Leeds Rhinos penalised with RFL fine

Super League leaders Leeds Rhinos have been tackled with a £2k fine by the Rugby Football League for breaching operational rules on player transfers and registrations.

This financial penalty follows an investigation into the transfer of six players to Championship clubsat the start of the season, as reported by Sky Sports.

Four players (Jordan Baldwinson, Alex Foster, Thomas Minns and Mason Tonks) were transferred to Featherstone Rovers, and the remaining two (James Duckworth and Luke Briscoe) joined Hull KR.

All six players’ deals were for a 12-month period, but throughout this season each individual has maintained links with the Rhinos, and were aiming to return to the Super League team for next year’s campaign.

It is believed the players returned to the Headingley-based club regularly to be monitored and checked.

An official RFL statementread: “Leeds were deemed to be guilty of breaching operational rule C1:1:6 which states that ‘a club shall not allow a player to take part in any club training or conditioning programme or to play for it in a match, unless: (a) that player is on its club register or unless the club is party to a dual-registration agreement with the club with whom the player is registered and (b) all other applicable tests including, but limited to, any baseline test has been completed’.”

Half of the fine is suspended until the end of the 2015 season. This punishment comes just one week after the Rhinos announced that Leeds Bradford Airport has become the rugby league club’s official airport, in a brand new partnership.

This new venture will feature the airport offer fans and their families exclusive deals, competitions and chances to win flights.