The Operational Rule that comes into effect states that if found guilty Halifax have to be disqualified from the Challenge Cup and that their most recent opponent (and only the most recent opponent) must be reinstated in their place even if they met in an earlier round.

Although an inconvenience for Batley the tie would have been postponed to prevent Batley becoming the most recent opponent. The Batley game being postponed means that the club that the alleged offence occurred against (Swinton) will be able to be reinstated if Fax are disqualified rather than Batley gaining a bye. The incident however late it was discovered, was discovered before Halifax had played another tie in the cup. To not postpone their tie with Batley would have opened up a can of worms as it would have meant slamming the door on Swinton in terms of the cup whilst virtually assuring Batley a place in the QFs.

Call the game off by all means. I have no problem with that. What I do have a problem with is the failure to spot it before then and without the assistance of a member of the public. That is no way to run a competition what system is in place it would appear there is none.

It's not much of a way to run a professional sports club either.

Presumably the RFL trust their member clubs sufficiently to do their own eligibility checks before every fixture, irrespective of the competition.

Maybe relying on RLFans.com is their system?

All this talk of spreadsheets and live updates to ensure a player isn't illegally played.

A bit of communication to the players stating 'they' are playing illegally if they play for two teams and fine the player in question if they play would stop it instantly I bet!

Maybe its not fair to put the responsibility into the hands of the player as its not that hard is it really but I bet if a player was looking at a £2000 fine if he played illegally this would never happen again.........simples!

Players are entirely responsible for what they put into their bodies, so why not apply a similar position here. The rules on eligibility aren't exactly difficult to follow, even for big daft lads like RL players.

The Player is an idiot for playing for two clubs
The Club are idiots for allowing him to do so
The RFL are idiots for taking so long to realise and postponing a game at short notice and for costing their member clubs money

everyone involved comes out with little credit

and STILL after a WHOLE day the RFL shows it's total lack of teeth in making a DECISION YET AGAIN!!!
















stock is what this game is becoming!!!

Wheres the gonads like the Aussies have?

cheating set of s! hope you get whats coming to you!!!

Cheating my .Incompetence maybe,but cheating,no.Fax would be confident of beating Swinton and Batley without risking an ineligible,quite average player and all the subsequent recriminations of being found out.

Breaking the rules isnt cheating?
Why do fans of so many clubs think that is true

I reckon there is a distinction between breaking the rules with malice of forethought or inadvertently. Pretty clear which category this falls into.