RLPA boss Clint Newton unhappy with five-day turnarounds in 2016 NRL draw
Date: November 27, 2015 - 5:51PM
by Tom Decent, Brad Walter
Rugby League Players' Association boss Clint Newton is angry that next season's
NRL draw will see players subjected to the same number of five-day turnarounds as 2015, despite the NRL's head of football Todd Greenberg saying that figure will be reduced in the years to come.
Players have voiced their concerns for years about the toll five-day turnarounds have on their body which have been raised through the RLPA and as a result, Newton argued the Sea Eagles, Roosters and Wests Tigers had been dealt unreasonable draws to start the season.
"It is disappointing that five-day turnarounds haven't been reduced at all," Newton said. "Now we have to go away and think about what that means for our players moving forward. Last year it was two [clubs that] had four five-day turnarounds, this year it's three.
"The Sea Eagles' draw at the start of the season is incredibly tough considering they've got three five-day turnarounds in four rounds from rounds three to seven and a back-to-back five-day turnaround in rounds three and four. The Roosters play two five-day turnarounds in the first six rounds. It's the RLPA's job to make sure that players are in the best possible position to perform at their best and be the best they can."
Given matches will be played on Thursday evenings for the first 18 rounds, the NRL had to contend with five days of play while keeping players happy, something Greenberg thought had been successfully done.
"What I can tell you is that next year they'll be flatlined," Greenberg said. "There'll be exactly the same number that there were in 2015 and the other years will certainly be a decrease as we see Monday night football eradicated in 2017. It's very clear to us that player welfare is a fundamental priority of how we do the draw."
There has been no change to stand-alone State of Origin matches, and the grand final will be held on October 2. After being offered the honour of kicking off the season, premiers North Queensland Cowboys have opted for a Saturday night match against Cronulla on March 5 so fans from around the state can attend.
"We've listened to their concerns about playing an opener on a Thursday night in a regional market like theirs," Greenberg said. "We're happy to see them get what they needed, which was a Saturday night in order to fill their stadium."
Parramatta, who play their first seven matches in Sydney, will kick-off the season with a Thursday night clash against last season's grand finalists Brisbane in what will be star signing Kieran Foran's first game with the Eels.
All matches will be broadcast live and there there will be only one Friday night game this year on Channel Nine before the introduction of a 6pm game on Fox Sports in 2017.
A grand final rematch between the Cowboys and Broncos has been scheduled for Good Friday, while the usual St George Illawarra and Sydney Roosters Anzac Day fixture will go head as usual.
Friday favourites Brisbane have been given eight Friday and three Thursday games in their first 18 matches - a decision Greenberg said was done with with commercial interests in mind.
Surprisingly, Melbourne and Manly have given up a home game each in round 10 to play a double-header at Suncorp Stadium against this year's grand finalists in North Queensland and Brisbane.
