Most clubs don't want their players to be cup tied or play against them in a league game when on loan. One exception that I can think of was Gareth Hock last season. When he was on loan from Salford to Widnes he was still eligible to play for Widnes against Salford.
I can understand why the team lending the player would prefer they didn't play against them. They may be concerned that their own players could be injuring their own players - which they certainly would want to avoid. Say a Dons player went on loan to Hunslet and we were due to play them next week. We wouldn't want our players knocking seven bells out of one of our own, would we? I think this provision needs to stay.
I like the idea of season long loans. Four Leeds players have gone on season long loans to Featherstone: Jordon Baldwinson, Thomas Mimms, Mason Tonks, and Alex Foster.
I presume the usual rules will apply and they can be recalled at any time if they're needed for duty at Leeds.
I would prefer a limit of two loan signings at any one time per club as this would encourage sides to invest in their own development, rather than rely too heavily on other clubs.
Season long loans might not be the right arrangement if a player is on the verge of first team rugby at his home club which is why I think the provision to loan for a month at a time needs to stay, but safeguards should be put in place to make sure they don't return early unless there are exceptional circumstances verified by the RFL.
Getting these balances right is important. I hope the RFL get their act together on this rather than let things drift along as they seem to be doing at the moment. I can imagine two DR clubs coming together in the middle eight at the end of the season and the RFL will then think, "Errmmm, what do we do now?"
Saying that, I seem to recall at the Dons fans forum something was said to the effect that once a player has played for one side in the middle eight, they are no longer eligible to play for the other team from then onwards. although on checking the RFL rules I can't actually find anything to confirm this.
The 2015 rules at the RFL rules state that a player must have played in at least six league games whilst on DR to qualify to play in the end of season leagues of eight. although DR players with a salary cap of £20k or more only have to have played three times. Rule B3.17 then goes on to say that any player swapping from DR to a loan deal after the end of the registration deadline must have played in at least three league games to be eligible. Is there any wonder that things go wrong with overly complicated rules like this?!
Let's make things simple: Do away with DR and bring in better rules for the loan system.