Clint Newton talks about NRL burnout

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mozgrame

Engorged member
IT feels like the NRL season has only just wrapped up.

North Queensland is still touring the premiership trophy around the state, and many players remain overseas with their feet up, enjoying some time off.

So it’s strange to think Canberra kicked off its 2016 pre-season campaign on Monday.

It was a total of 20 days between the NRL grand final and Ricky Stuart calling his troops in to Raiders headquarters to begin preparing for next season.

Granted, the boys in lime green did play their last game on September 6, but it gives rugby league followers the feeling of a year-round season.

With the Auckland Nines, World Club Series, pre-season interclub games, and post-season representative matches, it seems rugby league is a 12-month sport these days.

Throw in a few State of Origin games, a City-Country, and the Anzac Test, and the Australian schedule is packed to breaking point.

It’s great for the fans, but what does it mean for the blokes out on the park doing the work?

Player burnout has been a growing issue in the game for a number of years, as the players’ workload increases.

Cowboys star Johnathan Thurston played a total of 31 games this year — 25 NRL games, the Anzac Test, three Origin appearances, one pre-season trial, and the All Stars game.

Rugby League Players Association chairman Clint Newton has no doubt the demands on professional rugby league players is increasing significantly and points out that it’s not just the physical side of the game contributing to burnout.

“Most people look at a player’s obligations and think they just have to play and train,” Newton told foxsports.com.au.

“In actual fact it’s not just about playing and training, there’s increasing demands for public appearances and community work.

“While the players love to do that stuff it’s certainly a slice of their time, like anything else.

“It all increases the actual demand on the players.

“We certainly think it’s incredibly important that there needs to be a good balance between football and personal life.

“That will then create better players, and more importantly better men.”

Most NRL clubs have staggered return dates for different groups of players.

Players who have performed end-of-season representative commitments, or don’t need as much physical training, are allowed to return later.

Raiders playmaker Sam Williams had no problem returning to training on Monday.

“To be successful next year we’ve got to be back this time of the year,” Williams said.

“We’ve got to train hard, that’s just part of the game.”

Queensland legend Billy Moore has the benefit of assessing the workload debate from both sides of the fence.

Moore played 211 clubs games for North Sydney Bears, 17 Origin games for the Maroons, and three Tests for Australia, during his 10-year career.

He now owns and manages a restaurant in the sunshine state.

“I’m a restaurateur, I have 20 permanent staff and they get four weeks off every year,” Moore told foxsports.com.au.

“I expect performance to be first class from them every weekend when we’re flat out in the restaurant.

“You’re mindful of burnout and making sure they stay fresh.

“Rugby league is like that nowadays, it’s a full-time job that’s 48 weeks a year.

“You’re not always on the tools, but there’s probably 30 (weeks) when you’re playing games.

“Players are smarter these days, more tuned in to what they need.”

Many pundits believe the current 26-round season drags on too long.

Newton understands the broadcast deals play a part in the NRL’s scheduling, and is happy to work with the governing body to find a happy medium.

“It’s incredibly important that we work with the NRL and the clubs, the three major stakeholders in the game, to ensure players are adequately rested and can perform to their best, as an athlete and a human being,” he said.

“The demands on the players have increased, from 2013 to now they have definitely increased.

“We’re trying to work out with the NRL what that actually means, and how the players can benefit from this.”

The NRL and RLPA signed a collective bargaining agreement in 2013 but Newton has been working to update the papers.

The RLPA met with the NRL in September and agreed in principle to altering some clauses in the agreement, largely centred around annual leave for players.

When your club returns to training

Roosters: November 18

Cowboys: November 30

Titans: November 2

Broncos: November 9

Sharks: November 9

Raiders: October 26

Manly: November 2

Knights: November 2

Panthers: November 9

Warriors: November 2

Eels: November 5

Bulldogs: November 16

Dragons: November 12

Rabbitohs: November 2

Tigers: November 2

Storm: November 4

http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/rl...physical-demands/story-fndujljl-1227585162951
 
Poor baby's, I work 60 hours a week and rarely even get 4 weeks off. Any mention of burnout in my office is laughed at.
 
Poor baby's, I work 60 hours a week and rarely even get 4 weeks off. Any mention of burnout in my office is laughed at.
Was thinking the same thing.
The 38 hour, 48 weeks a year working life is long gone.
We're all working longer hours now, whether in an office or on the tools. Saturday is a normal working day for me now (6 days) and not unusual to be getting work related calls on the Sunday. Whats a holiday?

One of my wife's friends is in HR at one of the major banks head office and she says that staff that only do the 9 to 5 end up getting sent to her for a talking to about working harder.
 
I think the hardest part of being a professional footballer must surely be the injuries. Not just the pain, but many times undergoing surgery, being forced to stay in hospital, being unproductive, feeling useless, the rehab, being pressured to return too soon resulting in a sub-standard performance ....
then coping criticism from fans like us on forums like this.
 
Sept 6 to Oct 26 for the Raiders? That's a full 7 weeks annual leave.

Don't think they'll get too much sympathy for that gap.
 
Team P W L PD Pts
3 3 0 48 6
4 3 1 28 6
3 2 1 10 6
4 2 2 39 4
3 2 1 28 4
3 2 1 15 4
3 2 1 14 4
2 1 1 13 4
2 1 1 6 4
3 2 1 -3 4
3 1 2 0 2
3 1 2 -5 2
3 1 2 -15 2
3 1 2 -22 2
3 1 2 -36 2
2 0 2 -56 2
3 0 3 -64 0
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