Yes they do. To be qualified they have to demonstrate that they can blow mucous from their nose on to the playing field, with only one finger on one nostril at a time, while being televised nationally.

No, he's welcome to go and earn an honest wage doing something other than professional sportsman.

I don't think players should be banned by the governing body in these cases. It's up to whatever club signs him to justify their decision to their fans and sponsors and weigh up any hit against their reputation.

I don't think governing bodies should moralise, otherwise where do we draw the line on what should be accepted and not? For instance what about drink driving or speeding?

Whilst I'm disgusted by the crimes and I wouldn't want Blake Ferguson at my club it's up to the club's not the governing body in my view.

Not disagreeing with you, but it is a very tricky area to deal with.

On one hand, the Roosters may believe that he is worth a punt and is the final piece of their 2015 challenge for honours.

On the other hand, you have an organisation that annually has a "women in League" round, where the clubs wear specially produced shirts to show the level of appreciation there is for the unsung female heroes in our game. The kit washing, taxi service mums who make sandwiches, organise raffles and generally support the men in league for little recognition. Do they say, Thanks to these women, but we're going to let a convicted indecent assaulter of a woman play in the sport because he's good at the game?

No player or club is bigger than the game. He's had his chance(sssss)...let him go. The game doesn't need him

In this case (and the Carney one) so much is focused on how good the player is?

Question, if the player was average and MIGHT get in the Catalans team at a push or be a fringe player who'd be ok at best would people say he should be given a chance?

His ability/skill level shouldn't actually come in to it at all. I wonder what the fake-French-thread starting ponce would say if English teams could sign him but French law ruled him out of singing for Catalans?

Yep I agree with all that. I just think it means the governing body is deciding on moral issues in a subjective fashion.
There are plenty of RL players at all levels of the game and some in both SL and NRL who have violence-related convictions. If we ban all of them the next step is probably drink-driving or recreational drug use.

As for the women in league round I wouldn't say that the NRL would have a case to answer, I'd say the Roosters would have to justify to their female fans and to their sponsors why they've a convicted indecent assaulter playing for their club, interacting with female fans and representing the club.

I just think we're going further and further, both here and in Australia, down a path where everything is up to and decided by the governing body and so thereby the fault of the governing body when something goes wrong. And I don't think that's healthy for the sport. I think clubs have steadily absolved (or tried to) themselves of responsibility in numerous areas from junior development to finances, to marketing, to attendances etc to the point where now if a club broke the salary cap or played an ineligible player there would probably be more focus on why the RFL or NRL didn't pick it up and stop them than on the club.

I think governing bodies shouldn't take on more than is necessary because they're always underfunded and will always annoy half the people with whatever decision they make. Plus there are plenty of other areas that require attention that they could use their time and money on.

This is a direct result of opening the Pandora's box of "government interference in family".....ie, you can't smack your kids resulting in a generation of kids growing up with no respect for themselves, the law or anything else.
An entirely different thread!
Back to Fergie.......he's had his chance, he's blown it. Move along here, nothing to see other than an inane grin on a pseudo French internet nuisance.

The governing body sometimes has to step in because clubs have consistently shown a complete inability to think beyond the short-term aim of winning games next season.

The NRL has shown with the massive fine its hit Gallen with and other actions that it is taking a much harder line with players than it has in the past. They're doing it because too many NRL players get up to gross and/or criminal activity, only to get away with it because their club (or another one) needs them.

Every close season since I've been in Aus its only been a matter of time before we hear about assaults, public drunkeness or worse amongst NRL players. The game has a dire image in the press and amongst the general public because of it.

I have no problem with a couple of high profile idiots to be frozen out of the game if that's what it takes to get the message across to all players that such rubbish won't be tolerated.

The governing body sometimes has to step in because clubs have consistently shown a complete inability to think beyond the short-term aim of winning games next season.

The NRL has shown with the massive fine its hit Gallen with and other actions that it is taking a much harder line with players than it has in the past. They're doing it because too many NRL players get up to gross and/or criminal activity, only to get away with it because their club (or another one) needs them.

Every close season since I've been in Aus its only been a matter of time before we hear about assaults, public drunkeness or worse amongst NRL players. The game has a dire image in the press and amongst the general public because of it.

I have no problem with a couple of high profile idiots to be frozen out of the game if that's what it takes to get the message across to all players that such rubbish won't be tolerated.

Agreed.

We are in the business of selling elite entertainment - the relative skill of an individual is pretty important in that proposition.

I don't share the view that Ferguson is a world beater that some on here are touting - people are quick to moralise and equally quick to forget - he would not have anywhere near the impact the likes of Monaghan, Bird etc have had.

You appear to be unfamiliar with the modus operandi of 'Monsieur' Jean Capdouze ...