Length of season

It’s quiet on the message boards because the silly season is with us. There are only finals being played and practically all clubs are finished for the season.
We still have the transfer rumours doing the rounds, but the RL close season is too long. The round ball game has a very short close season, about 8 - 10 weeks before they are in action again, but us we are (club wise) shut down for 5 months plus. It is too long.
Irrespective of what Stevo and Clarke says, the clubs do not play too much Rugby, especially the clubs that do not make Challenge cup or Grand finals.
Most clubs have a few injuries during a season, and those that have been out injured are chomping at the bit to get playing again. Hodgson and Aspy must be fresh as daisies plus half a dozen from Hull, a good few from Bradford, Warrington,Wakefield,Quins.

Most clubs have a first team squad of 25 / 28 players, these can be used on a rotational basis by putting one of the younger lads on the bench each week, plus the fresh ones coming back from injury should be able to rest most players for a couple of weeks a season.
We should increase the league to 16 teams giving us 30 games plus 1 for the Magic weekend, and possibly spread 4 weeks evenly through the season (with no league games) for playing France, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. This format plus the play offs and Challenge cup could prolong the season and the supporters will not suffer from withdrawal symptoms.

I agree with what you're saying, but the Lads do need time to re cooperate and charge their batteries.
I am the worlds worst person in the off seaso(ask mick), I can't wait for the new season, but I have been seeing reason that they need a break too.
This year I am busy at this monet, so not really missing watching the Lads but I will be when nothing to do

Well the lads playing Super League now have a full time job in the sport. I would say it is a lot easier than most of the rest of the working population as regards time off, and certainly leisure time when not training.
Having played the game (for love of it) not for the money, I can honestly say that after a game, a couple of days after the aches and bruises have eased I could not wait for the next game. Granted it was not SL standard, but I didn`t have the rest of the week to get over it. I had to go to work, like the rest of the lads in the lower divisions.
The SL players should have enough petrol in the tank to play a 9 month season, 6 weeks holiday and 6 weeks pre-season.

[quote="Shogun"]Well the lads playing Super League now have a full time job in the sport. I would say it is a lot easier than most of the rest of the working population as regards time off, and certainly leisure time when not training.
Having played the game (for love of it) not for the money, I can honestly say that after a game, a couple of days after the aches and bruises have eased I could not wait for the next game. Granted it was not SL standard, but I didn`t have the rest of the week to get over it. I had to go to work, like the rest of the lads in the lower divisions.
The SL players should have enough petrol in the tank to play a 9 month season, 6 weeks holiday and 6 weeks pre-season.[/quote


Totally agree mate, If you can't play 1 or occasionally 2 games a week as a full time pro with all the facilities at your disposal they have now, then you have to wonder just how good were the players in the past who had to do a week down the pit or whatever as well . There is a difference in the style of the game of course but even allowing for the difference in the speed of the game in general they should be able to handle it comfortably.

Thanks for your back up BO.
What I would have given for the chance to be full-time when I was playing. Most of the players are out playing golf after they have done a bit of training, unless they are too tired.

Shogun wrote:

Thanks for your back up BO.
What I would have given for the chance to be full-time when I was playing. Most of the players are out playing golf after they have done a bit of training, unless they are too tired.

I have never played the game myself, i am judging things on what i have seen past players do, but if i come across any of em on the golf course ,there in for a kicking

I'd like to see the season made longer, but not by having more league games. We should have more representative games, like internationals, war of the roses etc... during the season, then the clubs will get odd weeks off and this would give those with injuries more time to recover and those who are not selected for representative games more time for training to improve. I don't like seeing players play more than one game a week. The impact that the players go through does take time to recover from. It is always noticeable how much slower the second game in the Easter period is.

I said not so long ago that a longer season is not out of the question as younger players would be given a chance to shine. I also think that just 2 teams being brought into the franchise was a total waste of time and effort.

matt01 wrote:

I'd like to see the season made longer, but not by having more league games. We should have more representative games, like internationals, war of the roses etc... during the season, then the clubs will get odd weeks off and this would give those with injuries more time to recover and those who are not selected for representative games more time for training to improve. I don't like seeing players play more than one game a week. The impact that the players go through does take time to recover from. It is always noticeable how much slower the second game in the Easter period is.

