That completely contradicts itself. It starts by saying even with friendlies players don't reach match fitness but progresses to "some players can play decent with only a 30 minute warm up"

Couldn't be done at the start of the season but I'd like to see that Super league vs the NRL series done again sometime to see how our game has progressed against their's.

just go to the away games as well and you get 27 games like a lot of us do more than enough for most supporters I would say. whilst I can see the point from a financial point of view the last thing we need is a longer season we are kicking friendlies off in january and not finishing internationals while the middle of november in one of the most physically demanding sports in the world, do you really think fans would be happy watching their team lose with young lads filling in for injured stars????

Yes it takes a fair few matches to get match fit, however a team that have played a couple of good friendlies are going to be going into the first game of the season better prepared than a team who have only done training. It is also most likely why we see a fair few upsets in the early rounds of SL as well.

As for players hating friendlies, that strikes me as strange because when i played (not at a pro level) i wanted to play all the time regardless of the match/oppenent etc. In fact I am pretty sure Longy says something similar in his book. A game is a game and like you said there is no such thing as a friendly.

I do, thanks. Still only one game a fortnight over a year, much less than football with league, cup, league cup etc, although I appreciate it's a much more physical game.

The season runs from mid Feb to early September for teams not in the play-offs, that's less than 7 months, with 4 weeks off during the season for the cup if you're out in the first round plus a mid season international. The vast majority of players are not involved in internationals at the end of the season.


I think with more fixtures, there would be more squad rotation and more opportunities for homegrown academy players. I can see why this doesn't appeal to you however.

No i've got to disagree with you there and this is not a rovers v hull point scoring fest, I know there are a lot of people on these boards who have played the game as well as football as have I in the past to some level or another, I'm sure most will tell you it takes its toll over a full season as it is . Throwing youngsters in who are not ready due to injuries does nobody any good and there is plenty of evidence of that since relegation was scrapped imho (a move I was bitterly opposed to despite being a red and white).

I think it's folly to suggest this will encourage squad rotation as we are in a results business and for pretty much everyone in the league apart from yourselves and leeds (and I'm not 100% about them) a long losing run would almost definately mean a drop in attendances and hence revenue. When you then add in the salary cap it makes squad rotation a no no for most coaches if you want a competitive team.

As for your point about most players wont make the playoffs or play internationals so get 5 months off, the Rugby league have a commitment to expanding the international game so more and more players are playing in internationals (albeit tenuously for ireland, scotland etc.) and more and more players are having clean up surgery on wear and tear in the close season probably than ever before as the game has got quicker over the years, this surely is an another indicator of how the length of season is more than enough.

How many games did we used to play on average in a season when there were 4 competitions, with far fewer interchanges and players with much lower fitness levels than we had today? It's a serious question, I don't know the answer.

I don't understand the point you're making about a losing run being bad for a team only in the scenario where more games are played. Clubs have differing levels of injuries now and would if there were more games. Why would a level playing field be suddenly removed if we played 4 more games a season, for example? It's nonsense. The only supporting argument might be that clubs with a genuine commitment to homegrown players would have potentially a greater pool of reserves to call on than one simply naming academy players in a first team squad, avoiding playing them at all costs, then getting rid each year to repeat the following season, but that's a good thing, surely, encouraging a broader squad?

As said already, as a fan I'd like to see more home games than 13. As also said, I suspect the players wouldn't. It would bring more money in, though. Hence why your chairman is such a big advocate of it.

Like I say, I would put the best possible team out in both. The "squad" players get plenty of practice in the "academy" games anyway, and they don't really count for much.

I guess I started this debate at odds with Agar because I think they ARE worth putting the best team out for, yet Agar consistently fails to do so then complains after the first match that we were "underdone".

If full time professionals cannot front up for 30 games a season then there has to be something wrong with them.

As I said - just wait for Agar's "underdone" excuse to trot out again this year !

i think 2 friendlies against a super league team and a top championship team with our best say 18,19 players and then maybe another game for the fringe players in the squad or players that need game time and the young first teamers with the rest of squad made up from players in the 20s against a side like donny

Totally agree with this...Injuries are part and parcel of the game, they can happen in training. Friendlies are hit outs and are an absolute must, even if the players get 20 mins they need to get the hits.

Well as an example, 1981-82 Taffy Predeville played 42 games! That wa not an uncommon figure in pre-summer era rugby league.

Lots of Wednesday night games back then?

In 81/82 Crooks played 42, Crane 41, Skerrett 39, Stone 38, Norton 38. Every one of them a forward !

and they all played with a couple of pints in their system. Dont think the pace of the modern game would accomodate those levels of games.

have to say that them sort of stats wouldnt happen today.....but fair play to those wo did it back then