As I understood it the finnegan thing was classed as a special case because his family had emigrated to Australia when he was a boy where he'd played some of his rugby between 16-21 but then his family came back when he was in his late teens so he came with them. he'd not spent quite 3 years playing u21 in this country.
I was under the impression that a few European passport means you dont class as overseas but are still non-federation trained- the emphasis on trained- players who haven't played three years of rugby between the ages of 16-21 for clubs in countries that are part of the European federation are classed as non-federation trained -regardless of what passport they hold. The only exceptions are for players who were already playing in SL before the rule came in. Not aware that's changed.

I believe that is what the RFL tried to offer Finnegan, but he felt it restricted his options to find a new club so went ahead with his case and won. If you think about it he is British born in this country, nobody has the right to discriminate against him by denying him the right to certain jobs. His circumstances are rare, but while in the European union what applies to Britons applies to all European citizens and so an Aussie with an Italian Grandparent can evade the rule, which is still in place.

There may be a subtlety in there I haven't quite grasped, but that is how I understood it when explained to me. It is also a while ago so my memory may have simplified it.

Hes out of contract end of next year and has sorted out his future beforhand, hes still seeing out his contract with us and is still committed to us, if he didnt want to be here he would have left by now !!

Brearley has insisted for ages Wardle doesn't want to be here and can't wait to get out, god knows why or where he's got this from. Can't blame a young fella sorting his future out. Obviously the club are ok with him doing this, presuming it has happened, or they wouldn't have let him do it until he 'officially' could.

An Italian with an Italian passport or an Aussie with an Italian passport are not classed as overseas- but surely they are both still classed as non-fed trained. Otherwise why have the non-fed trained rule- there would be no need for it as just about all quota players will be non-fed trained players anyway. The non-fed trained rule was brought in to prevent the loophole that was being exploited in the way you suggest. Some Australian/New Zealandwr who had never set foot in Europe getting a German/French/British passport due to a grandparent lineage. I don't see how the nonfed rule is needed if it doesn't apply to EU and Kolpak members.
There is no rule preventing the player getting a contract to play in SL - the rule is About the playing roster held by a club.

Which was the whole point of Finnegans case, if a club is choosing between two potential signings whom are otherwise equal then almost always they would choose the one that gives them more flexibility. The rule as applied was unfair to a Uk citizen (Finnegan).

Simon Finnegan won his case, rather than admit they were wrong the RFL kept the rule but changed Fed Trained status, if you are British/European you are deemed to have it. Fed trained now only applies to a tiny number of people who may have done the opposite of Finnegan e.g. Born in Australia, moved here as a child and lived here ever since.

The RFL documentation states the following definition:
(b) „Federation Trained Player‟: a player who, for any 3 full Seasons efore the end of the Season in which he ceases to be eligible by age to play at Under 21 level has been on one of the Club‟s register or the register of another Club being a member of the same rugby league Federation. For the avoidance of doubt if a player moves from one Club‟s register to another Club‟s register and there is a period of no more than 28 days in the Season (as defined) and any amount of the period between the 1 December and the day of the first League Match, Representative Match or Cup Tie (whichever is sooner) between being removed from one register and being registered with another Club, consecutively shall not be broken for the purposes of this clause. In addition a Club may apply for a Player who has been granted New Talent Pool status by the RSCM (see E1:5.12 below) to be granted Federation Trained status.

That ruling as I read it says the player must have been on the playing roster of a federation club.
I can't see anything about EU nationals being exempt in the documentation on the RFL website- do you have a link to the ruling?

wardles form for us says it all.

been wanting out for ages not happy with his salary at the giants.

the club do right to try get a swap deal out of him

Forced into a position that isn't his best by a coach who didn't know where to play anyone says it all

Wardle hit form when he went back to centre and Stone came on the scene

My thoughts exactly

I can't believe I'm the only person on this board that thinks Roberts would make a very good , I'm not saying that he won't make a very good back row, but if Wardle is going to be leaving us next season, It's the perfect time to start grooming Roberts.

There must be quite a few on here who can remember the Big strong s like Fox and Newlove etc to mention just a couple, and how devastating they could be, What about you Crackerjack, and since 1961, surely you would like to see another big fella like Meninga,
I think Roberts has the potential to be a good one

well it was welcomed a return to form after nothing for past two seasons from him.

if he stays then fair enough as it could solve who plays centre for us next season on the left

if he goes then happy days and we can have murphy, wood, mcintosh or gaskell there

Is that your opinion or has it come form Joe himself, as far as i am aware from my communications with people in the club no one else seems to think there is a problem yet you have insisted for ages now that he is !.

I know Roberts has played a little at centre for Ireland and maybe Oldham on dual reg? The lad has potential that's for sure, Centre is certainly a position where we don't have much depth, but even when we were short we played Murphy/Connor/Bruno there before him. Suppose it depends on where Oki wants to play too.

Would be nice to see Sam Wood or Jacob Wardle get some game time there if form warrants.

Yeah fair comment, Maybe the days of the big are over.