FRICTION FEARED

Northern Advocate, 29 October 1932, Page 12

FRICTION FEARED

TRANSFERS OF PLAYERS,

RUGBY LEAGUE TROUBLE

The signing by the Wigan Club of Joe Watson, the Queensland threequarter back, who played in all this ’season’s Tests against the English tourists, is the first registration since the international agreement on transfers was jointly signed by England, Australia and New Zealand (says the “Sporting Chronicle”). A fee of £2OO will need to be paid by Wigan to the agreed authority in Queensland. This is in addition to the signing-on bonus which Wilson will receive as part of his agreement with, his new club, unofficially given as £IOO, with £4 for a win, £3 10/ for a draw, and £3 for a loss. No mention is made in the cable grams of any stipulation for guaranteed employment. The international agreement has quickly brought a claim by an English club.

When L. Hutt left St. Helens to return to New Zealand, whore he has participated in football during the present Dominion season (he appeared in a Test match), the agreement was not signed, but many members of the League Council were of the opinion that a breach of the agreement had taken place. The case of Trevor Hall leaves no doubt on the matter. Hall played in the League final at Wakefield last season, went home, and has played in New Zealand this season. St. Helens now claim the £2OO as Hall is on their retained list.

New Zealand’s answer to the claim is easy to anticipate. When St. Helens secured Hardgrave, Hall and Hutt from Auckland, the players left New Zealand under protest by the Dominion authorities. No transfer fee or any other compensation was paid to ■New Zealand, and presumably the Dominion will reply that they never recognised the deal.

Should any English club secure a player from the Dominion today the point arises: Will the Rugby League confiscate the transfer fee to settle the claim by St. Helens? Friction is certain to arise before the matter is satisfactorily settled.