I've long said that the reduction in the overseas quota was detrimental to the game in this country. Even more so when the RFL slashed the allowed numbers while at the same time increasing the number of teams in SL.

It's been this long standing argument that some how the overseas players playing in SL were stopping GB competing in the international arena. Which quite frankly is crap. We've been cutting the overseas quota year on year and we're still no better, an an argument could be made that we've gone backwards, at beating the Aussies.

Rovers are only 100k below.

Is that a little flexibility so you can bend the rules again
baldy out prop in, prop out........

I make it that the clubs have the following number of "foreign" players:
Bradford - 6
Castleford - 5
Catalans - 8
Huddersfield - 4
Hull FC - 6
Hull KR - 9
Leeds - 5
London - 10
Salford - 4
St Helens - 7
Wakefield - 5
Widnes - 7
Wigan - 4

Which adds up to 80. Now no doubt Salford might have had a couple more in with the new owner but from what I remember from previous years that's a drop of around 10-15. The non-fed trained rules have obviously had an effect (and will continue to bite over the next few years as those with exemptions retire/go back to Aus) but I don't think it's such a cut in numbers as to worry about, there is still plenty of scope for clubs to sign overseas players.
There has also been a big shift recently in 4 other major factors. The Border Agency stance on Visas, HMRC's stance on image rights and EBT's, the NRL salary cap and the exchange rate. All of these, rather than any rule the RFL has brought in, have drastically reduced a SL clubs ability to sign a top NRL player. Which is why we are seeing more average overseas signings and younger NRL players (like Achurch or Gelling) trying to prove themselves here. So whilst these factors are against SL it's probably a good thing there is an additional rule in place restricting overseas signings (the non-fed trained rule) rather than just the easy to get around Overseas Quota.
I think I'd also be in favour of some kind of marquee signing exemption but make it they have to have come from either Union or the NRL so clubs can't use it to sign players from each other.

So arguably the 3 of the most successful teams in recent years (Wigan, Warrington and Leeds) Have the least over seas players...

The lack of over seas players is making the league dour? But the best teams have amongst the fewest? Kind of conflicts?

Saddy, i can't believe this post.
Some clubs still have 8 or 9 overseas players, is that not enough ?
Do you really want more Brett Seymour's ?
FFS, what is wrong creating more opportunities for home grown players and trying to produce your own superstars, which in turn helps the National side.
English RL needs to lose this infatuation with overseas players.
As an Aussie myself, i am far more interested in watching Tom Lineham & Kallum Watkins than some 3rd rate Aussie/Kiwi.

None of those overseas players presently here are mentioned in my post, the criteria i want is origin level etc

Instead of spending millions on overseas stars we should be investing in youth, keeping our own stars and raiding Union. Which we did to some success in the 80/90's.

I agree we need some exemptions. Not sure it would work as you suggest though...how would you keep Tomkins under that system? Sell him to Union then buy him back?

Raiding Union would cost just as many millions unfortuately.

True, but at least they'd be able to represent the international sides.

Raising the salary cap on its own won't help. The currency exchange will see to that.

There are going to be plenty of opportunities for English players to play with the best in the world.They will pay in NRL.

So if you have say "international players don't count to the cap" all that happens is Leeds & Wigan buy the best players and we are back to the same pre-Superleague debacle

The BIGGEST single block to signing marquee players from Aus is the refusal of Aus, SOO and now Kiwi selectors to pick Super League players for internationals, any player worth his salt wouldn't want to risk that

Players like Lyons and Monaghan only came to SL cos they got sacked...