The Boots panel discuss Halifax's expulsion from the Challenge Cup over an ineligible player.
Fault lies with administration, not coach, says Brian
Phil Clarke believes the blame over Halifax's expulsion from the Challenge Cup should not be laid at the door of coach Matt Calland.
Halifax were booted from the competition just three hours before their fifth-round tie with Batley Bulldogs, after it emerged that Michael Ostick - who played in the win over Swinton Lions in the previous round - had lined out for Rochdale Hornets in the third round against FC Lezignan in March.
Swinton have now been reinstated, while Calland has been suspended by Halifax pending an internal inquiry.
"I had heard that he thought the game against Swinton was a league match, that they were in the same division," Clarke told
Boots 'N' All. "It's an oversight by him but you have to have a degree of sympathy for Matt Calland. Surely the chief executive or secretary of the club would be responsible for the administration issues. I think most coaches are focussed on the preparation and performance of the team.
"I find it very embarrassing for the sport, I cringed when I read it in the papers. I'm repeating myself from a couple of years ago but hopefully this will be the very last time. We need a centralised registration database, which helps the rugby league if this happens. They could communicate to clubs if there was any confusion at all.
Clarke added: "I don't think some players know the rules of the game, never mind the bylaws of the sport. I don't have a problem with the player. You turn up, you train and you play when you're picked. I think the club are the ones who are most to blame."
Rules have been tightened
However, the RFL have been accused of double standards, as two years ago Hull were fined £100,000 - £40,000 of it suspended - for fielding Jamie Thackray before he was registered, yet were allowed to remain in the competition and went on to reach the final.
However, Brian Carney was quick to dispel such a notion, and insists the RFL have gotten their act together since that incident.
He told
Boots: "Forget about the fact that they were Super League and they got to Wembley. The rules back then have been changed and tightened - from then on in clubs knew the sanctions if they fielded an ineligible player. Things have been tightened up since that mistake or oversight.
"Everybody operating since the Hull incident knew the rules. This has gone through too many hands and that's the worrying thing. Not only has it been an oversight of the coach, who has got a lot to worry about, more so than the eligibility of his players; somebody at Halifax has really stuffed up.
"It's also gone through the hands of somebody at the rugby league, where it mustn't have flagged up with someone.
"Ultimately the blame has got to lie with the Halifax administration. The chairman has been very apologetic to the fans and that's important because the game was called off at very late notice. But we're led to believe that this first came up on a fans messageboard. It's embarrassing; it's happened again."
