Berkeley_Eagle
Current Status: 24/7 Manly Fan
Disappointment turned to determination at Melbourne Storm headquarters on Friday as club officials turned their noses up at a stinker of a draw and vowed to work their way through it.
Concerns over four five-day breaks, all including travel, sparked early morning fury among football department staff, particularly with the scheduling of Storm's Round 2 and 3 clashes.
Just two weeks after returning from the bitter cold in the UK where Melbourne will represent the NRL in the World Club Challenge against Leeds, Storm plays the Cowboys in tropical North Queensland.
Compounding their concerns over preparing for the extreme changes in weather conditions, Storm then has to front up five days later for a Thursday night grand final replay against Canterbury at AAMI Park.
"It's a very difficult and challenging draw and we're not happy about it," Storm football operations manager Frank Ponissi said.
"We're certainly not pleased with the five-day turnarounds, and in particular Rounds 2 and 3.
"But we're not going to spend the whole summer complaining about it. Our goal now is being smart about how to handle it and manage the players properly."
Player welfare rather than commercial value was also at the heart of Storm chief executive Ron Gauci's reaction to the draw.
He said it was incumbent on the Rugby League Players' Association to put playing conditions ahead of salary cap increases as it thrashed out the next collective bargaining agreement.
"If there is ever going to be a time to make a statement on playing conditions it's now while they are in negotiations and with demands on them higher than ever," Gauci said. "Other codes have addressed player welfare. The focus shouldn't be on just money."
Storm officials contacted RLPA boss David Garnsey to air their concerns about the uneven number of five-day breaks next season.
Melbourne has four, double the NRL average. The Warriors and Penrith have none.
"We understand that with Thursday and Monday night games we will get five-day turnarounds. We expect it and put up with it," Ponissi said. "The issue is that the amount of five-day turnarounds is not level. From a player welfare point of view it should be capped.
"Planning is going to be critical now, including our trip to the UK and coping with those first couple of weeks. We'll put our heads down straight away to work out how to overcome that challenge."
Storm was also treated poorly with just two Friday night games in the the opening 20 rounds. The Broncos have eight in the first 11 rounds. The full fixture for the final six rounds will be determined by Round 16.
http://j.mp/10J9RJO
Concerns over four five-day breaks, all including travel, sparked early morning fury among football department staff, particularly with the scheduling of Storm's Round 2 and 3 clashes.
Just two weeks after returning from the bitter cold in the UK where Melbourne will represent the NRL in the World Club Challenge against Leeds, Storm plays the Cowboys in tropical North Queensland.
Compounding their concerns over preparing for the extreme changes in weather conditions, Storm then has to front up five days later for a Thursday night grand final replay against Canterbury at AAMI Park.
"It's a very difficult and challenging draw and we're not happy about it," Storm football operations manager Frank Ponissi said.
"We're certainly not pleased with the five-day turnarounds, and in particular Rounds 2 and 3.
"But we're not going to spend the whole summer complaining about it. Our goal now is being smart about how to handle it and manage the players properly."
Player welfare rather than commercial value was also at the heart of Storm chief executive Ron Gauci's reaction to the draw.
He said it was incumbent on the Rugby League Players' Association to put playing conditions ahead of salary cap increases as it thrashed out the next collective bargaining agreement.
"If there is ever going to be a time to make a statement on playing conditions it's now while they are in negotiations and with demands on them higher than ever," Gauci said. "Other codes have addressed player welfare. The focus shouldn't be on just money."
Storm officials contacted RLPA boss David Garnsey to air their concerns about the uneven number of five-day breaks next season.
Melbourne has four, double the NRL average. The Warriors and Penrith have none.
"We understand that with Thursday and Monday night games we will get five-day turnarounds. We expect it and put up with it," Ponissi said. "The issue is that the amount of five-day turnarounds is not level. From a player welfare point of view it should be capped.
"Planning is going to be critical now, including our trip to the UK and coping with those first couple of weeks. We'll put our heads down straight away to work out how to overcome that challenge."
Storm was also treated poorly with just two Friday night games in the the opening 20 rounds. The Broncos have eight in the first 11 rounds. The full fixture for the final six rounds will be determined by Round 16.
http://j.mp/10J9RJO
