Covid Cancelled Games have we got it right? : Sun Jul 25, 2021 6:29 pm  

Has the RFL got the rules around Covid cases and cancelling games? Players have to isolate if they have or are in close contact to anyone with Covid which is fine. But should teams be able to cancel games if they have 17 other fit players who can play? Been no games on Sky this weekend is this good for the game. Also no money through the turnstiles. Also fixture pile up could be unmanageable in coming months? Do we need to adjust the rules now?

Re: Covid Cancelled Games have we got it right? : Sun Jul 25, 2021 7:56 pm  

Leyther14 wrote:

Has the RFL got the rules around Covid cases and cancelling games? Players have to isolate if they have or are in close contact to anyone with Covid which is fine. But should teams be able to cancel games if they have 17 other fit players who can play? Been no games on Sky this weekend is this good for the game. Also no money through the turnstiles. Also fixture pile up could be unmanageable in coming months? Do we need to adjust the rules now?

It's out of control and no doubt didn't help when the Aussies and Kiwis had to make a decision.

No other sport has faced such a level of disruption.

The sport doesnt have the money so the players could be put in a bubble but I don't think premiership Rugby Union had a bubble either and they never had such disruption.

I think if a team can be put on the pitch the games should continue.

Now of course the flipside to that is fans could be paying to watch a complete mismatch of a game as well as a game being broadcasted which isn't a contest in any form. That wouldn't be good.

Re: Covid Cancelled Games have we got it right? : Sun Jul 25, 2021 8:18 pm  

puroresu_boy wrote:

Now of course the flipside to that is fans could be paying to watch a complete mismatch of a game as well as a game being broadcasted which isn't a contest in any form. That wouldn't be good.

Like the game where Cas rested their entire/almost entire 1st choice squad & basically threw the game against Salford ahead of the Challenge Cup Final ! There are knock on effects for teams not even involved in these games.

The whole thing is wide open to manipulation.

Re: Covid Cancelled Games have we got it right? : Mon Jul 26, 2021 12:37 am  

Ste100Centurions wrote:

Like the game where Cas rested their entire/almost entire 1st choice squad & basically threw the game against Salford ahead of the Challenge Cup Final ! There are knock on effects for teams not even involved in these games.

The whole thing is wide open to manipulation.

Hey Cas did what they did but Salford had 12 players unavailable for that match and actually borrowed two kids from Saints so we could get the game on, yes borrowed two kids to make 17.

Re: Covid Cancelled Games have we got it right? : Mon Jul 26, 2021 6:21 am  

Salford red all over wrote:

Hey Cas did what they did but Salford had 12 players unavailable for that match and actually borrowed two kids from Saints so we could get the game on, yes borrowed two kids to make 17.

Not sure why your having a whinge here, he was quite rightly having a pop at Cas not Salford, but while were on the matter Wakefield had quite a few missing against Salford and were willing to play, but poor old Salford with the same injuries cried off citing Covid issues as well, I'd call you a hypocrite if I thought you knew what the meaning of the word is.

Re: Covid Cancelled Games have we got it right? : Mon Jul 26, 2021 8:38 am  

Salford red all over wrote:

Hey Cas did what they did but Salford had 12 players unavailable for that match and actually borrowed two kids from Saints so we could get the game on, yes borrowed two kids to make 17.

Come on pal, Salford themselves were bloody desperate to postpone their game against Trinity and were already seeking a postponement before being realising they had the magical 7 covid contacts and then happily called the game off.

In response to the op, things aren't working well at all in SL, with far too many games being called off and there needs to be a change.
Perhaps the club that cant raise a side, for whatever reason, should be hit with a 24 - 0 reverse.
This would certainly ensure that EVERY club did all that they could to get the games on.
The number of postponements will certainly be detrimental to the next Sky deal (after the reduced deal that is due to come in next season.
We are shooting ourselves in both feet here and the game simply cant afford to go any further backwards.

An urgent re think is required but, it's probably too late for this season

Re: Covid Cancelled Games have we got it right? : Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:12 am  

wrencat1873 wrote:

Come on pal, Salford themselves were bloody desperate to postpone their game against Trinity and were already seeking a postponement before being realising they had the magical 7 covid contacts and then happily called the game off.

In response to the op, things aren't working well at all in SL, with far too many games being called off and there needs to be a change.
Perhaps the club that cant raise a side, for whatever reason, should be hit with a 24 - 0 reverse.
This would certainly ensure that EVERY club did all that they could to get the games on.
The number of postponements will certainly be detrimental to the next Sky deal (after the reduced deal that is due to come in next season.
We are shooting ourselves in both feet here and the game simply cant afford to go any further backwards.

An urgent re think is required but, it's probably too late for this season

I'd go further than that. I'd say teams postponing games should be hit with a 1 point deduction, plus a further point if the game isn't played by the end of the regular season. It would then be better for teams to field a team and lose than not play and we'd then see which teams are experiencing a genuine covid outbreak and which are bending the rules to suit.

Re: Covid Cancelled Games have we got it right? : Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:23 am  

Saddened! wrote:

I'd go further than that. I'd say teams postponing games should be hit with a 1 point deduction, plus a further point if the game isn't played by the end of the regular season. It would then be better for teams to field a team and lose than not play and we'd then see which teams are experiencing a genuine covid outbreak and which are bending the rules to suit.

Agree with this.

Another issue is that some of those teams might still get into the play-offs and have a chance of beating a team that's played 5 or 6 games more than them.

I think most clubs now are just going through the motions and trying to survive until next year.

Re: Covid Cancelled Games have we got it right? : Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:43 am  

I think now only Catalans, Leigh, Wakefield and Wigan haven’t had to “postpone” or “forfeit” a game. That’s just embarrassing for the top level of the sport (in this country).

Leigh even went with no forwards on the bench for one game.

Re: Covid Cancelled Games have we got it right? : Mon Jul 26, 2021 12:53 pm  

Willzay wrote:

I think now only Catalans, Leigh, Wakefield and Wigan haven’t had to “postpone” or “forfeit” a game. That’s just embarrassing for the top level of the sport (in this country).

Leigh even went with no forwards on the bench for one game.

Aye and they say that it's the small clubs that are holding the sport back