Does the RFL give a **** about player welfare : Mon Aug 22, 2022 9:46 am  

Just seen that the RFL have amended the disciplinary rules so that any player given a ban on Thursday/Friday will serve it commencing the Monday game. To protect the play offs ??

So not only are teams playing three games in 8 days (something they said they wouldn’t do) but potentially the Monday games will have potentially 1-2 players missing due to suspension.

Right now most teams are lacking 6+ members of their starting line up, so they are then compounding this. By the time monday comes around most teams will probably be putting out kids and squad players.

Rendering some of the games meaningless, why are we playing Monday ? It’s not on TV so it’s not being done for Sky.

It’s like the endless quest to speed up the game - why do we still have the 6 again rule ? Surely one of the most pointless rules ever least understood by fans and officials alike.

Re: Does the RFL give a **** about player welfare : Mon Aug 22, 2022 10:35 am  

Kirmudgeonlyisback wrote:

Just seen that the RFL have amended the disciplinary rules so that any player given a ban on Thursday/Friday will serve it commencing the Monday game. To protect the play offs ??

So not only are teams playing three games in 8 days (something they said they wouldn’t do) but potentially the Monday games will have potentially 1-2 players missing due to suspension.

Right now most teams are lacking 6+ members of their starting line up, so they are then compounding this. By the time monday comes around most teams will probably be putting out kids and squad players.

Rendering some of the games meaningless, why are we playing Monday ? It’s not on TV so it’s not being done for Sky.

It’s like the endless quest to speed up the game - why do we still have the 6 again rule ? Surely one of the most pointless rules ever least understood by fans and officials alike.

Seems odd. You have to hope it's this kind of thing IMG will sort.

Re: Does the RFL give a **** about player welfare : Mon Aug 22, 2022 11:10 am  

Kirmudgeonlyisback wrote:

Just seen that the RFL have amended the disciplinary rules so that any player given a ban on Thursday/Friday will serve it commencing the Monday game. To protect the play offs ??

So not only are teams playing three games in 8 days (something they said they wouldn’t do) but potentially the Monday games will have potentially 1-2 players missing due to suspension.

Right now most teams are lacking 6+ members of their starting line up, so they are then compounding this. By the time monday comes around most teams will probably be putting out kids and squad players.

Rendering some of the games meaningless, why are we playing Monday ? It’s not on TV so it’s not being done for Sky.

It’s like the endless quest to speed up the game - why do we still have the 6 again rule ? Surely one of the most pointless rules ever least understood by fans and officials alike.

I presume that we are cramming fixtures, either for the benefit of Sky or, to create space for the World Cup.
To have one lot of "short turnaround fixtures is bad and should be stopped but, to have a second lot of these fixtures and so close to the most important part of the season is bloody crazy, wrong, wrong, wrong.
Regarding the suspensions, there could be players that are happy to cop a ban, so that they dont have to back up on Monday ?

Re: Does the RFL give a **** about player welfare : Mon Aug 22, 2022 11:12 am  

Answer to the question is......NO

Re: Does the RFL give a **** about player welfare : Mon Aug 22, 2022 11:15 am  

Isn't the suggestion sensible? It's because of the short turnaround, but it would seem odd if a player could commit an offence worthy of a ban on Friday but not begin to serve until "the game after next". Imagine missing out on a play-off spot because the winning try is scored by a player who is then later banned for an offence committed the game before.

Essentially, the RFL is ensuring that a player misses the next game if to be banned, which is how it ought to be.

Re: Does the RFL give a **** about player welfare : Mon Aug 22, 2022 11:37 am  

It's not a problem if the players play within the rules - or is that being too simplistic?

Re: Does the RFL give a **** about player welfare : Mon Aug 22, 2022 11:42 am  

If the RFL had any concern for player welfare they would have scrapped the loop fixtures and Magic Weekend and played a proper league structure over 22 weeks giving ample time to prepare players for the World Cup. I know MC is keen for the additional income derived from the extra 2 home fixtures but uncertain whether this overcomes the cost of 5 daft fixtures every season whose only function is to distort the league. If you want P&R then the league must be completely uniform and fair so every team, Home and Away, and if you want more fixtures, increase the size of the league.

Re: Does the RFL give a **** about player welfare : Mon Aug 22, 2022 12:23 pm  

FSW wrote:

If the RFL had any concern for player welfare they would have scrapped the loop fixtures and Magic Weekend and played a proper league structure over 22 weeks giving ample time to prepare players for the World Cup. I know MC is keen for the additional income derived from the extra 2 home fixtures but uncertain whether this overcomes the cost of 5 daft fixtures every season whose only function is to distort the league. If you want P&R then the league must be completely uniform and fair so every team, Home and Away, and if you want more fixtures, increase the size of the league.

Nothing wrong with Magic, don't see the problem, it's an extra weekly fixture, not a double header.

Re: Does the RFL give a **** about player welfare : Mon Aug 22, 2022 12:25 pm  

FSW wrote:

If the RFL had any concern for player welfare they would have scrapped the loop fixtures and Magic Weekend and played a proper league structure over 22 weeks giving ample time to prepare players for the World Cup. I know MC is keen for the additional income derived from the extra 2 home fixtures but uncertain whether this overcomes the cost of 5 daft fixtures every season whose only function is to distort the league. If you want P&R then the league must be completely uniform and fair so every team, Home and Away, and if you want more fixtures, increase the size of the league.

Totally agree with everything there FSW.
Plus on another point, that nasty little grub Powell at Wigan copped a lengthy ban after an incident in a Good Friday game. He was sent off and he knew there was a long ban on the way. However due to no match tribunal sitting he was allowed to play against us in the next game. Didnt effect the result , but nevertheless not fair in my opinion. I therefore think its right that all disiplinary matters are sorted and finalised before the next game comes around