So in point 2) he's basicly admitting that playing FC was rovers cup final for the last 4-5 years



3) Signing the "biggest overseas signing in the history of SL" was a gamble they didn't have to take, is he saying they didnt need to Gamble (given the circumstances of his arival and the Tongan or not Tongan saga I'd say that was unlikely)or they didn't actually need/have to sign Mason?

And given 4) Rovers have applied for various dispensations (Stanley Gene, Lovegrove, the Mason/Dobson Hokey Cokey etc ) over the last few years to whine about being unjustly bagged for overseas players is somewhat taking the mick, especially when he measures it against local (presumably Hull born) players rather than UK born players in a single game. A better measure would be Brit v Brit and over the course of a season rather than one game that could provide a skewed view to project a certain agenda. Although I'm sure that was totally unintentional.

What does he earn BR? With the exchange rate he could get over £130,000 in the NRL and if he proves himself he could get a massive deal in 2013.

The bagging for overseas players may not be truely unjust, but certain other teams being seemingly completely overlooked for criticism is a bit unjust.
The Wigan team that won the comp last year had 8 o/seas players, I think your good selves are now running at 7 and that is coming from a team that once bragged about how much home grown talent they had.

I would just hate for him to go back down under and become an unknown and put on the back burner Dobbo knows how important he is to us and would hope he stays to at least see his last year out, his form hasn't Been great and as Br said he's lost out on a few things this season, I don't think money would be an issue with kr I've heard he is on a million pound contract for next three seasons

I wud be gutted if he went but also pleased for him.

The NRL is going to be the more lucrative option with their salary cap increase and I have no doubt given the chance he will shine but that is the thing, how long do NRL clubs give players to shine when they can go out and attract top youngsters at a fraction of the cost who will grow in to that role and possibly become a life long member of that club.

The problem Dobson has is he has tried twice at Canberra and not really done anything so by going back and quite possibly doing the same will do him no good what so ever. I would wish him all the best and hope Rovers would leave the door open for his return as long as we could financially afford him back but I honestly can see nothing other than a new 3yr deal here at HKR.

Don;t suppose we know what he earns but I would assume he's our biggest earner which would presumably put him on the £140 mark.

Why would he fail? When he was at Canberra before he was part of a inexperienced half back pairing, he's not inexperienced anymore and his organising skills have improved.

Gareth Widdop's just signed a deal worth reportedly $200,000 (£130,000) after half a season in the NRL, 7's are worth more than 6's right now.

Who knows if he would fail some players and not saying Dobbo is one of them make it big in super league but not in nrl sum players make it big in nrl but are a flop in sl I think the nrl is a much tougher game than sl, ur right he has more experience than before, I just dont want him to go

If he's on that now, id expect at least another 20k on top if he re-signs

They also had around a dozen players who had come through their own academy.

Yep, he's twenty nine, approaching his peak. If I were him I'd go now irrespective of the money, couple of years with the right team in the NRL and then he'll be able to name his price.

I really want him to stay, but you can't fault his ambition and he owes us nothing. He's also going about things in a completely up front and professional manner, if he does go, he'll go with the best wishes of the vast majority of fans, only the utter gormclopi would have a problem.

Who, Dobbo !! thought he was 24 ish

He's twenty five, god knows what I was doing there?

Maybe they did but it still doesn't take away from the fact that they 'flouted' the rules in a similar manner to what we are accused. It could be said it is even more inexcusable that they would rather have 8 o/seas players rather than play more of the academy players they have.

Fair play to Dobson. I can see an argument for him doing one more year and going back as the expanding NRL is at its hungriest for talent, but equally if there are good offers on the table now it'd be daft not to think seriously about them. If the NRL is where he sees his future (and who could blame him?), he shouldn't wait beyond 2013. My Tommy Lee riff could be about to go from phlegmatic realism to desperate pleading to the heavens.


The rest seems reasonable enough. Now things are a bit calmer and happier, perhaps we'll get a video update on HullKRtv - hope they haven't gone the way of Phil-Back.

They have 8 this year but i don't think any have been given special dispensation in the way Rovers players have. Although the RFL's own rules on overseas coaches was broken when they got McGuire.

There's a rule for overseas coaches?

I don't know the RFL rules, but I saw something regarding Salford's new coach needing special permission from UKBA as he is only an assistant in the NRL - can't remember the details but that is roughly right.

Something to do with having to have held a head coach job elsewhere.

Just looked it up and Gentle, the new coach at Salford, is okay for a work permit at least, as he has 'ancestral links' here (Manc Evening News).

Maybe not, certainly in a Mason type way but do we have any like that anymore? I just thinkWigan who are held up as the club who has all this wealth of homegrown talent shouldn't need to have 8 o/seas players or at least should get an equal amount of criticism to what we get.

Lovegrove counts as club-trained due to a dispensation - though he only just missed out on qualifying legitimately. Gene pushed the rfl on one of the steps of their back track, but that went universal pretty swiftly.

He is staying at least 2 more years

Nice one Hudge, good work to get him signed up before his agent has arrived in the country.

Have you had to increase his wages much?,,,,,,