A W O L

[Panchitta Marra]

Yeah Billy, I think you're right and £300,000 (or Dollars ?) rings a bell.

I'd imagine Diamond has been playing the "wild card" with this "retirement from League" thing, after all what would happen to him (or any player) if he later wanted to return to rugby league, as a good few already have done, in both the Uk and Australia ?

Be interesting to see what the legal implications of this would be - any lawyers on here ?

Maybe the NRL weren't quick enough on the uptake to suggest Sam was retiring from Yawnion.
The two Aussies going to American football probably won't be questioned as it's a totally different sport, but so is Yawnion to league. I see this scenario as difficult to defend against and maybe players contracts have to be now directed towards protection against retirement and reinstatement into another sport. Where I work, to move between contractors there is a period where the employee has to be away from site for a number of weeks before he/she can restart for another company. This is just a simple control to try and deflect moves and maybe the RFL has to look at secure player contract option wording.

Whichever way it's looked upon, as a non legal person, I'd say it's a fundamental breach of Employment Law. To make it up that you want to retire, any good Barrister will put it if that's what you wanted, you should only have signed a ONE YEAR contract.

I don't think the Courts would look favourably upon those inducing others to break their contract of employment either, whether retirement from the sport is an issue, or not. And most likely, NOT, because the contract is with the Club (Cas in this case), and NOT the sport.

It will be interesting to see how it fully unfolds NF.

[thegimble]

If Sale get away with this, the RFL should offer Josh Charnley a huge bung to 'retire' from Rugby Union to get him back into our game.

No not Josh they should say have no limit on a union player coming over to league on the cap. Josh is not that important to Union atm. Say get an offer of over a million from Wire or Salford for Owen Farrell or someone of importance.

If Sale get away with this then we need to hit them where it hurts them.

[DaveO]

If Sale get away with this, the RFL should offer Josh Charnley a huge bung to 'retire' from Rugby Union to get him back into our game.

No not Josh they should say have no limit on a union player coming over to league on the cap. Josh is not that important to Union atm. Say get an offer of over a million from Wire or Salford for Owen Farrell or someone of importance.

If Sale get away with this then we need to hit them where it hurts them.

I doubt Owen Farrell would be interested but a player of lesser importance would do. They need their good players as well as their marquee players and one of them just walking out would make the point it is not in RU's interests to weaken player contracts.

I really hope this goes to court because it is blindingly obvious his "retirement" is just a ruse to break his contract.

Furthermore Sales comments could be interpreted as them endorsing this mechanism to break the contract and a court may even conclude they suggested it!

If there is any justice it ought to cost Sale and Solomona a small fortune.

[fozzieskem]

I think Dave is right the sport has to fight fire with fire,but with the cap getting in the way of doing this I'm not so sure of how RL could do it.

[Wigan_forever1985]

Its a bit of a landmark moment for the sport 3 players have just walked away from clubs and if all 3 get away with it then that's all she wrote for the SuperLeague

The most important one is Dennys case because as stated above Sale have played their hand and almost said "why cant we do this?" and if no one says they cant - then why would anyone pay a transfer fee for a player again. Union can offer inflated wages even at the bottom end for top end league players, experiments will become a lot more viable and sellable to boards of RU clubs

[thegimble]

I doubt Owen Farrell would be interested but a player of lesser importance would do. They need their good players as well as their marquee players and one of them just walking out would make the point it is not in RU's interests to weaken player contracts.

The suggestion was a what if scenario. Imagine if RL would weaken the England union side by taking from them players. Its the cap that is stopping one or 2 clubs from doing this. Apart from Saracens union clubs are not that rich compared to say the Warrington owner or even Salford's.

If Sale get away with it RL has to end the cap immediately or at least get it in a manner which lets us fight them on an equal footing for their better players.

[Wigan_forever1985]

Sale have apparently registered Denny

[morley pie eater]

I doubt Owen Farrell would be interested but a player of lesser importance would do. They need their good players as well as their marquee players and one of them just walking out would make the point it is not in RU's interests to weaken player contracts.

The suggestion was a what if scenario. Imagine if RL would weaken the England union side by taking from them players. Its the cap that is stopping one or 2 clubs from doing this. Apart from Saracens union clubs are not that rich compared to say the Warrington owner or even Salford's.

If Sale get away with it RL has to end the cap immediately or at least get it in a manner which lets us fight them on an equal footing for their better players.

The union salary cap is £6.5 million and will rise to £7 million next year. Their average player will be on more than 3 times what an average league player can expect.

Anyone in or with hopes of being in the England rah-rah team would be out of our reach. Even if a club owner was willing to pay a quarter of a million for an average union player, with no guarantee he'd even be average in league, what would be the point? It would hardly have the RU top brass needing to change their Y-fronts.

[FWarrior]

Those supporting the RFL complaint are simply endorsing double standards. Not one fan, nor the RFL complained or attempted to stop top union players such as Davies leaving another sport to play rugby league. Morley Pie Eater is correct. NO England RU international or anyone on the verge are going to give up the far superior salary on offer in Union. The one alternative is to scrap the salary cap. WE certainly need to stop with the hypocrisy.

[shaunedwardsfanclub]

Those supporting the RFL complaint are simply endorsing double standards. Not one fan, nor the RFL complained or attempted to stop top union players such as Davies leaving another sport to play rugby league. Morley Pie Eater is correct. NO England RU international or anyone on the verge are going to give up the far superior salary on offer in Union. The one alternative is to scrap the salary cap. WE certainly need to stop with the hypocrisy.

You are correct FW we need to stop bleating about something we introduced and take action to try and nullify the threat. Then again the RFL may bury its head in the sand again.