Why?

The club hasn't been found guilty of anything yet. It's just the players. If we assume that the club is innocent in all of this, why should the fans suffer for six players who didn't fill out their forms correctly?

Because as an employer it is your legal duty to ensure that those you employ are eligible to work in this country. There is no room for doubt - the Home Office website shows exactly what the qualifying criteria are - I don't think there can be any doubt at all - the club are guilty.

are we surprised our scouse readers don't understand the world of work

Its all a big fuss over nothing. The RFL will throw more money at them so they survive. There is no way they will let them fail.

Of course there is room for doubt. There is always room for doubt.

If the players lied on their forms, that alone creates room for doubt. We do not know what they did to attract the punishment they have been given.

If the club are found guilty of anything they'll probably just get docked the usual 2 points. Now if they are unfortunate enough to go into administration they'll have the book thrown at em (probably not in a Rochdale way but in a London way if you get me). They come out of it ok either way.

Am sure this broke, about a month ago, in RL press & on RL radio hour(2)
I think it was the terms of employment....they were employed by some company and were playing RL as a hobby...this was a couple of yrs ago..iirc or maybe not

If this is true SS, then I think the club do have to pay the price. At first I was thinking that perhaps the players should take some responsibility, but if the club was complicit in blatant misdeclaration to obtain visas then they should be punished.

That was mentioned but was it the reason for the deportations? The story was in connection with their finances, not visas, so the two may not be connected at all.

I think the RFL is correct not to comment YET.

Lets wait and see why the visas are incorrect, what changed from the previous 2 years for the likes of Van Dyke.

As for not having a stadium, neither do we, Wigan, Hull FC etc.

The Welsh game at grass roots has grown, as it has in london and the professional clubs help this happen.

If they are being paid by another employer then there are breaches of the cap, if only in spirit.

However if this is a fraud at many levels the RFL need to punish them.