Greg Bird, should the RFL have stopped his registration..? : Thu Mar 05, 2009 9:07 am  

Simple as that really, he was denied a Visa into the UK due to the pending court case in Australia. But with the relaxed Visa regulation in France he has managed to sign a season long deal with the Catalan Dragons and will make his debut against Castleford this weekend.

But surely for the sakle of the game the RFL should have denied his playing registration. Its a loophole that i can see many players doing, such as Eastwood and Crocker who were also denied working visas in the uk.

: Thu Mar 05, 2009 9:21 am  

I'm still not sure if he will be allowed into the uk and as for Eastwood and Crocker surely they they would not be able to play for a uk club on a french visa / work permit ,or is it an Eu issue . But i do agree it is wrong in my opinion if this does happen.

: Thu Mar 05, 2009 9:26 am  

captain hotknives wrote:

I'm still not sure if he will be allowed into the uk and as for Eastwood and Crocker surely they they would not be able to play for a uk club on a french visa / work permit ,or is it an Eu issue . But i do agree it is wrong in my opinion if this does happen.

He has signed. Done deal.

He will be ok to enter the UK on a visitors visa as he will only be in and out within a day.

: Thu Mar 05, 2009 9:41 am  

I think that the government here should make a show of him and refuse him entry as it is unfair that he is playing in the competition with Catalans anyway as he had technically signed for Bradford. He should be refused entry into Britain until after his pending court case. Should he be found not guilty fine but until he is proven not guilty or otherwise he shouldn't be allowed here. It's ridiculous that he can be refused a work permit here then just go play for a team in france and then come and play in Britain goes against the whole point of refusing it due to him being a danger to society as he can still come here! Points like this make you see what's wrong with our country.

: Thu Mar 05, 2009 9:42 am  

I new he had signed but but did no know the details of the visa and that he would be allowed in the country under those terms. Do you think we may have issues with feka when is visa expires as it seems saints are now having problems with Meli.

: Thu Mar 05, 2009 9:44 am  

how could they? catalans have done nothing wrong.
if the rfl had said no, catalans would have appelaed and won. european law overides rfl rules surely.

: Thu Mar 05, 2009 9:48 am  

Catalancs wrote:

how could they? catalans have done nothing wrong.
if the rfl had said no, catalans would have appelaed and won. european law overides rfl rules surely.

If the RFL don't want someone in their competition the EU can't force them to hahaha. That's like saying this woman wants to play but the RFL says no so the EU goes "no you must take her" don't be ridiculous haha. Do you think that would work in the FA Premier League? No so it wouldn't with the RFL lol

: Thu Mar 05, 2009 9:54 am  

It's strange that Eastwood was denied a visa for driving convictions. Correct me if I'm wrong. Bird is allowed a visa despite a forthcoming court case for an alleged serious assault.

I guess all you can say is that it's purely down to different entry requirements between France and the UK and them's the rules. I'm not a fan of players from Aus/NZ coming over because they're out of options in the NRL, but I guess that's their job and they'll try and earn wherever they can.

: Thu Mar 05, 2009 9:56 am  

i don't think the rfl should have been allowed to stop him, he still hasn't been convicted. the whole entering the uk thing is a different matter though.

: Thu Mar 05, 2009 9:56 am  

none of them should be denied entry in the first place, they come from a country that was once ours and they have guaranteed jobs, unless they have commited a serious crime (Murder/rape/kiddy fiddling) then what is the problem, look at that poor foriegn bird that was brutally murdered in Scotland by a fellow farm worker who was knopwn to have killed before, how the hell was he allowed in when Crocker is denied for something he did when was younger, takes the mickey really