Quote: Derwent "FA, I'm aware of all of that but this thread is from an employment perspective. Under what employment law could a non-employing entity interfere with the employment of an individual ? Kopczak was employed by Bradford Bulls Holdings Ltd, not Bradford Bulls RL club. So how can the RL club have any right under law to prevent him moving employers, or to restrict his employment opportunities ?
Regarding membership of the RFL, as I understand it, from a legal perspective it is the company which is a member of the RFL not "the club". Each company is given a £1 ordinary share in the RFL upon membership being granted, to enable a dividend of RFL profits to be paid at the end of the year. In the M&AA of the RFL the companies are listed as the members, e.g. Barrow Rugby Football Club Limited, Batley Football Club Limited etc. This is why OK Bulls Limited had to be ratified as members of the RFL, not Bradford Bulls RL club.'"
They arent preventing him from changing employers though. just determining whether he can compete in a competition which they control. Similar to quota rules. Neither would standup in a court of law as their both restraint of trade in a legal sense. But its a set of rules that member clubs and by extension players agree to abide by in order to take part in the competition.