In all forms of tribunal and appeal what is looked at is that those bringing the disciplinary action have followed to the letter the rules that are laid out by themselves or in other cases the senior governing party.
In nearly all cases of appeal any outcome that is overturned will be on the following.

1) any error within the process leading to tribunal, i.e. not following exact protocol or timescales.

2) where precedent has been set i.e another outcome has been given other than those that are laid out within the process.

This where people get confused with Court Law versus HR / Best Practice Laws as each case whilst taken on merit has to be judged within same parameters.

Thus the RFL's description within the laws on DR is actually well described, outlined and issued to all parties, it has been the RFL's setting precedent on not penalising a team previously that seemingly has fallen into the above.

Not knowing all the facts we may well have had other points to raise - but in most incidents like this it is much easier to challenge and win on the grounds of inconsistency as it suggests prejudice / favouritism.

Hence if you ever face an issue at work you just need to hope that at some point that those in charge fail to follow exact structure.

Simples!!!!

whatever the reasons the Club have done extremely well in being confident to pursue..

He sat down...

no response from Mr Churchill yet,wonder why?

Very pleasing outcome and I will mirror the RL in common sense decision shocker

on a drawing pin

As expected, this isn't going to go away any time soon. While it won't affect us in any particular sense now if the points were taken off us again (although if it was changed to a fine that's a different matter) this issue is not yet resolved. To add to the problem, Batley have not just avoided relegation, they have made the play offs so they have a game this weekend. Is the issue going to be resolved before then? I'd be surprised. keighleycougars.com/club-stateme ... ment-89982

As expected, this isn't going to go away any time soon. While it won't affect us in any particular sense now if the points were taken off us again (although if it was changed to a fine that's a different matter) this issue is not yet resolved. To add to the problem, Batley have not just avoided relegation, they have made the play offs so they have a game this weekend. Is the issue going to be resolved before then? I'd be surprised. keighleycougars.com/club-stateme ... ment-89982

Tell a lie; a three point deduction now would see us drop to fifth

It's a shame that the full facts and reasoning behind the tribunal decision haven't been released.

It appears that the precedent was set last season that no points deduction can be made for this breach - but we're still not 100% sure whether there was a breach or not involving the Dons or Batley.

If we were Keighley fans, I'm sure we'd feel hard done to.

The RFL need to issue a statement of clarification on this as quickly as possible.

This whole saga will be swings and roundabouts from now! Keighley seek legal advice and seek an appeal to then for example points are taken off. Dons and batley go appeal as they had conformation they could play the players. Would then get points reinstated and were back to square one

Give us a 1 point deduction, then wait for the explosion from down the M18..

Just get rid of dual reg next season.

https://www.change.org/p/the-rugby-foot ... etitionelp

https://www.change.org/p/the-rugby-foot ... etitionelp

Keighley plan to take action against their relegation:

[urlhttp://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/11470328.Keighley_Cougars_advised_they_have____strong_case____for_a_legal_challenge_against_the_RFL/?ref=rss[/url

He doesn't even know the name of one of the clubs involved, that's as good as his research is!

A quick question, it could be a semantic issue, but what does the word "cheat" imply to you?

To me it implies a deliberate breaking of the rules; it is has never been suggested anywhere that we ever deliberately intended to break the rules, but that we broke the rules due to a misunderstanding/ignorance of the rules. While the end result is essentially the same; to accuse someone of a deliberate action has further implications.

'Cheating' as Gary Fawcett puts it, is when someone knowingly does something
to gain an unfair advantage, which i think the clubs have not done this knowingly.

Also if they hadn't lost as many matches as they did they would still be in the championship next year.

they should have defended better for the last 10 minutes when they were well in front.

They are a fine one to speak when they have one of the biggest cheats to walk on a rugby pitch.
As in my description of cheating above.

Not mentioning any names!

Have the RFL ever revealed who the five clubs were that were charged with breaches in the 2013 season?

I wonder if there were any implications to last year's relegated teams because of it, and whether those teams raised the issue with the RFL?

I have seen the list, I only remember Whitehaven, York and Leigh were in it...can't remember the others.

Can also remember Keighley weren't one of them.

Whitehaven, Workington, York, Leigh, Gateshead. South Wales have also been named as breaching too.

NWC are reportedly being investigated for an illegible loan player this season too...technically a different offense but obviously will be interesting to see if anything happens

Now, maybe I'm trying to over-simplify something that is a touch more complicated than appears but would the answer to this complete debacle be this? :

When a team submits its team sheet to the Match Commissioner, the Match Commissioner should have access to the RFL's register of players. He should then check that all registered players are eligible to play by confirming registrations for loans, transfers, and dual registration have all been received and accepted by the RFL.

In this way, the RFL and all teams can be seen to be working together to ensure nothing like this ever happens again.

The problem can (and should) be stopped before it starts as I'm sure no team wants to fall foul of the rules.

i would have thought that was already being done.

But then the Match Commissioners could be that thick that they don't even understand the rules.

but again TOOOO SIMPLE!

More mayhem on the DR front:

[urlhttp://www.totalrl.com/dual-registration-more-eligibility-woe-for-rfl/[/url

Latest DR Breach news:

[urlhttp://www.totalrl.com/cougars-begin-legal-action-propose-expanded-championship/[/url