does it really matter whether macedonian or serbian..he is an aussie using a loophole to play for us..does anybody really think he will use single nationality macedonian or seribian passport? think the aussie one will be the only one ever used !
or i may be wrong!

Well you will have to BE surprised then, coz at the mo he has no job.
And I totally agree with underground, but only because it is actual fact.

Well said

remember that in another 40 years (if were no all dead!!!) when we still haven't beaten the Aussies.
And also all these loophole players are keeping Wakefield/English/British kids out of the first team.
Said it before, say it again, 2 overseas players per club, only the very best. Not only are killing our own development were promoting there own by clearing the nrl of it's deadwood.
Ironically not in the case of James, but largely!!!!!!

I'll more than likely be dead in 40 years. Don't disagree with you but the problem we have is that we don't have enough quality English players to fill 14 SL teams. If you ridgedly only allow 2 overseas players per club all the quality English players will end up with the richer/bigger clubs and we will have little competition unless you lower the salary cap further to ensure that the talent is spread evenly around the competition - but of course the bigger/richer clubs are not going to allow this are they.

Loophole players or whatever you wish to call them have resulted in a more even competition, certainly from our point of view and enabled us, with some good coacking also to finish 5th.

As I have said beating the Aussies in not and never will be on my radar, a successful Wakefield Trinity is.

then the mandate of the rfl to have 14 unsustainable clubs goes against there drive for a) reducing overseas players or b) improving development, you can't have it both ways!!!

Exactly, you have to decide if you want development by restricting or even stopping overseas players leading to a few teams dominating the competition. If you accept that no problem.

I don't think that it's a given that any domination will happen.

Not a given, its an opinion.

I just think that the only way you will get development is to restrict or stop overseas players and have a salary cap like they do in Australian that ensures that the talent/better players are distributed evenly throughout the competition. You will then get an even competition.

In Australia ther arn't a few dominant clubs, the competion is relatively even due to how they operate the Salary Cap. Here we have a few richer/dominant clubs and its not in their interest to have an even competion so they are unlikey to let it happen.

Of course there is EU Law that will allow overseas players with EU Passports to play in Europe - legally I don't believe you can stop that happening whatever you do - it would be restraint of trade.

So in my opinion there will always be "loopholes" and unfortunately to compete with the big boys a club like ours will have to exploit those loopholes - unless I can win the Eoro Millions on a Mega Rollover.

Agree! There would need to be agreement from all/most clubs. Short term the clubs would save money, so that's a carrot to the smaller clubs with "operational" issues presently. A cap on playing squads and a reduction in the salary cap would also be helpful, but as you say the bigger teams would be reluctant at best, but a word of caution to these clubs, the bulls would not have voted for such a change five years ago, but I bet they'd bite your hand off now!! Not all bog clubs bow will be big clubs in five or ten years time, sustainability through development is the success that benefits all.

I dont believe thats true... it is due to the junior ? amateur game being aligned in leagues under an elite professional club...

the Sutherland league covering an area about the smae size and population as wakefield has over 100 structured teams operating and feeding under the sharks... its a constructed production line!

but you don't have the competition of football like we do..there must be 20 teams in a 5 mile area around me who play football and 2 rugby league teams..ruby league and football until under 10 both play on sundays so where do most kids go ? my little un still plays a year out of his age because of this at rl but at under 14 will have to choose rugby or football because again it goes to the same day..