That's what it was last season, rule change this year means they can carry on being duel registered. Probably to do with the under 23s and teams not being involved and then it'd mean some players like Handley and Golding could be without a game from August.

So if Leeds have a shocker of a season, have no chance of finishing in the top 4 by say round 25, we could send a load of seasoned players on DR to Fev and get them promoted, while blooding the youngsters at Leeds. Leigh and Bradford would love that.

Think there's a maximum number of DR players in your matchday 17. Five, is it?

Plus, why would Leeds risk key players suffering potential career-ending injuries just to help Fev out?

its all a bit of a mess isnt it.

Not really, no. It's no more of a mess than say short-term player loans would be.

Unless you've got an agenda, anyway.

When we reached the CC Final in 2012, if Hudds had won the other semi final then Lunt wouldn't have been allowed to play. It's essentially the same as that except it might be 2/3 players you'd be without if the unlikely scenario of DR clubs meeting in the Middle 8's ever happen.

I still think that if 12 SL clubs agree DR deals with 12 Championship clubs, then at some stage there will be a conflict of interest, RFL would be as well preparing for that day now and looking at the likely scenarios and then putting in place rules to that all are aware of to avoid red faces and national/local papers suggesting that our game is at best and at worst corrupt.

Mind you, they will need to plan for the next 2/3 years, because after that they will have a new different format for the playoffs to consider.

I dont mean dual reg in itself, i dont really have a problem with it, i mean the
unclear/changing rules and the possibility of multiple players playing for the same two clubs in the same competition as well as the whole situation leaving us with some clubs using dual reg, some not, some having an u23's comp, some not involved, some having academies, some not.

Dual reg isnt ideal, but its better than the nonsense of an u23s comp which has been proposed as its alternative. I dont think its an 'agenda' to think we should have a player pathway which is the same at all clubs and the rules surrounding which players can play where are consistent, clear and tidy.

The likelihood that the top 4 clubs in the Championship (who are likely to be the full time sides) would have a DR deal with a bottom four SL side is so small, that you're really worrying about something that has such a small chance of happening as to be negligible.

Leigh aren't going to take players who can't get in Salford's side for example, as they are unlikely to be better than the players they already have.

Surely the only reason for that's because they've signed most of the better Salford players already

To be fair to the likes of Hock, Chase and Paterson it must be good to get away from egocentric, wealthy club owners who think it's all about them.

golding,lilley,handley,baldwinson & mullally will all get plenty of game time at featherstone this season

They certainly seem the likeliest candidates (Walters too maybe?). There are more obvious vacancies in the Featherstone line-up for some of those players than others, and as a Fev fan it would be interesting to hear what the exact arrangement is in terms of Leeds' expectations (if any). For instance, Baldwinson will I'm sure be an automatic choice for Fev whenever he's available, and there's an obvious opening for Handley as one of our current starting wingers is fairly young and still hasn't established himself in the starting line-up. Golding and Lilley might present a dilemma though, terrific players though they both are; arguably our three biggest signings this off-season have been scrum half Anthony Thackeray, who has signed a 3-year contract (supposedly for a sizeable transfer fee, though that's never been officially confirmed), stand off Kyle Briggs, and Danny Craven, signed on a year's loan form Widnes and seemingly pencilled in for full back. Lilley's most obvious route into the team could be at hooker, but whether that's what Leeds are expecting, I don't know.
In other words, it will be interesting to see if the arrangement is that Fev just use Leeds players according to need, or whether there's an expectation that we'll find slots for those players made available.

It did occur last season. Hull KR and Halifax were(possibly still are?) partnered.

Unless there are as yet unannounced rules for partnered clubs who end up together in the 8's it does strike me as an accident waiting to happen.

Is there an age limit to dual ref at all? Just wondering whether Cameron and Mikolaj will be out somewhere. Both playing in the preseason games, and from what I hear both going to America aswell with first team. Mikolaj only turned 16 in August, so has really come on, but is apparently really really impressing the club management.