My point would be that a club can run itself, inside the rules, how it deems fit. They can announce what they want when they want and it's not up to other clubs to slag them off.

Our games small enough without fighting from within.

with regards to the speculation about james graham,what if there was a clause in the contract when he went to the nrl,that if he returned to england,that saints would have have first dibs on him?

It would be the most pointless clause ever.

would be illegal

No it wouldn't. Saints can still hold his registration and have first refusal on his return to the competition.

It's what stung Bradford in the Iestyn Harris saga and ultimately bankrupted them.

It would be a restraint of trade

How can saint's hold his registration? He was either OOC or had 1 year left.

The same way Leeds held Harris'.

If he has agreed to it, he's signed his own restraint.
This is all speculation, mind. But it can, does and has happened.

Which was? Wasn't Harris sold? Graham released or ooc?

I agree. He's not infallible by any means.

I worry you believe that

Couldn't you say the same about the whole registration system, whereby players are unable to give notice like other fixed-term contracted employees?
Wigan have a deal in place so that if/when Mossup returns from the NRL, they have the option to re-sign him. Or so they claim. Though he's leaving before the end of his contract, not sure if that was the case with Graham.

When Harris left Leeds for RU it was written into the deal and agreed by the Welsh RFU and Harris and his advisors. It was then no longer a restriction of trade because all parties agreed to it

No nothing like that

So what did Leeds sue Bradford for then?

[urlhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyleague/2385154/Leeds-sue-Bulls-over-Harris-deal.html[/url

If you agree to it, you've got to stick to it unless both parties agree. That's what contracts are for.

The law doesn't remain static

As I understand it such clauses are generally unenforceable as being in restraint of trade.

I don't know the deatails of the Harris transfer but I believe that for the clause to be enforceable against Harris there would have to be "consideration" i.e. a payment to the player in return for the selling club having first option on his services if he moved again.

In football, teams can put first option's in there - if a team make a bid for a player, then the team with the option are informed and it is up to them to decide if they want to make an offer too

Didn't hear it myself, but apparently McRea on the radio last night said there's nothing in the rumours regarding Lynch to Castleford!

If he does stay then he needs to work on his play the ball speed. He makes yards and draws in defenders, but these are negated by the time it takes him to stand up and play the ball

Believe that any of these clauses, are written so that if the player / club are in receipt of an offer from another club, then Wigan (in this case) are informed and given the chance to match it. Then its up to the player.

heard it this morning, Mcrae says that hes heard the rumours about Lynchy leaving, all Mcrae said was that Lynchy is contracted to the club for the 2014 season, don`t think that is a clear statement that Lynchy is not leaving the club, we will find out at the end of the season along with any new players due to come in, i`m just hoping for some quality

Do you know of a change in the law?

Consideration could just have been him being allowed to leave his contract early with Leeds to go to union (and get paid a lot more).