Really, don’t agree!

We have to wait another month to see if he can get his passport (which l very much doubt) and in the meantime will have no doubt missed out on numerous other props!

Its 11/12 days tbf..........not ideal, but lets hope he can sort it.

Pretty short time to learn macadonian tbf

It is now, but what about the wasted months just gone?? Really bad management in imho.

Have had my say (a few times!) now, so will wait to see what happens and l hope the next time l comment it is to eat humble pie!!!!!

Again, I understand the theory - and I am sure that the lawyers have been consulted throughout the process. What troubles me is where Football may have the resources to fend off a legal challenge brought by a player, I can't see RL having the same cash to throw at a test case.

What we need for this to work is a willingness from the clubs to stick to the rules - something I simply cannot see coming.

This is a typical case in point, we are discussing Stosic because we were/are trying to bend the rules when we are allowed 6 (quota and non fed) players - we are trying to squeeze another one in through the back door on an EU/Kolpak passport (or wherever Macedonia is). This should not be allowed and it should be clamped down on - if we do it when we are allowed 6 then we will do it when we are allowed 4 and so on.

If we want the sport to progress we need to do something, as I said earlier its a real shame its us that got caught out and its a double shame that it is Stosic but hey-ho: we brought this on ourselves by taking a punt on circumnavigating the regs - a punt that's failed.

Agree totally.

Spot on, can't argue with any of that.

I hear what you are saying, but.....

The rules are there - there is a limit on how many quota and non-fed players we can have. Even if Stos qualifies as non-quota he will still be non-fed. The problem is not with Stos - it is more with the likes of JD who are exempt from these rules due to time served - have these guys not earned the right to see out their time? When they have gone we should see a more even and vastly reduced spread of over-seas players in SL - and hopefully this will be mirrored by the increased emphasis on producing junior players - not just at Wakey, but across the game. We cannot snap fingers and improve the quality of the available home grown talent overnight and, in the meantime, what limited resource there is can afford to drive up their price on the open market to ridiculous heights - pricing them out of our range, even for 'average' (without trying to be disrespectful because average at SL is about a million miles above my level) SL players.

What we could afford, based on the UK market, would NOT see us competitive at this time - hence we must look after both the long and short term futures of the club.

We all wish it would happen overnight - but it won't!

But as far as I can see nobody is asking us to improve 'overnight' - that's part of the point. This is not about the likes of JD serving out their time - its about us trying to cheat the system and sneak in an extra foreign player that we shouldn't have this year. By finding (or at least looking for) these back doors we are only making life harder for ourselfes in the long run. As I understand things, the number of quota/non-fed players has to decrease year on year over a period of years to try and stagger the effect and lessen the blow for clubs such as ours who (understandebly) are over reliant on imports.

I know there might be an argument for us doing whatever is required for us to get a franchise next time round, and understand this - but we where given 3 years at this and we don't seem to be making progress. We used the excuse for years, same old lines:

"we didn't know we were going to avoid relegation until all the best players had gone"

"we have to draft players in regardless of origin to simply ensure we survive another year"

Take your pick. This needs nipping in the bud, we have a gradual reduction enforced by the league over a set period of time with no relegation and we seemingly persist with imports trying furuously to find them some ancestors who can somehow fudge a passport and get round the rules.

and im afraid you have summed it up, but frankly i dont give a toss about the international team, i want success for my team, so i want stos as hes a proven item,
and as for the rules, in every sport it happens, this is just an example of where it comes in to the public eye,

and then in rl we get the grass roots....... our kids dont get a chance!... garbage, yes they do but the best athletes chose puffball/yawnion/athletics.....biggest pay check!

For me, scrap 4 nations and the other garbage until out top 4 can compete against nrl top 4 with sameplayer rules,

and just forget the days of the 60's when it took weeks to get to oz, and we won in the scrum and when the tackle rules were different!
sorry dewey eyed traditionalists!


we cant compete as a nation, frankly you could pick a team of aus players in super league and they would beat GB....any year!

er and back on topic!

every team does it, we got reported/ leaked.....and stos is a better prop than any development we have!

But that's where I think you are wrong - we have made tremendous progress - and will continue to do so, but the lads coming through can only play a small part this year - a bigger part in 2011 and a much bigger role from 2012 onwards.

We are on the right lines, but we need a quality front line to make sure that we stay around long enough for our 'crop' to mature!

Simple way of doing it. All clubs get a flat sum from broadcasting rights ta the start of the season. Should they employ a load of aging/third rate Aussies who add nothing to the game, they get no more cash. Should they employ 'true' British/European players - that's born in those countries, not passport players, then they get an extra sum per player to top that initial sum up.

Not wanting to get into club bashing, but (if I read the SL Stats correct) our non Fed/quota player totals:

2010 10 or 11
2009 11
2008 11
2007 9 (10 if you include Danny Lima 3 bench games)
2006 14 (inc Evans 6 game loan, Latu 3 games only)
2005 11
2004 11
2003 10?

Just a quick tot up, willing to be corrected if anyhing incorrect.

