing in him, much like we had to pay to Bradford for Larne!

That's right fro-nips. We offered him a contract which he turned down so now he will command a fee for anyone wanting to give him a contract.

That article isn't worth the paper it isn't printed on

The report has been sent to the Bulls, it may well say no illegal move was made.
The RFL may be hoping the bulls see sense and let the player go!

I suspect the giants will get the player for nothing, or not at all.

Eorl, fielden, mason, mullally, Patrick, Johnson, Ta'ai...
We have a much stronger front row than last season already- if giants have to pay I suspect they will back out and use the money for a halfback.

Exactly, he isn't needed so much any more so either the Bulls will have to release him or pay him what he wants.

Interesting stuff, and interesting timings of various announcements, a few facts, make of them what you will:

1. The RFL were involved in discussions with OK Bulls prior to their takeover. Any assurances given have not been made public.
2. On player transfer Craig Kopczak rejected his change of Employer, as he is legally entitled to do.
3. Kopczak's insurance is sorted so he can play for Wales. The insurers must know whom they are indemnifying.
4. The RFL have questioned various people about the "Kopczak Affair" following Bradford's complaint.
5. The RFL have not released any statement, nor do they appear to have charged any party with any form of misconduct.
6. Jarrod Sammut has received a further dispensation from the RFL, that is a relaxation of rules not an entitlement.
7. The only public statements have come through the local paper in Bradford.

There will be all sorts of opinions on how the above should be interpreted, however if there had been any illegal approach for CK it is highly unlikely that the parties involved would admit it, therefore I think it unlikely there is any evidence to charge anyone.

I assume that the T&A story has come from information provided by the Bulls, I may be wrong, but it seems likely and I don't have any issue with that, but I will regard that information in that light.

It does appear to me that the issue here is not the Giants conduct, who knows what really happened, but there appears only to be assertion not proof of misconduct. No the real issue seems to be the expectations OK Bulls had when buying the club, what assurances were given by the RFL, were they sold a pup?

Can anyone think of a good reason to give Jarrod Sammut a dispensation?

What might also be an issue is if the RFL are going to discipline the player if they feel he was at fault and it might be more than just a Huddersfield/Bradford issue. If he is still classed as a Bradford player after all this there would be the issue of him going AWOL which would at least be an internal Bradford disciplinary matter but the RFL might feel they need to step in and punish him also but I guess until a statement comes out it is all conjecture.

Maybe because he's a Malteser, a developing nation. Not too sure whether he should or should not count as federation trained as he grew up in oz and Malta.

Re Koppy... I wouldn't think he's worth paying a big fee for tbh, Maybe 20 - 30k for his development but that's just my opinion. Very badly advised by his agent though.

Correct me if I am wrong but did not The Bradford Bulls go into administration and did not the administator have the power to sell any of the clubs assets? Also were not the players counted among these assets? So if Craig Kopczak through his agent declined to transfer his contract of employment to the new club,(as is his right).How can the new club The OK Bulls hold his registration given as the player has not signed for them? If they argue that the player is still registered with them, then using the same argument,are the OK Bulls responsible for the previous clubs £1.5 million debts? I sincerely wish the new club all the best but it seems to me that until the RLs report is made public it could mean that someone has opened a can of worms.I think a direct swap Walker for Kopczak done directly between the two clubs would be in both clubs best interest.
As for Jarrod Sammut good luck to him,but wasn't he given the right along with the other Crusader players?

Jammie, if more players and clubs were more honest there would be no need for agents,in my opinion these guys are doing nothing but lining their own pockets.

He was quoted as saying he had got legal advice about refusing his contract under TUPE- unless the rfl an prove an illegal move was made by the giants (or any other club) then I can't see there being an issue. I would think the agents of ALL the bulls players made a few phone calls when the future of the club was in doubt asking whether their players would be of interest IF the bulls were to fold. I would also think that the bulls received a few phone calls from various clubs asking about the possible availability of players. These things go on all the time and aren't as far as I know in breach of any rules. If from this kopczak recognised that he has the opportunity to sign elsewhere without breaching a contract and took it I cant see that there is any wrongdoing or grounds for a transfer fee. And if he's smart that's what he'll say.

You could be right on the Malteser, not sure why those grounds weren't used before rather than rely on the Crusaders exemption?

On the second point, I would be astonished if the Giants paid anything for Kopczak, but if the rumours of Bradford interest in Adam Walker are true then I can understand why OK would feel a bit vexed about paying out for a currently less experienced player. FWIW I thought Walker did well in his few games at the start of last season and definately feel he has the potential to be a decent SL prop, he is certainly a big unit.

I agree Giantdee (pardon the poetry)I thought he had played very well at the beginning of the season but like quite a few of the younger players we seem to be afraid to play them! Could be one to come back and bite us.Like I have said before give the young ones a chance especially the 6s.

Sammut would still count on non-fed trained quota even taking into account his Maltese passport (if he has one)
Re Adam walker - I don't know if Bradford are actually interested in signing walker- but a rhinos pal did tell me Leeds were considering him-

I totally agree, Martin Shuttleworth (Koppy's agent i think) is the one who will get his big cut for orchestrating his clients move away, where he would get nothing if Koppy stayed at Bfd.
Agents are a cancer within the game.

It always makes me laugh when statemnts are made saying the Giants are afraid to play youngsters. I in the last few seasons they have introduced the likes of Cudjoe,Larence,Mcgillivary,Wardle,Patrick,Eden and Fairbank to the side which is hardly the sign of a club unwilling to blood youngsters.

Also can you name any youngster the club has released in the last five years that has made it to a decent level at another super league club.This suggests every youngster they have released has not been good enough.

As for stand off's i am not aware of any good ones coming thorugh the ranks that may be ready for the first team and i am sure Paul Anderson would be delighted if he could find one without dipping into the transfer market.