In a nutshell, my love. I'm gonna keep this for sig. material. You're marvellous. And quite right. There's no hypothetical jumping to conclusions there. It's all fact, though hard to believe.

I was actually looking forward to see him play in the derby.

We would prefer to see Dobson

I think comparisons with the Sonny Bill Williams transfer fee are way off the mark as it is highly unlikely Toulon would pay a fee for Mason. Rovers are paying Mason and he cannot play at the moment and there is a big question mark as to whether he will be able to play again this season now.

From Toulon's perspective, why would you offer a fee? If Mason wants to leave, Rovers have a player that doesn't want to be here, is costing a lot of money and can't play anyway!

I don't think anyone comes out of this whole fiasco with any credit. Rovers, Mason, RFL, Toulon and the Tongan government.

The worst case is that Toulon don't take Mason now.

A great shame really, the whole thing.

Im an FC fan and have great sympathy for you rovers fans, after all we too know what its like to have embarrassing things happen at our club! After all our biggest one is still there!!! It always seems like the boards of both Hull clubs just take the fans and more importantly their monies for granted. Are all the fans who bought Mason merchandise going to be reimbursed? For the record i think Mason would have been a great player in a Dobson led team but as the whole fiasco turned out Dobson is a far, far greater miss in your team than he would ever be for you guys. Lets hope that both our clubs can put up a great performance for both sets of our suffering fans today and whoever win,loses or draws all walk away having enjoyed the match and share a few pints together.

Reading todays HDM it seems Mason is not happy with Rovers, not sure why, it may be a while be a while before we find out?

Short term this doesn't look good for Rovers, but long term this will benefit you, it is obvious he was just here for the money, I would rather see a player like Scott Taylor get some gametime than this big time Charlie.

rlhttp://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/sport/HULL-KR-Mason-set-whimper/article-3479200-detail/article.htmlrl
Mason's "furious" and won't play for Rovers again. So it says.

It seems very apparent that Rovers have been financially spanked from this deal. The other sad thing is that with a rugby union move looking the most likely for Mason, its another top player moving to the dark side with the gin and tonic brigade smirking at us league boys again! Rugby league at the moment is a complete farce. Appalling standards of refereeing with no consistency of sticking to the same set of rules and with sneaky wretches like hudgell as chairmen bending the rules looking for loopholes to blight our game it is making RFL a laughing stock.

Its a bit of a nothing article though isn't it? No quotes, just speculation and un-named "friends" saying he's not happy. Does the Mail have O'Meeley on speed dial?

Can't believe I didn't work that one out. Well done James Smailes.

On a more serious point, are Rovers restraining Mason's trade here? He is a RL player, fit and available to play and presumably wants to play. Rovers will not re-register him, we are told. Unless he is made a free agent, therefore, Rovers would be preventing from playing in SL, which he has come round the world specifically to do.

No doubt Hudge will be drawing up yet another "confidentiality" agreement for Willie to sign.....doubt he will adhere though and it wont be long before he speaks some un-palatable truths about the way Rovers is run...

Rovers are only reaping what they have sown in this affair and it could hurt them in the future , unless silly contracts are handed out top level internationals are going to be wary about setting foot in East Hull, (not that Morgan could get many of these anyway) and i know many dont agree but building a side around a second grade Aussie scrum half who cannot tackle will never win us any trophies...a few more years bobbing about the mid table for Rovers...can or will the current board see that out...????

True enough - even now it is just a bit of fun, nothing to take too seriously. There are plenty more passionate than me - in [isome[/i cases that can [isometimes[/i be at the expense of perspective, IMO.



My opinion is that signing Galea and Mason without either a Maltese or Tongan passport confirmed/received was (without the benefit of hindsight), a smallish risk - but of a biggish hazard. For both passports to fall through - especially the way the Tongan one has, would be difficult to anticipate. For all the 'told you so's' that will likely be flying about - that was mainly about not getting a visa due to weeing in the street or the betting scandal. The intricacies (sp?) of Tongan politics are beyond most - that was the risk, of course.

Since then every decision seems to have been sensible, based on the assurances that we know were made. Perhaps the triumphal tone of the unveiling was unwise - again with hindsight. And my suspicion is that the club maybe jumped the gun on anticipating that the RFL would accept a prime minister's letter in lieu of a passport, creating the excitement (and subsequent disappointment) around the famous announcement. And were blindsided by the Toulon rumours.

Once bitten, twice shy and I'd want more caution next time - but I've thought the board made the best judgements they could at the times they were made, so I won't be calling for blood because it didn't work out. Stuff happens - you learn and move on.

Hull fans are well within their rights to lap this up (on the other thread!), but it'd be unwise for Rovers fans to buy into that 'analysis' - IMO.