Should Paul Vaughan be made to serve his eight-match NRL suspension as Bulldogs move looms?

A suspension should not need to be interpreted. It is an enforced period of non-participation for a player in a specific code. If you aren't playing the code, they are not enforcing your non-partcipation. Pretty simple. If you can't understand that you should refrain from commenting so you don't sound like such an opinionated twit.

It's 100% relevant because this is the crux of the matter on how the NRL will interpret the suspension. At the time they suspended him he was ineligible to play in the NRL until round 25 or something. my guess and that of most people commentating on this is that the Dragons sacking would have no bearing on that unless a club wanted to pick him up again this season. In that case, should the contract be registered he would effectively only become eligible to play with a team this season if that team makes the finals. If that doesn't happen, baring injury he'll be playing round 1 with the bulldogs. How YOU think it should work is irrelevant.

Whether the League intended for him to miss the rest of this season or not is irrelevant. He was given a set number of weeks to serve and he should serve them. You can't serve a suspension when not playing with the league - a suspension is a mandated period of enforced inelligibilty, separate from other circumstances. For example, if Cameron Smith had received a suspension in last year's grand final, but then signed mid year with a separate club, his 18 rounds of not having a contract is not a league enforced suspension. He would still have to serve the penalty the league applied. This has nothing to do with whether his penalty is appropriate or not, or "splitting hairs"; it is simply how a process should work based on precedent and basic consistency.

I completely disagree. The intention of the NRL when handing the 8 game suspension and 50k fine was to see him miss 8 games of the 2021 season. If this is not obvious or needs to be explained then there is no hope for you. The fact that the Dragons sacked him and stacked that punishment on top of the NRL punishment which is the equivalent of a 400k fine for 2022 alone, I'd suggest they will deem that as punishment enough. It's obvious you believe that the original punishment was not tough enough and are trying to use a technicality to split hairs to see him rubbed out for longer than the NRL thought was appropriate.

I agree I would not be surprised if that was the outcome, but I would still be disappointed. It would be just one more example of amateurish "leadership" from NRL house. They have made it clear countless times that they place no value on consistency and have zero credibility with the NRL-watching public. But I still hope they stick to their guns for once and do the right thing, rather than the easy thing.

Let’s see what happens. Something tells me he’ll be suiting up come round 1 next year baring injury.

I will answer your question with a question; have you seen anything to the effect from the NRL with regards to your position?

You’re talking like it’s fact. Show me where your interpretation is the same as the NRL.

Suspension is suspension, not suspension until you get sacked for being a dumbass. If the Bulldogs or some other rabble club want him badly enough (which still staggers me) they can wear his suspension; I assume his salary will be lessened in negotiations appropriately. You can't just be sacked and have a league sanctioned penalty (for putting THE ENTIRE NRL SEASON at risk) disappear. The penalty goes when you serve it - ON A CLUB LIST. I'm just glad my club has more sense than to sign him.

Have you seen anything to that effect from the NRL with regards to your interpretation?

Not until he serves his 8 weeks he hasn't; that's what they had in mind. His personal circumstances regarding his contract being torn up are entirely separate. An 8 week suspension is an 8 week suspension.

I’m pretty sure that’s not what the NRL had in mind. He’s been punished above and beyond that.

Yes

So you want him to miss the rest of this season and the first 8 games of next season?

Yep, he should serve the 8 games with the Bulldogs. Suspension shouldn't be cancelled just because you got the sack. He needs to serve his 8 games while under contract, not just sit out a period before signing and say all done now

What do we this Api is going to get? At least 8 games I reckon.

I think you are missing the point here. Some are suggesting that because he was sacked after being suspended for 8 games and his contract torn up. That the 8 games can't be served until his new club registers his contract. Effectively making him serve his suspension with the bulldogs.

Says who exactly? He was given 8 games suspension starting immediately.

he has no contract. He can't serve a suspension with no registered contract

The Dragons punishment and the NRL punishment are independent of each other. No matter what the Dragons did he must still serve the weeks the NRL gave him It's called accountability