The poor liddle didums of the NRL cry hard done by again: Universal bye for rep round

[Baron Vo Mandor]

Calls for NRL to break for Anzac Test and City-Country matches

By Nick Walshaw
May 06, 2010 Frustrated NRL players have warned the game's governing body to introduce a universal bye around the Anzac Test and City-Country blockbusters or expect a dramatic increase in the number of poster boys sidelined with injury.
Player burnout is the new buzzword in the NRL as a staggering 40 superstars, including Billy Slater, Kurt Gidley, Anthony Watmough, Brett Morris and Todd Carney, prepare mentally and physically for two games in 48 hours.

While the notion of backing up after State of Origin is nothing new, the overwhelming message from City and Country camps this week is to overhaul the representative calendar before bodies are pushed to breaking point.

"Because games ... (are) getting faster and faster now," Penrith and City backrower Trent Waterhouse warns.
"The pre-seasons seem to be longer and everything generally is more physical. So to be playing consecutive games in such a short space of time, mate, it's tough.

"No one wants to see the City-Country game lost, especially now it's a legitimate Origin trial. You've also got a host of young guys like Lachlan Coote and Timmy Grant earning their first representative jerseys.
"But we definitely need a bye weekend to make things easier."

Incumbent New South Wales Origin hooker Michael Ennis agrees: "The biggest problem we face is NRL officials have no idea how tough it is to play consecutive games on a weekend like this.

"You can't (know) unless you've been there and done it. And I know the league is trying to do the right thing by TV, by marketing and all those other things. But surely the players are the product?
"And if that product's going to be the best it can be, you can't have 13 blokes from Manly and St George Illawarra playing 24 hours after beating themselves up in Test matches and NSW Origin trials."

Parramatta centre Joel Reddy, who debuts off the City interchange bench, and Canberra enforcer Tom Learoyd-Lahrs also thought the representative season needed rethinking.

"Because I know for us at Parramatta, we were rapt to find out we had the bye this weekend and then didn't play until Monday week," Reddy said.

"But what about the other guys? So I'd like to think a bye for everyone is an option the NRL would look at."


http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,27084998-23214,00.html

Really they just need to harden the hell up, its far from a soft sport but its a hell of it lot easier then a lot of factory and warehouse workers go through 50+ hours a week.

They are paid an exceptionally high wage to do something most people only dream of.

 

[Butters]

Rep games are unfair on the clubs who have players out. It gives an unfair advantage to teams who play against a side that is weakened by having players out through rep duties.

A universal bye would get rid of this.

 

[ME SO HORNBY!]

Really they just need to harden the hell up, its far from a soft sport but its a hell of it lot easier then a lot of factory and warehouse workers go through 50+ hours a week.

They are paid an exceptionally high wage to do something most people only dream of.

Sorry mate but that last coment from you just doesn't make sense to me at all. Who cares how much money money thay make. Are you telling me its not hard to back up after getting bashed and bruised just 24-48 hours previously? Now this is a test and CvC but what about Origin (the hardest and toughest league game played in the world).

So because some guy works 50 hours a week that makes it ok for players to have to put their body through 2 games in two days (and risk injury) just because they make more money? Dumbest thing ive ever heard.

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

Kidding urself Hornby, if they were getting SMASHED every tackle fair enough, but its likely to be once a match if that.

 

[Frederick]

Yeah, cause every other tackle in a game doesn't have any effect on their bodies at all...

 

[Parra Guru]

Why don't they move one or both to the Wed night

 

[betcats]

give them a bye, it makes sense

 

[jc155776]

Tens of Thousands play Union and League matches on a weekend as well as work for a living.

Their bodies are nowhere near as trained to handle the physical contact and as many who have played will tell you even the lower grades can be Brutal. In fact many Proffessional players are not always keen to head back to the local leagues because of how rough the games can sometimes be.

Now local comps are nowhere near the same physical confrontation HOWEVER the players in the NRL are paid and trained to play footy. Their bodies are trained and designed to handle the physical nature of the game.

The players want more money, for less games.

Do they realise how silly they sound?

 

[Brutus]

They are paid an exceptionally high wage to do something most people only dream of.

