Derek Beaumont certainly doesn't pull any punches in his criticism of GH over the alleged attempts of Leeds to sign Ryan Brierly. I would hope that the allegations around "tapping up" are unfounded, but above everything else in the statements of Messers Hetherington and Beaumont the bit that I found most disturbing was this"we are not looking to sign a half back as we have four top class options in that position with Kevin Sinfield, Danny McGuire, Rob Burrow and Liam Sutcliffe for next season already"

Not saying we should be desperate to sign half backs, or that we should fall foul of rules governing approaches to other clubs players, but GH ought to be looking at options to strengthen the squad in any position where the current roster is coming to the end of their peak playing years.

Forked tongue? I hope so

If Derek Beaumont says he's never approached (either directly or indirectly) a player contracted to another club with a view to joining Leigh, he's telling porkies.

Two wrongs don't make a right. If Leigh wanted to report Leeds they have the evidenced apparently. However DBs statement clearly says they are not reporting Leeds after he had spoken to GH. It would seem in the eyes of your Yorkshire Evening Post reporter Peter Smith we have threatened to report Leeds. From the statement Peter that is an assumption that it will be Leeds that make another illegal approach, as DB clearly states they are not reporting Leeds (this time )

it seems tapping up is rife in nrl /super and that other kick and clap rugby. personally i would like to see some club if founded take the offenders to task for it .would send a message that clubs cant tempt players with more money and players who sign long contracts ie hall/dellany and watkins they have to honour them.the rules are there but now with people like andy peters and martin offiah as agents they fill players heads full of £'s which unsettles them.this needs to be tighten up so accusations cant be raised.

FYI I heard that the Sharks have been talking to Ryan Hall. No idea if he wants to move there, but I'm reasonably sure they shouldn't be contacting him without speaking to Leeds first.

How do you know they haven't?

Quite.

The truth is a rare commodity in GH world, where obfuscation is more often the traded currency.

I suspect Leeds have been tapping up Brierley.

Derek Beaumont's statement confused me a bit (which I admit is quite easily done). He seems to say that GH made an illegal approach for Brierley, and then go on to say that no offer was made. So what did he ring him for? Quick chat about holiday plans and the rising cost of property?

This whole rule is daft anyway. The contracts must, by law, have a notice period in them. Within that, clubs can refuse a transfer whether the other party makes an approach or not. If, for example, Mr Hetherington (or any other CEO) wants to unsettle a player, he can just use his local rag or League Express (who will print more or less anything a CEO says) and say "ooh, that Ryan Brierley is a top player isn''t he? I'd love to have him at Leeds if he were to become available or put in a transfer request or some s**t like that." No direct approach to the player. How long do you think it would be before the player in question read that statement?

IN my experience, it isn't worth trying to police that which can not be policed.

For the record, on the current subject, I have no idea whether Ryan Brierley is any good as I have never seen him play. Seems hypothetical since he's staying put anyway.

Cake?

Clubs don't even have to do that.

All they have to do is sit and wait for the player's agent to come to them with a hypothetical deal should their client become available.

No contact between player and club. No tapping up that breaches the RFL rules. Just an agent out to get the best deal for his client.

Whether that's ethical from the agent's standpoint is another matter.

Well if they haven't had permission surely Hall would say please come back when you've had permission from Leeds

Of course he would.....not.

I only mentioned it because this sort of thing happens all the time. I understand the Leigh owner's frustration, but the reality is there are all kinds of ways and means around the "rules". If a club is interested in a player it will probably sound them out informally before bothering to contact their current club.

Now Mossop has gone, this deal may start up !

Cannot see how the mossop deal would have any bearing if we tried to sign breirley? Even if we did sign him (which seems like a very long shot at the moment) could see it involving a loan back to Leigh for the season.