Player Burnout

[Wombat Legacy]

I think it is really high time the people running the NRL took a serious look at this.
26 rounds + Club Challenge + 2 or 3 trials + 9's + All Star + Origin + ANZAC International game, then semis and GF at the end of the season + Internationals at the end....It's ridiculous.
The elite players of the game will be put out if it well before they should be.

Everyone should play each other once, stand alone Origin over six weeks with rounds in between.

Seriously, 26 rounds of high intensity rugby league is just not happening. All it does is drag **** teams back into the mix during and after Origin. 20 rounds MAXIMUM and piss the 9's and All star game off all together...maybe club challenge as well
Get with the times NRL

 

[Disco]

Nah the more footy the better, clubs can manage there rosters, if a player is fatigued, rest him

 

[Loobs]

I think it is really high time the people running the NRL took a serious look at this.
26 rounds + Club Challenge + 2 or 3 trials + 9's + All Star + Origin + ANZAC International game, then semis and GF at the end of the season + Internationals at the end....It's ridiculous.
The elite players of the game will be put out if it well before they should be.

Everyone should play each other once, stand alone Origin over six weeks with rounds in between.

Seriously, 26 rounds of high intensity rugby league is just not happening. All it does is drag **** teams back into the mix during and after Origin. 20 rounds MAXIMUM and piss the 9's and All star game off all together...maybe club challenge as well
Get with the times NRL

And the counter argument to that is

 

[KOMORI]

And the counter argument to that is

 

[ManlyArmy]

I've been thinking lately about the regular season.

Why not divide the comp into 4 groups, each team plays the teams in their group twice, and the rest of the competition once, bringing the regular season to 18 games per club. Could then move Origin to Friday or Saturday nights.

At the end of the regular season, you could have a Super 8's 2 week fixture, and at the end 7th and 8th drop off.

Week 1: 1v4, 2v3, 5v8, 6v7
Week 2: 8v1, 7v2, 3v6, 4v5

Finals Week 1: 3v4, 5v6
Finals Week 2: 1 v 5 or 6, 2 v 3 or 4
Weekend off
Grand Final

19 NRL Rounds including 1 bye for each team, 3 weekends for Origin, 2 for Super 8s, 2 for Finals and 2 for Grand Final including weekend off before.

28 weeks from start to finish for an NRL Season, down from 32 on the current format

 

[Cliffymagic]

Seems too me that each year the players are becoming bigger and stronger. Gone are the days of meat pies and beers after a game. So as they get bigger and stronger , they are getting hurt a lot more often as they are running into brickwalls all game. I thk playing each other once is a good idea and fair. Be nice if there was enough elite players for a 20 team comp.

 

[mike walker]

G'day all,I know its a different level,but I can remember playing pre season sevens at Warilla,trials and then into regular season and mid week games in Kentucky cup at Guildford,not to mention having to get up and go to work as well.Never heard anyone complain about their workload then.
cheers mike

 

[brad]

View attachment 3011

Id love to tee off that melon.

 

[Pablo]

Player welfare is only a concern when it's an issue that might stop little Johnny's mum from letting him play the sport. (Shoulder charges, concussion and lifting tackles etc)

Less games = less money, so player welfare is over looked.

 

[Go manly]

G'day all,I know its a different level,but I can remember playing pre season sevens at Warilla,trials and then into regular season and mid week games in Kentucky cup at Guildford,not to mention having to get up and go to work as well.Never heard anyone complain about their workload then.
cheers mike

Ah
That's a memory
The old warilla Gorillas in group 7
Actually had a state of origin player for nsw from the gorillas named David Boyle

 

[Shoe1]

The problem with the 9s is the need to warm up, play high intensity, warm down, warm up, play high intensity, warm down and so on ad infinitum. you get the picture.

Prepping for one 80 minute game each week is different. Once you are playing a proper game you can often work through injury,eg a strain or cork, and keep playing. Then with physio and ice, and a few days off you're as right as rain for next week.

 

[manlyfan76]

Remember when cricketers complained about burnout? Then T20 ipl came along with million dollar payments for six weeks of hit n giggle and cricketers never complained again.

 

[PONTIAN SEA EAGLE]

Look at the season the EPL in england has & how many games the players endure every year between champions league,europa league,f.a cup & capital one cup plus the normal league.Yeah & league players want to complain about burnout.

 

[Snake]

Look at the season the EPL in england has & how many games the players endure every year between champions league,europa league,f.a cup & capital one cup plus the normal league.Yeah & league players want to complain about burnout.

Jogging around a field with the occasional sprint and the odd trip is much less intense compared to what NRL players put their bodies through.

 

[Eagles2nv]

Look at the season the EPL in england has & how many games the players endure every year between champions league,europa league,f.a cup & capital one cup plus the normal league.Yeah & league players want to complain about burnout.

I understand your point, however there are some important differences.

1. EPL teams have 25 player squads (like NRL), but generally only 14 play a game. Alot dont see a first game time until their needed.
2. Generally big name players dont play in most FA cup games early only, only later in the piece (if their team isnt knocked out). Same as alot of other competitions with the exception of champions league.
3. Soccer doesn't have the impact tackling has on the body. Not saying Soccer isnt a physically draining sport, but some games a halfback can run just as many metres as a EPL player, on top of tackling.
4. Alot of big metre players dont play a full game. They get subbed cause they have another world class player on the bench. DCE/JT/Smith don't have that luxury. If they are off the field, its cause they're hurt.

Yes, soccer players do play many more games than the likes of smith or thurston. But they are very different sports.

 

[Snake]

I don't see a problem with the length of the season proper but I do think the NRL should abolish the All Stars and the 9's. An argument could be made for reducing the regular season to 22 or 24 rounds and play the SOO on stand alone weekends. Burnout is a problem but drastic changes are probably not necessary.

 

[Hgbcds]

Jogging around a field with the occasional sprint and the odd trip is much less intense compared to what NRL players put their bodies through.

Not when your doing it 3 days a week

 

[Snake]

Not when your doing it 3 days a week

I guess the risk of stubbing your toe is high.

 

[HoldenV8]

 

[globaleagle]

Remember when cricketers complained about burnout? Then T20 ipl came along with million dollar payments for six weeks of hit n giggle and cricketers never complained again.

lol. Exactly. I remember writing a letter to the editor of the courier mail about it. They published it along with a cartoon of players walking around with bags of money.