They are not all on exceptionally high wages and their footy careers only last so long. They play a high risk sport too.

 

[Noa]

How about leave the test where it is with no Saturday games. Then a few weeks later have the Origin on a Sunday and if NSWRL wants to persist with C-C, play it on the Friday of the Origin weekend. The Blues first team is almost picked anyway, by playing the C-C on Friday this would put pressure on those who dont perform 2 days later for game 2.Maybe have teams like Tonga, Samoa, NZ, Fiji and PNG play internationals on the Saturday and the likes of Burgess and Ellis can fly home for English commitments.

 

[Johns Magic]

Edit

 

[Johns Magic]

Rep games are unfair on the clubs who have players out. It gives an unfair advantage to teams who play against a side that is weakened by having players out through rep duties.

At least it's a free trial run for the Storm 2011 team hey Butters?

 

[adamkungl]

Really they just need to harden the hell up, its far from a soft sport but its a hell of it lot easier then a lot of factory and warehouse workers go through 50+ hours a week.

:lol: what a joke

But yeah we need rep weekends. The usual argument is not enough footy is played wah wah wah.
This weekend:
CvC
Aus v NZ
and if i'm not mistaken England v France?
Have them on Fri, Sat and Sun, televise them all. 1 game/day is enough for most people surely?

Then during Origin weekends have some PNG/Pacific Islands test matches. The players involved won't overlap.
There's a few games of footy. Smaller nations get more tests. Clubs don't lose players. Win win.

Side note, I would suggest these rep weekends replace an NRL round rather than postpone it. ie. The NRL season is cut to 22 rounds, but time-wise stays the same length.

 

[Newcastlerabbit]

Players have back backed up after rep matches for over 90 years,whats the problem.They never complained.Theses dudes today get paid a more cabbage than rep players of the past.

 

[Danish]

Rep games are unfair on the clubs who have players out. It gives an unfair advantage to teams who play against a side that is weakened by having players out through rep duties.

A universal bye would get rid of this.

Those poor teams littered with rep stars having to put up with 3-4 weakened weekends each year....


Those teams with next to no rep stars like Cronulla must be dominating the comp with such an unfair advantage.

 

[Red Bear]

Reduce number of games in a season to 22 rounds of 8 games but have origin/tests on stand alone weekends. Avoids need for a bye and ensures we are able to maintain high quality club games for the whole season, whilst still allowing clubs to have those 'rest up' weeks. If done for the next TV rights deal (which i guess could actually be 9 games per week) we can, similar to AFL, have 4 games per weekend on FTA to increase the amount of cash we make, whilst selling representive football seperately. Two friday night, a saturday evening and sunday afternoon game. With the hopeful increase in TV contract you can incrase the rep bonus players make for playing origin/tests to make up somewhat for having to play extra games than their less skilled team mates.

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

Yeah that will increase the TV deal redbear.

 

[Ike E Bear]

Personally, I think byes make sense in terms of trying to maximise fairness in the competition. There's still the risk of players getting injured in those games, but there's also a risk that they could get injured at training or playing with their kids in the backyard (ask David Kidwell).

The practicality, however, is that broadcasters do not want the gaps that a bye like this would create. That is what's holding it back.

I think the best, most innovative, answer would be to create some new concepts (Maoris vs Indigenous, Sevens, New Zealand vs "Barbarians", NYC State of Origin, NYC Tests ... the sky's the limit) to fill those gaps and help promote the game.

Currently, Channel Nine want three games a week and Foxtel would presumably have a minimum number of exclusive games they want as well. This weekend, Channel Nine will broadcast their three games, leaving Foxtel three exclusive matches.

It mightn't be feasible to have four "exhibition" type matches, but surely a compromise could be reached that benefits the game without impacting any one stakeholder too significantly.

 

[Red Bear]

Yeah that will increase the TV deal redbear.

22x4 = 88 games on FTA, plus the sale (or even included) 3 SoO + CvC + Australian match
26x3 = 78 matches, at most currently broadcast, with a few weekends having 1 less club game on FTA, plus the 3 SoO + CvC + Australian match.

So yeah, there's a chance it would.

 

[perverse]

it sure would help with my fantasy leagues... lol.