I'm in full agreement RR but Webb was born in Cairns Aus.

Because Webb was here before the rules were in. The exceptions were only allowed because clubs would have had to SACK contracted players in order to come in under quota.

Said clubs should not be allowed to use this exception to sign more oversees players. It's simple if you really want to think about it

While I agree with most of the above only point I have is that I am pretty sure Webb was born in australlia??? Thought I heard that somewhere but I have been wrong before and no dbout will be again!

Erm, they're not.

Once an exempt player leaves, you can't sign another "overseas" player to replace him without him counting towards your quota, unless that player was already exempt due to being in the UK before the rules were introduced.

You seem to be arguing for the introduction of a system that's already in place.

or to phrase it another way,

you shouldnt be able to add to your total of overseas players because some have been declared exempt to allow the rules to navigate the complex minefield that is contract and employment law.

i.e you can keep them or you can replace them, you cant add to them.

It's the term "Overseas Player" that's killing this. People are taking it far too literally.

Look at it this way... You're either a Blue player, or an Amber player. You're allowed 5 Amber players but the rest need to be Blue.

Now to qualify as Blue player you need to be either born in England, or be playing for an English club for at least 3 years, if you're neither of those, you're Amber. Those are the RULES set out, by the RFL, which Leeds are following.

Sinfield - Born here, Blue.
Webb - Played here over 3 years, Blue.
Buderus - Not born here, not played here 3 years. Amber.

We're not finding any secret loop-holes, or lying about where players were born, we're not trying do anything underhand, we've been given the rule book, read the rule book, and signed players according to those rule.

How on earth people can still be complaining about this is beyond me.

i understand the rules. I also understand that they were a watered down version of what the RFL actually wanted to bring in, and did originally bring in before threats of legal challenges.

Well you've just completely shot your own argument out of the water there haven't you.

Watered down or not they are the current rules.

Should they eventually get to bring in a non-watered down version, if Leeds decide to break them, you'll have a point. If they bring in new rules and Leeds adapt to fit with them (which I'm sure they would do), then once again you will be talking tosh.

One more time...

Leeds are sticking to the current rules which are currently current and currently in place.

You're disgruntled at Leeds for breaking a rule that you think should be brought in?! That's just ridiculous.

Totally off subject...
I want to bring in a new rule... your pants have to be the exact same colour as your trousers. It's not a rule yet... but the future of my denim boxer short business depends on it and I'd really like it to be a rule so you've all got to stick to it now even though it's not actually a rule and may never be a rule.

i understand Leeds are playing by the rules as they are now, i simply dont believe that we and most other clubs, some by a fair amount more, are playing to the rules as they should be, and as would be in their best interests and as would be the in the best interests of the league or the game in this country.

Excellent. So we've now agreed that Leeds are sticking to the rules, it's just that you personally don't like the rules.

Good solid argument there. Glad it's sorted.

Best interest is all opinion.

Best interest of who? "The Club" doesn't actually exist does it, "Leeds Rhinos" is a nonentity.
You've got the people who own the club, the people who support the club, the people who want to play for the club, the people who cut the grass for the club, the people who clean the toilets for the club. All of whom will have a different "Best Interest".

I really could discuss this all day but I think we should just agree to differ.

My personal opinion, is that the best interests of the club is to keep me happy. I want my money, that I work to earn, that I choose to spend on tickets, to keep me entertained. If the 16 y/o Leeds lad can do that, fair play to him, but I'm not going to like him because he happens to be young and from Leeds, I'm going to like him because he's the best player for the job and keeps me entertained when I go watch my club.

Supporting Leeds isn't a compulsory thing. It's something that most of us have chosen to do, and something that I've chosen to do since I was 5, but chosen to do it non-the-less. I personally have got more pleasure watching 32 y/o Australian Danny Buderus this year than I have watching 28 y/o academy product Matt Diskin. That doesn't make me a bad person, or a bad fan. That just makes me a human being, with preferences.

What you're saying is by limiting the number of Overseas players, that would improve your personal enjoyment of the game, all I'm saying is that it wouldn't improve mine.

Burrow is not leaving!

Why would he when he has his testimonial at Leeds next season!

No, im not, what im saying is that limiting the number of overseas players, will force clubs to spend more time, effort, money and risk in developing their own players. This will improve the player pool all clubs have to choose from, replacing the average overseas players with better British players. This will in turn improve the quality of the league, increasing the quality of the 'product' you are choosing to buy.

Did you derive more pleasure from Buderus because he was a 32 year old? Australian? or because you thought him better than Matt Diskin?

Would you derive more or less pleasure from a league which had higher quality British players with a smattering of the better overseas players or a league of lower quality overseas players with a smattering of the better ones?

and that is before we address the by-product of improving the international game and its related benefits to the game as a whole and clubs individually.