Because Heremaia was signed in this country before the new regulations came in in 2008 (Leigh in 06, Widnes 07), apparently that makes him exempt from the non-fed quota.

Players signed before that change are exempt because it is unfair on them to have basically travelled all the way to this country to make a career here under a different set of rules and then be excluded/have their market value go down because of a new ruling. However, how a player that has gone back to the NRL and then coming back over here can be exempt is a bit beyond me!

For him to also be off quota, he'd need a Kolpak or an EU passport, which I believe he has an Italian one.

Sam Obst is already non-fed, and I believe he is also off-quota.

The off-quota part isn't so important, as we have plenty of space on that with our Tongans being off-quota. It's the non-feds that are hard, and we already have Obst, Heremaia and Manu off it.

Our quota players (max 5) are: O'Meley, McKinnon and Seymour (Manu, Moa, Obst and Heremaia exempt).
Our non-fed players (max 5) are: O'Meley, McKinnon, Seymour and Moa (Many, Obst and Heremaia exempt).

Technically, we have room for one more non-fed player.
And if we can manage to find any available exempt non-fed players who are on the quota, we can have two of them.

Still plenty of shopping to do then!

There have to be exemptions due to the law.

Once all the players with exemptions have retired, then there won't be any more. It's only because of the transition from one quota system to another that we have these exemptions. It'll all clear within a generation. If you change it again, you'll have to wait another generation for it to clear.

whoever we sign, let our new head coach make the decision!!

The off Non-Fed bit is baffling, and the rfl need to get a bleeding grip.
I don't blame any team for exploiting loop holes, its up to the rfl to close them.

Lauki has been poor and phelps hmm would have kept if we didnt sign Mckinnon

Although I don't like all this bending of the quota rules , It's pointless sitting on our hands while everyone else does it.
If there's now two spots available , Then we must fill them with quality.

Not bothered about rules me, if others can do it then so can we....

Hopefully Pearson will spend his money wisely on this, can we have Benji Marshal please Adam

Hammered us for doing it and now quite happy to do it yourselves

The problem we will have is the cap and the amount we have already committed for next season. If he really wants to make an impact it might be necessary to spend some of Adams money on paying a couple of contracts off in some way to create space. One things for sure, this new administration will explore every way that the 'rules' can be 'adapted' as other clubs are already doing! Ethics are things that don't win trophies unfortunately, and for too long we have played by the rules whilst others have flauted them. If the RL allow some to do that then we should follow suit and at least look at how they do it, at present the playing field is far from level. Just my totally unethical and biase to Fc views of course!

Willie Mason might become available again.
He's finally a Tongan .

We need a world class centre or forward. Who's available?

We need a good prop or even 2 good props and a right centre if Gleeson isn't coming back.

Shame we are stooping to this level, makes a mockery of the quota restrictions if clubs continue to flaunt them.

Agreed. I'm not happy with the way clubs bend the rules but if others do it why not us.

Prop or centre needed.

I'm pretty sure Obst is quota, but they're working to change that.

What a joke, very disappointing news. That means next season we could have:

McKinnon, Manu, Heremeia, Obst, Moa, O'Meley, Seymour and 2 more. Giving us 9!!! Overseas players. That means that more than half of our weekly team could be overseas players. The worst thing is, the teams with the most overseas players NEVER win anything, it's always those who invest in youth with a good mixture of experienced brits and quality overseas players. Look at us in 2005/2006, Saints in 2006-2007, Leeds 2007-2010 and now Wigan. Very short-term thinking.

What if Obst, Heremaia, ellis and Seymour all get injured at the same time? We'd be ed, sign more half backs!!

I really don't believe how opinions can change, Rovers where slaughtered for recruiting to many overseas players, a club just finding its way in superleague. Yet Hull an established big four side now sign a player who hasn't played in this country for 4 years and is exempt. I can see why sam obst could be exempt playing over here but Heremania is a joke, surely the exemption is only available to players plying their trade continuosly in this country. I suppose Rovers can get Dobson off due to him playing for Wigan and Catalans.

Rules are a farce, should just rip them up imo, unlimited overseas players as in the Premiership,

It does, but the RFL are spineless. If they'd said no to other clubs (or put proper clear rules in in the first place) this wouldn't be an issue. If every club bends the rules then its a fairly level playing field. Like I said earlier, I don't want to win the "nice club" trophy, I want to win the SL and CC. If that means playing by the same rules as everyone else, go for it.

Which is why the rules are a joke not the clubs exploitation of them.

Heremania - I'd copyright that before the club start selling t-shirts

I don't see Leeds/Wigan/Wire etc bending the rules to get quota players in.

Where's the threads on Hull not bringing enough youngsters through and Hkrs quota disgrace?

No rules are broken so Hull FC have done a good job in identifying such a player to add to their rosta.

Though of course a few on here may have to move off the summit of the moral high ground for a while , but as stated earlier such a lofty position does not win you cups.

Yes and Wire and Wigan have never done anything dodgy have they? especially with the Salary Cap