This was important for the players in question because livelihoods were essentially at stake so well done at least to the RFL for looking after the players who bust a gut for our entertainment in these dire circumstances.

HKR...?

Just hope my own club won't ditch the predominately British set-up that we've had this season and go back to cramming our squad with "exempt from quota" overseas players as circa 2006.

Pretty pathetic. You can already guess which clubs will take advantage of this, purely because it's a loophole, rather than them actually needing those players.

they had somethign like this back in 2000/01 when a certain club in wakefield went into administration, all their overseas players were given 12 month dispension when signing for other teams the following year.

Seems a sensible step to me in assisting those players let down by Crusaders find another club. The other clubs don't have to do anything, no-one is forcing them to sign Crusaders players. If a club ends up with lots of overseas players instead of developing their own then lay the blame squarely and firmly at the door of that club and not the RFL.

I think most understand the need to help the Crusaders players who have been shafted by the club. However, it should not extend beyond the length of their current contracts.

Which would be just daft and would either artificially limit a players potential length of contract with any club to that of their Crusaders contract (which is probably not suitable for either player or club) or we'd have the ridiculous situation of players who were exempt 1 year becoming not exempt the next in the middle of a contract. Either way it puts barriers in the longer term planning for clubs and would make clubs less willing to sign these players.

The RFL's way seems fair and straightforward. As I said if a club has too many overseas players and is neglecting their youngsters then blame that club, not the RFL as some people seem to want to for everything.

If the rfl had not taken this action could the rfl have been liable to pay up the remainder of the players contracts.

What the hell is wrong with you people.

Do your clubs even want our players. These boys have been left in the dark about everything. At least with this ruling they have a chance to get a job. How many of you actually forget that it's a job to these guys.

Oh, how about the fact they haven't been promised to get paid by the end of the year. Would you like to work for 3 months and get paid nothing.

Would Wakeys (for example) overseas players been exempt next year had they lost out as part of the franchising system.
That , in theory, could have happened to Crusaders anyhow.

There's a difference. The Crusaders looked to be all but certain to gain another 3 years. Infact, I believe the players were even told to think so.

Essentially they have all wasted 6 months of being able to find other clubs.

2 questions:

1. Are they still exempt from quota if they sign for a Championship club?

2. Are they exempt from having valid work visas as well?

Thats my view.

This.

I understand why some aren't happy with the ruling, but at the end of the day the players are blameless in all this and leaving them high and dry would help no-one.

My brother made a good point. We're about to lose an expansion club with a few exemptions for a traditional club with none. We're going to have a player shortage. This will actually help.

If any of the dissenting voices lose their gainful employment through no fault of their own, can i reserve the right to beef like f**k about it if someone else offers them work?