RECENTLY the RFL eased the criteria for recruiting players from overseas.
At one time, in order to obtain a visa, a player needed to have played a certain number of games in the NRL.
That has now been extended, so that players of 24 or under who have played in the NSW Cup or Queensland Cup will be entitled to play over here, while players who have been selected for junior representative teams will also be entitled to play here.
Inevitably that has led to some British clubs swooping to take advantage of this new situation.
But is it good for our game?
What hasn’t changed is that clubs can still have a maximum of seven players in their overseas quota, but inevitably the quality may decline over time, particularly if we can’t compete financially with the NRL.
I really do wish that we can reduce our reliance on overseas players, some of whom stand in the way of some of our younger British players who are trying to make their way in the game.
It’s almost an addiction and I would like to see us being weaned off overseas players by gradually reducing the quota, perhaps to six in 2026 and then by one every two years until we are at a more reasonable number, which in my view would be two overseas players per club.
That would have two desirable outcomes – it would save a lot of money and it would encourage the production of homegrown talent.
But I imagine I am a voice in the wilderness.
