So we play away on 7th June and Cas play away on 7th June before our game with them on 11th June. So why do they feel then need to change the fixture to give them extra time to rest between games. www.castlefordtigers.com/article.php?id=4133

So we play away on 7th June and Cas play away on 7th June before our game with them on 11th June. So why do they feel then need to change the fixture to give them extra time to rest between games. www.castlefordtigers.com/article.php?id=4133

Quote harmless idiot="harmless idiot"So we play away on 7th June and Cas play away on 7th June before our game with them on 11th June. So why do they feel then need to change the fixture to give them extra time to rest between games. www.castlefordtigers.com/article.php?id=4133'" I'd guess because they think that if both have 4 days turn-around that Leeds would cope better with it than them. In contrast if they have a 6 day turn-around it gives them a bit more hope / chance of an even game. Though Leeds' game is at Wakey, if I remember rightly, so that will temper the advantage that Cas might gain through this change...

Quote harmless idiot="harmless idiot"So we play away on 7th June and Cas play away on 7th June before our game with them on 11th June. So why do they feel then need to change the fixture to give them extra time to rest between games. www.castlefordtigers.com/article.php?id=4133'" I'd guess because they think that if both have 4 days turn-around that Leeds would cope better with it than them. In contrast if they have a 6 day turn-around it gives them a bit more hope / chance of an even game. Though Leeds' game is at Wakey, if I remember rightly, so that will temper the advantage that Cas might gain through this change...

I can understand Hull KR being mightily peeved.

Cas have known since the fixtures came out in October that they were going to be playing this game on a short turnaround, but waited until the end of February before asking for it to be moved. Hull KR said no, the RFL intervened on "player welfare grounds"(ridiculous, as they are happy for teams to play twice in four days over Easter, or play midweek when games have to be rearranged for Cup ties).

Hull KR appealed, the RFL have turned them down and said it must be moved. So any commercial sales Hull KR made on the basis it was going to be Sunday have been lost. Friday night also probably means lower travelling support therefore less cash for Hull KR, without having a Sky payment to cushion the blow.

Frankly stuff like this makes the sport look like a laughing stock. Changes are going to be made to fixtures at short notice to fit the broadcasters, but moving games just because it gives one team a better chance in their next game sets a precedent and has seen the RFL paint itself into a corner now. Maybe Leeds should ask Wakefield to move their game back to the Friday night now, then cry to the RFL when they say no?

Maybe Cas are also feeling they need to do something about the injustice that they have to play Wakefield 3 times this season, but that's another issue

The only sensible reason to move it forward would be that then both HKR and Salford play their league games on Friday the 5th of June. They then don't play again until Sunday the 14th of June which gives them a 9 day gap to squeeze in the match they have to play against each other due to being in the earlier round of the cup.

However you'd think that would've been announced by now only being a few weeks away in order to organise the fixture.......however it is the RFL so wouldn't surprise me if they did just announce a HKR v Salford midweek match at the last minute.

Hull KR haven't asked for it moving. Cas did.

Hull KR initially refused their request, then Cas appealed to the RFL on "player welfare" grounds and the RFL told Hull KR that they had to move it whether they wanted to or not.

It's ridiculous. Seems some rules only apply to certain clubs. Peeved off doesn't even come close!!

What about "spectator welfare", it's about time the RFL and the clubs stopped taking supporters for granted and realise that without speccies there's no game. Season ticket holders at KR buy season tickets because they know home games will normally be played on a Sunday, why should they be inconvenienced because that moaning get Powell decides he's not happy. This player welfare is becoming a right load of sh**e. If the players don't want to play then get back to the building site or digging holes in the wind and rain and let some lads that are happy to play whenever take their place. As Jim Royle would say "player welfare my a**e ".

I found the answer in your question.

Undoubtedly. The issue is why it took them four months from the fixtures being announced to deciding they wanted to change, and why when Hull KR said "no thank you" did the RFL feel the need to intervene on Cas's behalf having been responsible for scheduling the short turnaround in the first place?

This isn't the 80's.
The players are huge and massively powerful.
Players are playing with often multiple fractures, sometimes of the spine.
Players have proportionately lower bone density and less fat protection than the average person.
A Rugby League game results in significant skeletal muscle damage and requires a minimum of 5 days recovery between games.

To say "player welfare is a right load of sh**e" is either actively wanting players to be injured, possibly seriously, or naive in the extreme.



That said, this particular cockup is entirely of the RFL's own making.