Would Manly fans bemoaning the departure of Australian halfback Daly Cherry-Evans to the Titans next season prefer that he was joining the Queensland Reds instead?

And would St George Illawarra supporters rather see NSW Origin forward Trent Merrin wearing a NSW Warratahs jersey in 2016 than a Penrith Panthers one?

Last week's announcements that the representative duo were leaving their clubs at the end of the season has predictably sparked calls for the NRL to make changes to the player transfer system so the likes of Cherry-Evans and Merrin can't sign with rival clubs a year before their contracts expire.

But what about rival codes?

The NRL is powerless to impose any restrictions on Super Rugby franchises and AFL clubs negotiating with players contracted to one if its teams, even if the other 15 are unable to.

The only restricted trade system that could combat that is a series of player transfer windows throughout the year.

The RLPA has previously supported a trade window after round six of the competition, while there is also support for other transfer periods during Origin and at the end of the season.

With New Zealand five-eighth Kieran Foran widely tipped to announce a move to Parramatta within weeks, Sea Eagles coach Geoff Toovey understandably believes the current rule isn't working.

"I think it is probably something the league is looking at and they should do something about," Toovey told Friday night's post-match press conference at Pirtek Stadium, which was held just minutes after Cherry-Evans had confirmed his decision to teammates.

"It must be quite difficult for players and fans to come to grips with a player playing for your club when you know he is heading off a year later."

Clearly it is for Manly fans but on the Gold Coast it is being hailed as a coup that may help the battling club to secure sponsors and ensure the Titans' long-term survival.

Surely that is better than if Cherry-Evans had switched codes as Sam Burgess announced he was doing at the start of last season with no rival club able to make him an offer because he had a long-term contract with South Sydney.

That is the situation all players would be in if the NRL were to restrict negotiations with rival clubs to an end of season transfer window as many believe they should in the wake of the announcements by Cherry-Evans and Merrin.

The Sea Eagles wanted Cherry-Evans to make a decision on his future before the start of the season but were unhappy that he was hawking himself around so publicly to the Titans and Sharks.

If players weren't able to field offers from other NRL clubs, then expect to see photos of them arriving or departing from meetings with the Waratahs, Reds or AFL clubs instead.

The NRL considered the introduction of transfer window periods during a wide ranging review of the salary cap overseen by former chief operating officer Jim Doyle at end of the 2013 season, but no change was made to the current system that allows players to negotiate with rival clubs at any time while under contract.

Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett also proposed a transfer window during the off-season to formalise the movement of more than 100 players between clubs, as exists in the NFL, but such a system would leave the NRL open to raids by rival codes unless there was a series of trade periods during the year.

During consultation with Doyle before last season, the RLPA suggested a transfer window after round six as most clubs have settled on their line-ups by then and unwanted players could seek an opportunity with a different team.

Another trade period before the end of the Origin series would enable clubs to replace injured players for the run into the finals, but the bulk of transfers would occur during the off-season as happens in other sports.

Transfer fees would become more common if transfer windows were introduced and the NRL has taken steps this season to formalise payments for releasing players before their contracts expire by requiring clubs to include such transactions in their salary cap.

Twitter: @bradwaltersmh