Wolfpack still waiting for Stanley

Toronto Wolfpack centre Chase Stanley has been forced to apply for a new passport to ensure the Super League newcomers do not run into difficulties with their overseas quota.

Super League clubs are permitted a maximum of five players that are classified as overseas, with a maximum of seven players that are not Federation Trained. A Federation Trained player is categorised as someone who has spent three full seasons on the register of an RLEF-affiliated club before he ceases to be eligible for the under-21s.

The RFL has confirmed that the Wolfpack’s five overseas players are Darcy Lussick, Josh McCrone, Sonny Bill Williams, Bodene Thompson and Blake Wallace.

That means Stanley, who ordinarily would count as an overseas player, must return as a Non-Federation Trained (NFT) player in order for Toronto to comply with the cap.

Stanley would therefore have to apply for a different passport to prove he can qualify as NFT as opposed to an overseas player in order to comply with the Kolpak rule, whereby players from certain South Pacific countries are given EU rights equivalent to those of European citizens.

There is not believed to be any hold-up in that regard, but the Wolfpack’s signature of Sonny Bill Williams in the off-season took them to the maximum of five overseas players.

Last week, Wolfpack officials told League Express that they were confident he would be in the country in time for their game against Wigan, but coach Brian McDermott confirmed after the contest that Stanley had still not yet arrived.

Meanwhile, the Wolfpack’s squad depth continues to test them, and they are understood to have had an approach for one of their players from a Super League rival in return for four fringe players to boost their squad numbers.