If we cannot find 1 this year to plug the possible hole from Stosic, how the hell are we supposed to find 4, 5 or 6 when Obst, JD, BJ, Hendo + the rest retire/get released in the next year or so when we cannot draft in more non-fed/quota?

so we get to within 10 or 11 days of a deadline that the club and the player knew about... a deadline which ... if passed with no positive resiolution... leaves us short of one of our best forwards (indeed one of the best workhorse forwards I have seen in a trinity shirt in years).

I whatever book you are reading that is rank bad management and I TOTALLY dissagree with JK on this ... it is and should be within the control of the club... and they should have set a deadline for months ago so that suitable mitifgation could be put in place...


why allow ourselves to be out bid on Snitch and Wilkes ... and even Bibey with this issue sitting in the backgraound...


It is still ridiculous and the management of the club [uARE [/uresponsible.

Oh and I really dont care about the overseas player stuff... I want to see the best players possible play for my club whatever their nationallity!... Trinity are all that matters to me in this discussion!

Well that's where we will have to agree to disagree. I love the sport far more than I love Trinity - no Trinity and (with great sadness) I will move along and watch another side, won't support them like I do the Trin, but I will watch week in week out. I would prefer to watch Trinity over any other side by far, but watching the game itself means more to me and I don't think it fair that the game as a whole should be damaged by the actions of the clubs. Ultimately I think most people will agree that imports are one of the biggest threats to the game, and it needs to stop in my opinion.

By producing new players - a process which began in earnest with the TRY system, introduced by John Kear and supported by Squadbuilder. This is exactly what the new rules are trying to promote and we seem to be pretty good at it.

We could be even better for the cost of half a pint a week!

My initial reaction was exactly the same. But it's not all as it first seems (when is it).

Whilst the original issue is still not yet resolved, it is not true that the club have not worked on this subject and they do have contingency plans should plan A fail.

think you are spot on apart from the highlighted, it does matter how many overseas players clubs have, the less we have the more the young local talent have a chance to come through the ranks, ok so if we stick ridgidly to the quota rules with no loop holes, we may for a short time have players pushed into the spotlight but they will either sink or swim, some will supprise some will dissapoint but at least we will give them a chance they wouldnt have had, the cost for clubs will also be less. Cas are just as bad as anyone, for some reason we have Owen Westerman Shenton and Huby, this seems enough for our coach who is willing to put players out of position instead of bringing players in who are in the squad but he isnt prepaired to use, Joe Arundel for instance last year we were in need of a for a while bring this lad in and give him a go, instead we play widders in . our coach doesnt appreciate the kids and is unwilling to use them, when we stamp down on the quota coaches will havce to use the kids and it will eventually be good for our game at all levels from club to country.

I can see your point of view and I too enjoy the sport more than any other but without Trin I wouldn't have the same passion,

I can give you a for instance I was a very keen footballer and Leeds supporter as a kid, when Revie left and Clough took over my passion for the game was extinguished and never followed them again neither any other club,
so its vital that we stay alive and kicking into the next franchise if this means bringing in imports to the RFL ruling then so be it but also look at the wider picture from the academies, it was mighty impressive last year so lets see if we can have another good season now with both the 18s and 20s and then we can look in a few years time to replace them with the talented lads that what to play for us that are coming through

In light of recent events for both club and country, surely a drastic reduction in "all" over seas players in SL.
We are as far behind the Aussies as ever, yet we continue to give there players game time in SL while they are pushing through new players in the NRL while are youngsters are kept out by old or average overseas players.
We are paying massive wages to overseas players that SL clubs can little afford, that could be better spent on youth development and coaching, this would also hopefully help bridge the gap at international level.
Many of these players (and wages) are then getting SL clubs in legal trouble, uk border agency, the vat man, unions, contractual issues etc.
A suggestion, why not enforce a two overseas player rule, one forward and one back, starting from the end of the last of the current overseas registered players contracts. It will cut costs, promote youth development, only the best will come no average or elderly players, no uk passport no job!!!
It'll take time and you can forget about the next world cup, the clubs would benefit soonest, but team England/GB would follow suit and maybe internationaly we would start to claw back some ground and our clubs would be on an even keel, our youngsters would benefit at both levels, and the aussies would have to find space in a more concentrated environment for there own development.
Please feel free to pick this to bits, but what's happening at the moment ain't getting us anywhere fast!!!

words fail me but nothing would shock me anymore at Wakefield Trinity



I will just enjoy the next 2 seasons in SL anything after that will be a bonus

No need - the sentiment is spot on - the reality is happening - but you cannot remove all the overseas connections overnight as there would be a void far greater than the depth of available talent can fill right now, and that would make the game 'poorer' to watch and therefore there would be fewer people watching and paying.

If you plan this over a longer period, without the knee-jerk, then over a 5-10 year period you will get where you wanted to be. I believe that process began around 2006 with the onset of the licences and the first steps have been taken.

how is it happening when clubs are actively seeking ways to exploit the system, us included!
The product in the short term would be poorer, but you cannot assume attendences would drop, a lot of people maychoose yo come and watch local lads turning out for the local side, it's a bit of a long term thing, doesn't really sit well with RL I know!!