Leeds Rhinos chief wants no complaints if players face three games a week

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josie andrews
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Leeds Rhinos chief wants no complaints if players face three games a week

Post by josie andrews »

LEEDS RHINOS chief executive Gary Hetherington hopes there will be no ‘whingeing’ about ‘misguided’ player-welfare issues when rugby league inevitably plays three games per week.

As the sport continues in its battle to map out plans amid the unprecedented coronavirus crisis, he also believes the next Super League champions could principally be underpinned by pure character rather than skill.

In essence, the toughest rather than the best side will prevail.

Hetherington – one of rugby league’s longest-serving and most successful administrators – conceded the nearest comparison to the ongoing global pandemic is World War II.

He said: “That’s when society was completely disrupted and the enemy brought mayhem to the country. Today, we’ve got a similar challenge; we don’t have air-raid shelters but our freedoms have been curtailed, players have stopped playing and businesses have been shut down.

“The income has dried up but our responsibilities to players and staff are still there. That’s the challenge, and I believe it’s rugby league’s biggest challenge.”

With the sport suspended indefinitely and facing its third week without games, chief executives and owners have been discussing together contingency plans for when they do resume.

Play was halted just seven rounds into a 29-round Super League campaign – Catalans Dragons had only played four games – and, with a collective “determination” to complete the season come what may, midweek games are almost certainly going to occur at some point.

That brings into question player-welfare, but Hetherington – whose entire Rhinos squad are furloughed – contested: “The term player-welfare is often misguided and misunderstood.

“We have a rule where we can’t play five days after the last game, and that’s going to have to go out of the window as we will have to be playing three times a week.

“But that’s not a player-welfare issue. It will certainly impact on performance and the skill levels, but it demands real character, durability and resilience. I’d be disappointed if I started hearing people whingeing, using player-welfare as an issue for playing too many games, when it’s not.

“Player-welfare is very serious but that’s not about playing more games than one would hope to play. I think that will have an impact on the competitions, because normally, the team who wins the Super League is the most talented.


“But I think the winners this year could well be the team that’s not the most talented, and instead the team that displays the best character, can-do attitude and will to win.”

Asked what he felt ‘player-welfare’ is, Hetherington replied: “Player-welfare is stress, anxiety and mental health... it’s a whole range of issues.

“But we’re talking about playing sport, and rugby league is a tough sport. If we turn the clock back, everyone used to play four times at Christmas. These are characteristics our players are proud to have; that they can play with adversity.

“But that’s not player welfare. That’s a performance issue. Those are the sorts of qualities that will have to come to the fore and we’ll have to rely on.


“Let’s not be misguided and talk about player-welfare – it will sort out the tough and not-so-tough ones, that’s for sure.”

When the current lockdown is lifted, social distancing may still stop sports grounds opening their gates.

No club wants to play in empty stadiums due to the obvious financial hit but Hetherington concedes it may have to happen and one area that could be explored is the Coral Challenge Cup.

This weekend was due to be the sixth round and, on the prospect of fan-free Cup ties when the sport restarts, he explained: “It doesn’t affect season-ticket holders or corporate membership typically and it’s less problematic.


“We are talking hypothetically, because there is so much uncertainty out there. But we’ve got eight sixth-round ties to be played and those all could be played behind closed doors and, if needs be, at one venue.

“It could deliver a match on a Thursday night, a Friday, three matches on a Saturday and three on a Sunday. They could all be made available for television.

“It could provide an opportunity for the game. We need to be mindful to search for opportunities. If we were to be a sport that provided live sport when no-one else is, well that’s an opportunity to showcase our game at its best.”

Hetherington, who says it is “inevitable” the campaign will be extended and the July 18 Wembley Challenge Cup final date may not be “appropriate”, admitted the whole sport is uniting.


He expects Rhinos to lose £1.5m over the next three months but said: “The aim is the survival of all clubs and by working closely together with the GMB players union, we believe we can deliver an effective outcome.

“Amidst the gloom, there will be opportunities just like in the war. We need to show the traits that’s defined the character of rugby league over the last 125 years. We’re fortunate rugby league, more than any other sport, has a committed group of stakeholders.”

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/r ... ek-2525798
Anyone can support a team when it is winning, that takes no courage.
But to stand behind a team, to defend a team when it is down and really needs you,
that takes a lot of courage. #18thMan
josie andrews
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Re: Leeds Rhinos chief wants no complaints if players face three games a week

Post by josie andrews »

Causing a bit of a meltdown on Twitter from fans & some players!

People are seriously ill, many are dying & all he’s bothered about is losing money! He’s not the only business losing money in the country!

We as a nation are supposed to be self isolating & social distancing & he’s talking about continuing to play games behind close doors! Is that going to generate finances?

Are these players not being included in the self isolation? Or are they going to be playing two metres apart?

