Chief executive David Plummer will get together today with representatives of St Helens and Halifax to decide their next move after all three clubs lost their appeals.

Their pleas for the return of the points were rejected by the Rugby Football League's advisory panel, which finally delivered their verdicts on Wednesday.

What I can't do is knock these rules today and then abide by them tomorrow.... that would be just as wrong Hull chief executive David Plummer

Although the clubs have exhausted the appeal procedures within the game, they will consider taking their cases to a higher authority, possibly the courts.

In the meantime, they will press for changes to the salary cap system.

"We don't want it to sound like sour grapes but we will definitely be moving at the Super League meeting on Friday to have these rules changed," said Plummer.

"What I can't do is knock these rules today and then abide by them tomorrow. That would be just as wrong.

"I genuinely believe they need tidying up. I'm not saying I that I can tell you what the rules ought to be but I want to be part of the process with all the other Super League clubs to get something that is workable.

"Changing the rules is non-negotiable. We are going to work towards that, whatever else we try to do."

Champions lose points

The salary cap, introduced four years ago to help the clubs prudently manage their finances, restricts spending on players' wages to 50% of income up to a maximum of �1.8m.

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But Plummer claims that clubs unwittingly fall foul of the rules because there have been so many amendments since 1999.

He added: "The rules specifically say that any penalty for a breach of the salary cap must be applied at the start of the following season.

"The process didn't start until after the season had started. If we have to abide by the rules, why don't the RFL?"

Saints chairman Eamonn McManus said: "We are flabbergasted at this outcome and feel stronger then ever that we were never in breach of the rules as they are written and as they have been previously interpreted.

"We will be looking at alternative forms of remedy in conjunction with Hull FC and Halifax."