We'll take O'Hara on a 20 year deal then.

Exactly the point I was making.

Where would that leave the likes of Dom Crosby and Tom Spencer?

Defo

In a perfect little world aww good old RFL looking after the blokes with no job (if your a foreign player).

It's a joke the whole situtation gets worse and worse by the day

Should have just been a 1 year exception. Then next year everyone knows where they stand and players can't claim that they have been restricted in looking for jobs as clubs haven't started recruiting yet.

I expect thats great news for the up and coming stars that we are providing employment to players who cant make it in their own country. I know that we are obliged to open our employment markets to European workers, but cant remember anything about Australians. Hopefully they will not be granted work permits (although that didnt stop Crusaders in the past).

Bitter, yes!!

Exactly yet another RFL balls up. We dont owe these aussies a living!

Should have been an exemption for the length of their existing contract IMO.

They should aslo limit the number that can sign for any one side to two or three.

Awful situation, but we need to minimise the damage of Crusaders' actions to the Cru players and the competition - I could see this move coming from the RFL.

which was my original point

I'm sure Dom could have a career as an Uncle Bing sing-a-like, Spencer will make his Mark(s) elsewhere.



Well you did ask!!

doubt one team will sign up all their players thats what got them in this mess in the first place, signing these Aussies/Kiwis on inflated contracts. The best will get picked off by the top clubs and the rest will go to places like, with no disrespect meant, Widnes, Wakefield, Quins, Salford

If Crosby etc etc etc are good enough they will force their way in...if not they won't regardless

Perhaps, but the reason they are doing this is that many clubs have already sorted out recruitment for next season (expecially in terms of quota players), giving a years exemption would mean that that entire problem is avoided.

Go and sign Witt and Withers

I tend to agree with the "length of their existing contract" idea, but bear in mind they'll mostly be going to clubs with a less than succesful Academy, and I think that will be better for those clubs than having to throw in youngsters who perhaps need another year or two before they're ready.

I don't know all their ages (and can't be bothered looking) but my impression is that most are quite old in RL terms anyway, so it may not be that much of an exemption anyway.
I do know Schifcovski (sp?), Martin, Withers, Bryant, Peek and O'Hara are all into their 30's, and probably quite a few more.

I suspect Widnes will be the biggest beneficiaries of this, which will be a big help to let them find their feet in SL.

Think they will be - If I were Widnes I'd be making the most of this. Get a few of their ex-players and then surely it could be an idea to run a few free buses from Wrexham and try and pick up some of the 1500 or so crusaders fans. Feasibly Widnes could pick up 750-1,000 fans who have a genuine craving for RL in North wales espscially as they have no one to watch.

Possibly more importantly it would retain interest in RL of some of our important welsh fans. The saddest thing for me about the crusaders demise is seeing fans with genuine passion for the game (as we all saw on sky with one particular fat lad when they played cas), lose their team. Lets try and keep them involved!

Its only 30 miles and is mostly motorway so would be looking at a 30-40 minute trip tops. Could give widnes a chance of targeting 8 & 9k gates rather than targeting 6/7ks?

Another mess up by the RFL the dispensation should be been their current contract length rounded up to the end of that season

Agreed.

this

i hope we dont even think about signing any

I hope saints sign a few! Make Saddened's day!

He's 30 already. I've found a flaw in your plan

the rfl are just making things worse,
its cant be completly legal only offering this repreve for the australians?
they can find work back home, id be looking out for the welsh/english lads first,

'There has been a lot about the players losing their jobs. But guys like Keith Senior and Gareth Thomas should be grateful they've had long and successful careers. Jarrod Sammut has signed for Bradford while Keith could go to Wakefield. If you can't get another club you shouldn't be in Super League.'

Tell like it is Martin.

I'm sure Saddened would have something to say about that on here if he could.

Dom Crosby? At Widnes

Mark Bryant off to London maybe.