Anybody who wants to discuss the issues please use this thread.

Trolling can be done herehttp://forums.rlfans.com/viewtopic.php?f


For me, while clearly disappointing and more than a bit embarrasing, it isn't a catastrophe.

While the club will get some grief, I hope it isn't disproportionate (from Rovers fans at least, being realistic). Remember that the RFL were also convinced that it'd be sorted in a matter of days to and had quality assurances from a third party that that would be the case.

Well, what will happen next then?

Will Mason pull on a Rovers shirt again, or is he gone for good.

My assumption is that he is gone - but the statement did mention the possibilty of him being re-registered.

And as we speak
In light of the RFL statement issued this afternoon, the club has released the following statement regarding Willie Mason.
Willie Mason has been de-registered with the RFL whilst the passport process is finalised.
For reasons beyond the club/players control this process has not been completed.
We were advised on extremely good authority that Willie would qualify for a Tongan passport when he signed for the club.
This has subsequently been backed up in writing several times and most recently again by a letter personally signed off by the Prime Minister of Tonga which states

Looks like they are going to allow him to talk to other clubs

COMPLETE AND UTTER FARCE

it was done as a clear money making opportunity, most of the realistic fans can see this....

I`m ashamed to be a rovers fan right now.......
after 4/5 goodish years and fairly good progress made on and off the pitch and now we are back to square one...... looking foolish...

not embarrassed at all really, the way I see it we tried to sign one of the biggest players of the last 10 years what with the red tape issues it became a lot harder than it should have been, we then took an opportunity to get him in through an RFL supported loop hole while our no1 playmaker was out injured. He's back fit now and is far more important to how we function as a team rather than big willie who was always a luxury signing. if he moves on as it looks like he will so be it, I'd rather we tried these things as a club to improve rather than sign and put up with mediocrity and I hope it doesn't put us off making big signings in the future just because as it appears this one hasn't come off.

So reading through that statement it would seem that Mason isn't even officially Tongan yet, let alone a Tongan passport holder. Interesting. It would also appear that there may be some truth in the rumours regarding Toulon. I'm quite surprised how accurate some of the rumours flying around recently have turned out to be. I'd dismissed them as too far-fetched.

Seems that nobody is likely to emerge from this with much credit TBH. And as usual it's the fans that get mucked about.

If he doesn't have a tongan passport he will count against Toulon's quota which im guessing they are close or are at capacity with.

now having read the "announcements", it seems to have been the correct approach from an employment point of view, Mason employed as a player on an 'understanding' which went to the very root of the contract, this understanding fell through (for the explained reasons).

the correct course of action for the future (imho) is never employ a player until his 'status' eg nationality, is beyond doubt.

Still...very strange indeed..very poor...and a shame the club looked so foolish!

Just hope Dobbo stays fit or we will look an even bigger bunch of idiots than we do now.

You would think so. However, the RU season is far enough away that they might be prepared to sign him and wait for his passport to come through. What could possibly go wrong with a plan like that?

Their season doesn't again until early autumn. By then he'd expect to have his passport, I guess.

its fool proof!

reading the statement from rovers it seems he could get his tongan passport within a few weeks of this goverment change, in which case toulon will flash some cash and we will be left with egg on our faces and a bunch of flags we have no use for.

Unless there are any willie mason lookalikes out there we could find

We signed him in september and expected Galea to come off/Mason to get his passport to fly through.
I didn't happen that way obviously.
A RU club has been found guilty today of registering more then they are allowed and they are expecting to get hammered for it.
The RFU are a lot harder then the RFL are will they take the risk?