Chisholm confusion leads to questions over loans

RFL rules states the maximum a club can play at one time is five but Rovers seemed to have more than that for the Qualifiers tie which they won 34-12.

The uncertainty centred on Dane Chisholm, who the East Yorkshire club last month announced had signed for them on a loan deal from Australian side Canterbury Bulldogs.

On July 15, Hull KR chief executive Mike Smith said in a club press release that the stand-off had joined “on loan for the rest of the year” following the loss of captain Terry Campese to a knee injury.

Chisholm, 25, would return to Sydney afterwards as he had re-signed for Canterbury, the NRL club with whom he had been playing reserve grade, in 2016.

He started against Halifax yesterday when five players who are on loan with the Robins also featured – Greg Burke and James Greenwood (both Wigan Warriors), Shaun Lunt (Huddersfield Giants), Tony Puletua (Salford Red Devils) and Kevin Larroyer (Catalans Dragons).

Understandably, this prompted questions but Hull KR, though not publicly commenting, insist the player in question has actually signed a short-term deal with the Challenge Cup finalists and not, as originally stated, a loan agreement.

The RFL, though unavailable for comment last night, are understood to back up Rovers’ stance so it appears the matter will be taken no further.

Meanwhile, Chester – who started his playing career with Halifax – says he wasn’t prepared to risk some players with their Wembley date with Leeds Rhinos less than a fortnight away.

“Dane Tilse picked up a sternum injury in training and John Boudebza still isn’t 100 per cent with his knee, so we weren’t prepared to risk those two,” he said. “Kieran Dixon has been playing well at full-back but he’s played a lot of minutes and we gave him a breather but all three of those will come back into the side and play at Widnes next Sunday.

“The important thing was that we got the two points and we are two wins from two in these Super 8s.”