https://open.spotify.com/episode/5M37E7 ... pi0LvQkFEg

Good listen here with Scott Taylor. Starts with some insight on the new approach from Hodgson and his thoughts on Reynolds, then the story of his career, finishes with what next. Very clear that we can't say we're a top 4 team or entitled to talk about trophies given our performances since 2017, let's concentrate on starting well, working hard, and correcting defence which he describes as disgraceful last year. Feet very much on the ground, good to hear.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5M37E7 ... pi0LvQkFEg

Good listen here with Scott Taylor. Starts with some insight on the new approach from Hodgson and his thoughts on Reynolds, then the story of his career, finishes with what next. Very clear that we can't say we're a top 4 team or entitled to talk about trophies given our performances since 2017, let's concentrate on starting well, working hard, and correcting defence which he describes as disgraceful last year. Feet very much on the ground, good to hear.

Just wondering what people's thoughts are regards players playing through injury and fatigue? We've seen too often players having to be jabbed up to play and this has a direct impact on player welfare but secondary it has an effect on performance of that player and the team overall. It also has a bearing on younger player development.

A more pro active stance regards injuries and fatigue with better squad rotation and introducing a junior/squad player quicker instead of jabbing up a senior player to continue to play should benefit not just the players but the team results wise. Players whom are severely fatigued or have an injury and being asked to play are more likely to not perform as well as the squad player, doing fewer minutes as well, but also the increased likelihood to either worsen the current injury and be out for longer or when fatigued, more likely to get an injury to start with.

It's all too easy to put your 'best' team out week in week out and even when you don't have many games missed by the 1st XVII as we saw in 2016, this does have a huge impact on how players perform in the final 1/4 of the season as well as long term injuries that might impact far more significantly than if they were withdrawn earlier from playing. it also means junior squad players thrown in at the pointy end of the season have less experience to deal with those all so important games and the pressure that comes with them.
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It's not just our club, it's everywhere, even in the amateur ranks players are taking painkillers to get onto the pitch/get through a game and the longer term post career impact on the body is well know (See Rob Parkers video from a few years ago that featured on the One Show https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05dqkvm ) However I truly believe that addressing injuries and fatigue works better overall and longer term regards results, the argument that we would lose more games with squad players in, we have a weaker starting 13 or weaker bench is valid but we can't know how the injured/fatigued senior player is going to perform in any case never mind how they perform over a season with a constant 'niggling' injury or worse.

One of the best examples I saw but seemingly forced onto Radford with him stating we had a 'million pounds worth of players in the stand' was when we played Warrington on an Easter Monday. Warrington went into the game with the 'best' 17 they could muster, most of whom had played on the good Friday, and we had a team full of kids, Warrington were flying high and yet with most the senior squad out, we won.

Also like to see squad players brought into their correct positions instead of moving other senior players around to put a square peg into a round hole.

Just wondering what people's thoughts are regards players playing through injury and fatigue? We've seen too often players having to be jabbed up to play and this has a direct impact on player welfare but secondary it has an effect on performance of that player and the team overall. It also has a bearing on younger player development.

A more pro active stance regards injuries and fatigue with better squad rotation and introducing a junior/squad player quicker instead of jabbing up a senior player to continue to play should benefit not just the players but the team results wise. Players whom are severely fatigued or have an injury and being asked to play are more likely to not perform as well as the squad player, doing fewer minutes as well, but also the increased likelihood to either worsen the current injury and be out for longer or when fatigued, more likely to get an injury to start with.

It's all too easy to put your 'best' team out week in week out and even when you don't have many games missed by the 1st XVII as we saw in 2016, this does have a huge impact on how players perform in the final 1/4 of the season as well as long term injuries that might impact far more significantly than if they were withdrawn earlier from playing. it also means junior squad players thrown in at the pointy end of the season have less experience to deal with those all so important games and the pressure that comes with them.
.
It's not just our club, it's everywhere, even in the amateur ranks players are taking painkillers to get onto the pitch/get through a game and the longer term post career impact on the body is well know (See Rob Parkers video from a few years ago that featured on the One Show https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05dqkvm ) However I truly believe that addressing injuries and fatigue works better overall and longer term regards results, the argument that we would lose more games with squad players in, we have a weaker starting 13 or weaker bench is valid but we can't know how the injured/fatigued senior player is going to perform in any case never mind how they perform over a season with a constant 'niggling' injury or worse.

One of the best examples I saw but seemingly forced onto Radford with him stating we had a 'million pounds worth of players in the stand' was when we played Warrington on an Easter Monday. Warrington went into the game with the 'best' 17 they could muster, most of whom had played on the good Friday, and we had a team full of kids, Warrington were flying high and yet with most the senior squad out, we won.

Also like to see squad players brought into their correct positions instead of moving other senior players around to put a square peg into a round hole.

Rugby league is a brutal game and it's just inevitable that players will sometimes have to play through a little niggle or a bit of fatigue. But I agree with you, flogging players until they break just doesn't do anyone any good. You carry a 30 man squad for a reason, and whilst you want to have your best players playing as much as possible, you need to know when to rotate and give those guys a rest, otherwise you get to the business end of the season and those guys are shot pieces and unable to perform anywhere near their potential.

It is a hard balancing act for a coach and I don't like to criticise them too much in hindsight. Also you know what rugby players are like for putting their hand up to play when they really shouldn't and that makes it even harder to make these decisions. But it's a squad game and you need to use it.

Rugby league is a brutal game and it's just inevitable that players will sometimes have to play through a little niggle or a bit of fatigue. But I agree with you, flogging players until they break just doesn't do anyone any good. You carry a 30 man squad for a reason, and whilst you want to have your best players playing as much as possible, you need to know when to rotate and give those guys a rest, otherwise you get to the business end of the season and those guys are shot pieces and unable to perform anywhere near their potential.

It is a hard balancing act for a coach and I don't like to criticise them too much in hindsight. Also you know what rugby players are like for putting their hand up to play when they really shouldn't and that makes it even harder to make these decisions. But it's a squad game and you need to use it.