What an idiot this man is?
Anyone can support a team when it is winning, that takes no courage.
But to stand behind a team, to defend a team when it is down and really needs you,
that takes a lot of courage. #18thMan
josie andrews
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Re: Leeds Rhinos chief wants no complaints if players face three games a week

Post by josie andrews »

Coronavirus: Challenge Cup ties behind closed doors could 'showcase' game - Hetherington

The Challenge Cup could provide a behind-closed-doors boost for rugby league if the sport cannot get crowds back into stadiums in the next few months, says Leeds chief executive Gary Hetherington.

Rugby league has been suspended indefinitely because of the coronavirus pandemic and even when the current lockdown is lifted, social distancing may stop sports grounds opening their gates.

In a climate of such uncertainty, Hetherington believes fan-free Challenge Cup ties could be an option.

"It doesn't affect season ticket holders or corporate membership typically and it's less problematic," said Hetherington.

"We are talking hypothetically, because there is so much uncertainty out there. But we've got eight sixth-round ties to be played and those all could be played behind closed doors and, if needs be, at one venue.

"It could deliver a match on a Thursday night, a match on a Friday, three matches on a Saturday and three matches on a Sunday. They could all be made available for television.

"It could provide an opportunity for the game. We need to be mindful to search for opportunities. If we were to be a sport that provided live sport when no-one else is, well that's an opportunity to showcase our game at its best."

Hetherington admits that playing the Challenge Cup final on the planned date of 18 July is highly unlikely to happen, but he still hopes that Wembley can be the venue for the game later in the year.

He continued: "It's inevitable we are going to extend the season and we've got to do whatever we have to do. It might go to November, it might go to December. Who knows - it could even go beyond December.

"Back in 1995-96, the season finished in the middle of January and the 1996 season [the first Super League season] began in the middle of March.

"The date for the Challenge Cup final may not be appropriate, therefore we'd have to find a new date for the final. Who knows, possibly a new venue, but I'd like to think Wembley remains as the venue for the final.

"It is such a major event for the sport, so we are going to do everything we can to preserve it and maybe even enhance it as well."

Hetherington also confirmed that the majority of staff and players at Leeds, who are third in the Super League table, have been furloughed.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/52120910
Anyone can support a team when it is winning, that takes no courage.
But to stand behind a team, to defend a team when it is down and really needs you,
that takes a lot of courage. #18thMan
First Try Tickle
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Re: Leeds Rhinos chief wants no complaints if players face three games a week

Post by First Try Tickle »

Maybe they could play a game of tag rugby where you use a 2 meter pole to tag the players. It would have to have something soft on the end like the Gladiator paddles, but you would have to have your own paddle as your not allowed to touch someone else's pole.

The biggest problem would be the ball which would need a disinfectant wipe down before its passed to another player.

All a bit tongue in cheek really, I'm hoping Hetherington's idea was the same.
Wiganer Ted
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Re: Leeds Rhinos chief wants no complaints if players face three games a week

Post by Wiganer Ted »

Was this originally put out before lunchtime 1st April?
Although, does Hetherington actually have a sense of humour?
DaveO
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Re: Leeds Rhinos chief wants no complaints if players face three games a week

Post by DaveO »

Well if it wasn't an April fools joke it ought to be.

Fans aren't going to travel to watch three games a week and there is every chance some teams could run out of players as injuries mount up due to that sort of schedule.

He's dismissed the idea of player welfare including their physical welfare, the moron. The number of pain killing injections given and the number playing on injured would go through the roof both of which could have detrimental effects on the players career and longer term implications for their health.

He's harking back to times when the game was semi pro for most teams and they had one of those things called a reserve side he is so against. (While the reserves are back it all seems a bit half hearted to me).
moto748
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Re: Leeds Rhinos chief wants no complaints if players face three games a week

Post by moto748 »

Agreed. Anyone else, you'd assume it was a joke. Why all fools like that still involved with running the game?
jobo
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Re: Leeds Rhinos chief wants no complaints if players face three games a week

Post by jobo »

josie andrews wrote: Thu Apr 02, 2020 8:21 am Causing a bit of a meltdown on Twitter from fans & some players!

People are seriously ill, many are dying & all he’s bothered about is losing money! He’s not the only business losing money in the country!

We as a nation are supposed to be self isolating & social distancing & he’s talking about continuing to play games behind close doors! Is that going to generate finances?

Are these players not being included in the self isolation? Or are they going to be playing two metres apart?

What an idiot this man is?
Called it right Josie, he's an idiot.
SJ
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Re: Leeds Rhinos chief wants no complaints if players face three games a week

Post by SJ »

Idiot or not Hetherinton's claims re player welfare are incoherent!
shaunedwardsfanclub
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Re: Leeds Rhinos chief wants no complaints if players face three games a week

Post by shaunedwardsfanclub »

He's out of his tiny mind!
Winning is down to 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration - Shaun Edwards
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