Quote: DaveO "The RFL didn't ignore Wigan's request. They looked at it and said "no" due to the four day turnaround moving it to Thursday or Sunday would entail. Wigan knew this months ago. They then suggested we moved the game to various venues some of which were available and some not. As IL explained they couldn't switch the alternate fixture because that is in June when the pitch is up (again) and if you tried to switch it with another team that is a non-starter as that has the knock on effect to their fixtures. Postponement doesn't work either as he also explained.
As to not scheduling it on Friday in the first place we do have to have a game this week and play someone. Friday is our designated home game day so suggesting they should automatically have not scheduled it originally for Friday looking at Latics fixtures is a bit rich. We play Friday. Latics are not playing that day and there is no four day turnaround for a Friday game. Wigan RL asked for this to be moved when in my view there is no need to move it. When the answer was "no" anyway, we should have just stuck with Friday. If we can play hours after they on Easter Monday, they can cope with playing a day after us.'"
They did ignore the request, as I've already said but which you seem to have not read, is that Wigan flagged up this Friday as a problem BEFORE the fixtures were even decided. They could have had us playing away at anyone this weekend because they hadn't decided anything. The RFL made the decision for us to play Salford this weekend on a Friday despite the fact:
1. Wigan flagged it up as a problem.
2. If the game had to be moved to another day then Salford would be playing with a four day turnaround. They could have chosen plenty of other teams for Wigan to play at home this Thursday or Sunday if they had to have us playing at home - which they didn't.
Wigan have played plenty of home games not a on Friday so it's hardly a precedent for it to be played Thursday or Sunday. But again they didn't have to play at home this weekend, so it wouldn't have been a problem.
.
