Of course they have, no-one's said any different. But it doesn't prove that your overseas signings aren't also vital, and more than just "icing on the cake", which was the original point.

PS, if you're referring to Menzies then you should look beyond his age. He's still a fantastic player - both on and off the pitch.

A full season in super-league where he'll have more game-time than he's had in the last few years and being heavily relied upon will tell.
No doubting his quality but bulls aren't manly so he'll be working twice as hard and with a lot less quality.

We'll see. He'll also be playing against teams of a lot less quality.

Some of them are quite manly.....




....i'll get my coat.

When you put it like that!!

I don't have a problem - to a degree - with the authorities stopping SL becoming a dumping ground for players who have been RIGHTLY suspended for long periods in Aus for continually bad off-field behaviour. I'd far prefer it if SL clubs showed their own discipline with respect to signing the most dodgy characters.

Carney is a pretty obvious one - and if convicted so too is Bird. But traffic offences? And Crocker's wasn't exactly a hanging offence either.

You have no proof of this. Even with the injuries to Langley and Solomona we have plenty of cover and there is no need to over rely on him. There are plenty of other players more than adequate

How long did he play sunday??????
Having adequate players doesn't equate to the quality at manly's disposal.
Also your overall starting 13 without menzies isn't good enough to spell him like manly did either.

Tbh I'm not too disappionted about Eastwood. No doubt he's a class act and would add to our team but when you've got quality english talent such as, Ablett, JJB, Kirke, Bailey, Burgess, Worrall etc I don't really see the point. Better off saving the dosh in the bank and using it at a less successful stage in Leeds' history in the future.

probably longer than was planned but losing solomona and langley to injury, plus knocks to platt and jeffries, meant the plan went out the window

l played professional rugby league, fought in WW2, was at Normandy D-Day and worked on the docks all my life. l used to go to rugy until ill health made it impossible for me to continue. l had the priviledge of watching such great players as Peter Sterling, Brett Kenny and the like grace our rugby grounds. l am an advocate of home grown talent but believe 'star imports' are a benefit to our game although l also think the limit should be 3 per club.

l used to believe that l fought for freedom but day by day this belief has diminished. We are now branded criminals for such 'crimes' as overfilling the wheelie bin or dropping litter in the city centre or speeding and so on. Whilst one can understand being fined for such things (except wheely bin) one should not have to be branded a criminal.

Now l find that my sport is also being targeted. Aussie players are being refused work visas because of their 'criminal' record. At first l thought what have they done? ... armed robbery? fraud? murder? GBH? ABH? NO! none of these, what we have is speeding offences, charged with assault (not convicted, just charged) and affray. Affray? we see that virtually every rugby match. lt is just above breach of the peace and is in reality just 'handbags'. Any altrication on the streets, in pubs, at home, at work, at matches etc etc the police can charge you with affray.

Upon further investigation l could find no reference to any foreign rugby union players being refused work visas or, god forbid, a Pakistani, or the like, cricket player being refused. ls it because these sports have influence and power? ... or like the cricketers, would result in mass demonstrations by the Muslim community. l say this for the Muslim community, they stand up for themselves and make their voice heardand for that they have my respect ... whether l believe in their cause or not.

But what does the working class sport of Rugby League and their supporters do? ... sweet FA! Except ofcourse slag off and gloat the clubs who have lost the services of these players. How narrow-minded and petty can you get? The RLHQ do nothing, the club boards do nothing and the supporters do nothing. Yet you have all the supporters at what ground or another so how hard would it be for all supporters to band together? You are in touch with all the clubs here anyway! Petitions, demonstrations etc may shame the club boards into coming onboard and maybe just maybe the RLHQ. Flood the Canberra British Consulate with e-mails ... and your MP's ... and the papers. Get media coverage ... hell, SKY is owned by Rupert Murdoch alone.

lf it carries on, what will happen to our sport? the lnternationals? ... depleted teams? Rugby League won't become 3rd rate ... it'll be lower!

l've fought my battles ... on the battleground, work, bureaucracy ... anything that l deemed injust or wrong. Some l won and some l lost but atleast l tried. l didn't cry in my beer and do nothing. Apathy seems endemic throughout the majority of citizens hence the minority always have the say ... especially the mandarins in Government. The one club that would speak out, Won't ... because they are French and wouldn't stand for it. God, that grates saying that but it's true.

What is happening to Rugby League is injust and wrong but it won't change unless the clubs, RLHQ and supporters speak out against it ... but ... the silence is deafening!

www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/s ... 66,00.html I don't remember electing Sharon Ewart.

www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/s ... 66,00.html I don't remember electing Sharon Ewart.

Has anyone seen any similar visa rejections in other sports?

I can't recall anything recently. . . .

is it even limited to sport? suppose a doctor or dentist wanted to come over and set up? would we stop them for a traffic offence committed or for doing something regrettable while drunk?