Quota rulings are set to be changed at Monday’s RFL board meeting.
It will see clubs still allowed to sign a total of seven foreign players, but it will adapt the interpretation that allows them to currently sign only five players from Australia and New Zealand.
As it stands, clubs are allowed five ‘overseas’ players and seven ‘non-federation trained’ players. An overseas player is someone who does not hold a European passport or is not a national from a Kolpak Nation (Fiji, Tonga, Samoa & Papua New Guinea).
Meanwhile, a non-federation trained player is a player who was not trained by an RLEF (Rugby League European Federation) member club for three years before the age of 21.
The ruling effectively means every overseas player is also a non-federation trained player, as, other than in exceptional circumstances, an Australian or New Zealander will have spent their youth with a club in their homeland. As a result, it leaves clubs in a position to then sign two further players who have a European passport or a Kolpak national to fill their final two non-federation spots.
However, the new ruling will simplify matters so clubs can now sign seven non-federation trained players without having to worry about their backgrounds or passports.
The proposal has been approved through regulatory meetings and should be signed off at today’s board meeting.
The change in the rules won’t make a great deal of difference to the majority of clubs, but one club that will be affected is Leeds Rhinos.
The Rhinos have spent months trying to finalise a Papua New Guinea passport for Rhyse Martin, which would have taken him off their overseas players’ list and allowed them to sign another NRL player, with them having been strongly linked with Parramatta’s Jay Field.
However, they no longer need to pursue that as the new rulings would see him classed as one of their seven overseas stars under the new rules.
Long-term, the only difference it will make to clubs is that they can now sign seven Australia or New Zealand players without having to worry about passports.
https://www.totalrl.com/rfl-to-revise-quota-rules/
Now to confuse matters. Thomas Leuluai is no longer being listed as "overseas". I wonder if Wigam have obtained some sort of exemption ?
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... 2-21504703
Every Super League club's quota situation assessed ahead of the 2022 season
With the 2021 Super League season beginning to draw towards the business end of the season, clubs will be already thinking about the state of their squads for next year.
The Rugby Football League's regulations in terms of the quota mean that each club can have seven overseas players in their squad at any one time. The RFL simplified the rules at the beginning of this season to afford clubs with more flexibility in the players they can recruit.
Some clubs are already full on their quota for next year, while others still have room to bring in a whole host of overseas players if they wish.
Here is the situation each club finds itself in at present, with confirmed signings and players whose contractual stats have not been determined yet included in their respective team's quota situation.
There are a number of overseas players who are rumoured to have signed for Super League teams in 2022 - for example, Kenny Edwards is expected to move to Castleford on loan from Huddersfield. But until that move is confirmed, for the purposes of clarity here, Edwards remains on Huddersfield's quota.
Castleford Tigers (5): Sosaia Feki, Cheyse Blair, Suaia Matagi, Bureta Faraimo, Jake Mamo
Catalans Dragons (4): Samisoni Langi, Josh Drinkwater, Sam Kasiano, Dean Whare
Huddersfield Giants (5): Chris McQueen, Jack Cogger, Ricky Leutele, Luke Yates, Kenny Edwards
Hull FC (6): Carlos Tuimavave, Chris Satae, Manu Ma'u, Ligi Sao, Mahe Fonua, Josh Reynolds.
Hull KR (7): Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Kane Linnett, Matt Parcell, Albert Vete, Korbin Sims, Brad Takairangi, Lachlan Coote.
Leeds Rhinos (6): Matt Prior, Rhyse Martin, Bodene Thompson, Zane Tetevano, Blake Austin, Aidan Sezer.
Salford Red Devils (6): Krisnan Inu, Pauli Pauli, Elijah Taylor, Brodie Croft, Ken Sio, Ata Hingano.
St Helens (4): Sione Mata'utia, Agnatius Paasi, Will Hopoate, Curtis Sironen
Wakefield Trinity (6): Bill Tupou, Jacob Miller, David Fifita, Tinirau Arona, Kelepi Tanginoa, Mason Lino.
Warrington Wolves (3): Jason Clark, Sitaleki Akauola, Peter Mata'utia
Wigan Warriors (7): Bevan French, Jai Field, Willie Isa, Kaide Ellis, Patrick Mago, Abbas Miski, Mitch Clark
No TL yet he was listed as one this season
Castleford Tigers (6): Peter Mata’utia, Sosaia Feki, Grant Millington, Jesse Sene-Lefao, Cheyse Blair, Suaia Matagi.
Catalans Dragons (5): Samisoni Langi, Israel Folau, James Maloney, Josh Drinkwater, Sam Kasiano.
Huddersfield Giants (7): Aidan Sezer, James Gavet, Kenny Edwards, Chris McQueen, Jack Cogger, Ricky Leutele, Luke Yates.
Hull FC (7): Bureta Faraimo, Carlos Tuimavave, Chris Satae, Manu Ma’u, Ligi Sao, Mahe Fonua, Josh Reynolds.
Hull Kingston Rovers (7): Adam Quinlan, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Kane Linnett, Matt Parcell, Albert Vete, Korbin Sims, Brad Takairangi.
Leeds Rhinos (6): Konrad Hurrell, Rob Lui, Matt Prior, Rhyse Martin, Bodene Thompson, Zane Tetevano.
Leigh Centurions (5): Junior Sa’u, Mark Ioane, Blake Wallace, James Bell, Nathaniel Peteru.
Salford Red Devils (7): Krisnan Inu, Tui Lolohea, Pauli Pauli, Sebastine Ikahihifo, Ken Sio, Elijah Taylor, Darcy Lussick.
St Helens (5): Lachlan Coote, Kevin Naiqama, Joel Thompson, Sione Mata’utia, Agnatius Paasi.
Wakefield Trinity (7): Bill Tupou, Jacob Miller, David Fifita, Tinirau Arona, Adam Tangata, Kelepi Tanginoa, Mason Lino.
Warrington Wolves (6): Blake Austin, Leilani Latu, Jake Mamo, Sitaleki Akauola, Jason Clark, Greg Inglis.
Wigan Warriors (6): Bevan French, Jai Field, Thomas Leuluai, Willie Isa, Mitch Clark, Jackson Hastings.
So we either have to de-register someone just to have Tommy on our books or he (the club) have been given special dispensation so will play 8 overseas and fans wanting more signed