Totally agree with you there!

matt01 wrote:

I'd like to see the season made longer, but not by having more league games. We should have more representative games, like internationals, war of the roses etc... during the season, then the clubs will get odd weeks off and this would give those with injuries more time to recover and those who are not selected for representative games more time for training to improve. I don't like seeing players play more than one game a week. The impact that the players go through does take time to recover from. It is always noticeable how much slower the second game in the Easter period is.

Can't understand why there is so little support for the Roses matches now, they used to be good games to watch in times past when it was played as a three way thing.

BO JANGLES wrote:

matt01 wrote:

I'd like to see the season made longer, but not by having more league games. We should have more representative games, like internationals, war of the roses etc... during the season, then the clubs will get odd weeks off and this would give those with injuries more time to recover and those who are not selected for representative games more time for training to improve. I don't like seeing players play more than one game a week. The impact that the players go through does take time to recover from. It is always noticeable how much slower the second game in the Easter period is.

Can't understand why there is so little support for the Roses matches now, they used to be good games to watch in times past when it was played as a three way thing.

If they are played on a weekend and are actually worth something to the players, be that medals, cash and/or trials for England then there would be support for it.

Bringing back the Roses matches is a good idea, it gives the international players some extra competition and the younger a lads chance to shine. It would be ideal and easy to pick a good quality "other nationalities squad" (the older ones of us will remember them).
Then it would be Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cumbria and Other Nationalities.

Sounds damn good that Shogun!

Shogun wrote:

Bringing back the Roses matches is a good idea, it gives the international players some extra competition and the younger a lads chance to shine. It would be ideal and easy to pick a good quality "other nationalities squad" (the older ones of us will remember them).
Then it would be Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cumbria and Other Nationalities.

...........and maybe a team comprised of London/Welsh / and Hull players Shogun??

penninegiant wrote:

Shogun wrote:

Bringing back the Roses matches is a good idea, it gives the international players some extra competition and the younger a lads chance to shine. It would be ideal and easy to pick a good quality "other nationalities squad" (the older ones of us will remember them).
Then it would be Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cumbria and Other Nationalities.

...........and maybe a team comprised of London/Welsh / and Hull players Shogun??

Come on PG !!! What sort of geography did you get at school, or was Hull still held by the "VIKINGS" in those days and not classed as Yorkshire.

Lets put it this way Shogun, I've had to have 2 towers installed above my house so he can find his way here. Lokks like bleedin Holme Moss!

reidy@work wrote:

Lets put it this way Shogun, I've had to have 2 towers installed above my house so he can find his way here. Lokks like bleedin Holme Moss!

Is his vision badly impaired as well.

Must stop this taking the mickey out of PG it`s not gentlemanly conduct.

Shogun wrote:

penninegiant wrote:

Shogun wrote:

Bringing back the Roses matches is a good idea, it gives the international players some extra competition and the younger a lads chance to shine. It would be ideal and easy to pick a good quality "other nationalities squad" (the older ones of us will remember them).
Then it would be Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cumbria and Other Nationalities.

...........and maybe a team comprised of London/Welsh / and Hull players Shogun??

Come on PG !!! What sort of geography did you get at school, or was Hull still held by the "VIKINGS" in those days and not classed as Yorkshire.

Wouldnt class em as Yorkshire really!!

HUMBERSIDERS !!--any further from Holmfirth and theyd be German!!
Hey --now theres an idea!!!

Shogun wrote:

reidy@work wrote:

Lets put it this way Shogun, I've had to have 2 towers installed above my house so he can find his way here. Lokks like bleedin Holme Moss!

Is his vision badly impaired as well.

Must stop this taking the mickey out of PG it`s not gentlemanly conduct.

I was thinking "Lady- like " miself!!

reidy@work wrote:

Lets put it this way Shogun, I've had to have 2 towers installed above my house so he can find his way here. Lokks like bleedin Holme Moss!

what hes not letting on about is the contract he`s landed with air traffic control and Jodrell bank!!

go on -spill the beans!!!