To paraphrase the actor Michael Caine, "not a lot of people know this!" But the North-West Men's League is trialing the use of dual-registered players in their competition this season.
Dual-registered players are those who are on a professional club's books but who, through agreement between the two clubs are also being permitted to play for their amateur club when the professional team has no game for them!
Now that all seems to make sense, especially when we want more people to play the good sport of Rugby League and not to be tempted to other sports or even past-times. But dual-registration raised so many hackles around this time in 2016 when the Kingstone Press National Conference League attempted to get the system introduced. Then the proposal failed because it could not achieve the required two thirds majority to adopt the capability.
It wasn't so much that the clubs were dead against it, in fact the majority were very much for it, especially if they could have a couple of their former players back to play for them instead of twiddling their thumbs awaiting a playing opportunity with their professional clubs in the Championship and League 1. But those clubs who wouldn't have benefitted from returning players effectively vetoed the move by voting against it.
It was a disappointing outcome to the NCL Management who had recommended the move and the Rugby Football League who were keen to give playing opportunities to a large number of players who sign for professional clubs outside of Super League only to find they no longer have a regular plying opportunity.
The rules that were proposed then, were to limit the number of dual registered players per club and only to permit the dual-registered players to return to the amateur club from whence they signed. It was hoped that if the NCL adopted the rule then it would be a shoe in for all other Leagues. But that didn’t happen.
Yet that didn’t stop the NW Men's League from pursuing the idea, and at the meeting of February 2017, the NWML voted narrowly to accept the dual-registration proposals, and align themselves with the status of all other Regional Leagues including the big ones in Cumbria and Yorkshire.
But the NWML Chairman, Stuart Prior explains why it was suddenly accepted and why he had a complete change of heart in taking it forward when almost 12 months ago he was strongly against it!
"Personal circumstances," he says unequivocally.
"My son, Joe Prior signed from St. Patrick's for Coventry Bears, and after watching a number of games, I realized that the standard of the competition in the semi-professional League 1, was nowhere near as good as that of the NCL Premier and First Divisions. In fact, it would probably not be as good as the NWML Premier Division top clubs can produce.
"It was so disappointing, but it made me realise that all those fears clubs had about dual-registered players coming into the amateur competition, and then swaying results because they were of a much higher standard, were unfounded. And on top of that it wasn’t the very best players from the semi-pro comp that would be getting the dual-registered ticket, but those who could command a regular first team spot.
"Sadly, there are a good number of these standard of players, and they need to be welcomed back into our game and our clubs. They will come with the benefit of experience and have played against some better clubs at times such as when partaking in the Challenge Cup, but in essence they are the same players that had been with their amateur clubs and enjoying their time there.
"With this knowledge, I put it to the NWML clubs and with only a couple of votes more than the opposition, we were able to carry forward the motion since the NWML needs only a straight majority of those present to carry forward a change.
"But it was a momentous moment and we are now trailing this to see how it works. We are watching the results and the playing registers and looking to see if we are getting any strange results that really do turn the form book upside down and in which a dual-registered player is playing. And so far, we have not had any problems.
"In fact, there are not that many clubs taking advantage of this opportunity, and that is up to them, and with all the games that are being played we have had just one complaint to deal with, and that complaint was proved to be unfounded."
For clubs in the North West area it is certainly a rule that if it was adopted in the NCL, would benefit all the teams who provide numerous players to the professional ranks at all levels, but of which not all are as successful as they would have hoped. Plus, the dual-registration is not going to see players such as Sam Tomkins working his way back to fitness.
Again, Stuart Prior has some encouragement for those clubs who are still not taking advantage of the trial to bring numbers to their clubs and ensure they can complete fixtures when the holiday period is upon us.
"It can only work if both the semi-pro and amateur club agree with the player that they will dual-register," adds Stuart.
"They can only go back to the club from which they sign, and this is what happened in the case of my son, Joe who can play for St. Patricks’ 'A' team when Coventry don't require him. Joe has always trained once a week with St. Pats, and the other occasion at Coventry because of the travelling, but because of this it helps him keep his links with his playing pals and the club.
"On occasion, Joe has been available, but the St. Pats second team coach Chris Whitely, has had sufficient numbers available, and he has kept faith with the lads that are available every week. But when he has been down on numbers, a dual-reg player can help get the game played and ensure that the rest of the lads have a full team to play with.
"To me that is a very realistic way to deal with it, but unfortunately too many coaches are not being realistic and they are starting to think that the influence of some of these players will outweigh that of their own key players. We are not taking Under 19's players from Super League clubs here, but Championship and League 1 players who are not getting a game.
"The whole point of this is that we want people to play the sport of Rugby League, and we want to provide as much opportunity for everybody by having as many teams for them to play in as possible.
"So far it seems to be working well, but the decision will be ratified or otherwise at the end of the season. It was a narrow 26-24 majority last time, but if it works well and is monitored properly then I would hope that is a much larger majority next time."
Trevor Hunt, Chairman
