Easter fixtures

[FROM A TO B]

In today's modern game and with only playing each team twice (apart from the murrayfield) in league matches, is there reallyany need to compact the easter fixture list.

surely there are enough pressures on all teams without compounding things by having to play a very physical game twice in a matter of days.
Before you start, I'm not using this as an excuse for our performances, but what if we had been at home this Friday.
Played Thursday, 4 days later played Monday, 4 days later play Friday (as some teams will be doing).

Thoughts?

[GeoffN]

In today's modern game and with only playing each team twice (apart from the murrayfield) in league matches, is there reallyany need to compact the easter fixture list.

surely there are enough pressures on all teams without compounding things by having to play a very physical game twice in a matter of days.
Before you start, I'm not using this as an excuse for our performances, but what if we had been at home this Friday.
Played Thursday, 4 days later played Monday, 4 days later play Friday (as some teams will be doing).

Thoughts?

It's the same for all teams, pretty much.

The fans like it; just look at the attendances over the weekend.

[cpwigan]

One coach not complaining, however, was Wakefield's John Kear, who has had to contend with a crippling injury list and a number of other problems all season.

His side sit fourth in the engage Super League after nine rounds and Kear insists he is happy to deal with the fixtures as they come.

"You have got to be grown up," the former Hull and Sheffield coach said.

"You can moan and groan - it is difficult for players, difficult for us, we don't get an Easter weekend - but it is part of the job.

"We get well paid and if you want to be well paid for the job you have to get people on the terraces. You have got to generate revenue.

"It might not be best for performances but if we want paying we have got to play over Easter. That is the top and bottom of it."

One player of the recent past who also has no issues with the schedule is the former Great Britain, Bradford and St Helens prop Paul Anderson.

"It is part and parcel of the game," Anderson said. "Historically it is good.

"Potentially you get some mismatches due to injuries but I have no qualms with it. It is something you see and get on with.

"As a player you want to play games. You don't want to train for six days then play - you'd like to play every day if you could.

"I think it is a good thing and it creates good revenue for the clubs. I have no issues with it at all."

Any coach / player whining wants to retire immadeiately.

With the age of mass interchange many struggle to play 80 munutes cumulative in 2 games. They can be rested with no threat of relegation. They play in far better, easier conditions that the winter quagmires past players played in. They are a lot safer with foul play miniscule compared to the past. The game is not tougher physically.

[ancientnloyal]

Football can have 3 games in the space of 7 days or more in some cases. Although not as physcial on the upper body it's doable.

it's just moaning, we're in the same boat. Didnt do anything wrong for Wigan when we had the JP trophy, CC, lancashire cup, league etc... at the same time. (but then again we were good)

[highland convert]

Don't know about league but when I played union once you stepped on the pitch you could not get off without a doctors line. all players were 80 minutes. However while StH is up there we will always have a cup tie atmosphere with a backup game soon after. It is not enough time to release bruised muscles. The players have to be stiff,
Jim

[cpwigan]

The players have ice baths and other recovery techniques now. I just find it incredulous and downright insulting how SL 2009 cry stating their game is tougher etc etc than in the past. No it is not. Wigan once played a crazy number of games in X days and the League Championship was at stake. Alan Prescott played with a broken arm, Shaun Edwards with a smashed face.

There's a man who could barely stand a few months ago that is going to be walking the London Marathon. It will take him nearly a week.

[robjoenz]

I feel more sorry for Sheffield Eagles, they played on Good Friday, Easter Monday and then last night and they've got jobs too. Lower division sides tend not to have facilities like icebaths too (most of them are on the bus 45 minutes after the final whistle).

Easter's only one weekend and it's one of the best RL weekends of the year! I had three games in 4 days though, don't know what these people are moaning at

[GeoffN]

I feel more sorry for Sheffield Eagles, they played on Good Friday, Easter Monday and then last night and they've got jobs too. Lower division sides tend not to have facilities like icebaths too (most of them are on the bus 45 minutes after the final whistle).

Easter's only one weekend and it's one of the best RL weekends of the year! I had three games in 4 days though, don't know what these people are moaning at

What was your tackle count, Rob?

And when are we going to see you in SL?

[robjoenz]

What was your tackle count, Rob?

I dunno Geoff, whenever I get past 5 I just start again!

[cpwigan]

And he did not miss any either