Hetherington Suggests CC 6th Round Played Behind Closed Doors

[gittinsfan]

As I understand it, players are not allowed to train together as a squad and are supposedly keeping fit at home.I assume this situation will prevail for 2 to 3 more months at least.How long will it be before a squad is deemed match fit enough to endure a full on CC tie.Player welfare could be an issue if they are not fully prepared.We have pre season training and 'easy' friendlies to get players match fit for the real thing.I think July or August could be the earliest they would be able to play and that's being optimistic.Is'nt that a bit late for the CC.

[OMEGA]

How can we ask 34 players to go out on a field and spend 80 minutes undertaking close bodily contact & collisions with each other. Collisions where snot, saliva and blood get shared 40/50/60 times, just so we can watch a game of Rugby?

Who’s going to sign off on that, Rimmer, Hetherington? I don’t think so!

[MADREDNIGE]

8 hours ago, DoubleD said:

An idea of what?

Apparently to stay at home to help tackle this more but don't quote me on it. We will soon find out, testing kits out on Friday as well for NHS workers. 

[Man of Kent]

Seems some still don’t understand the objective of lockdown.

Anyhoo, more from Lord Hetherington here. Players should play three games a week and bloody well like it, he says in a rather Dickensian tone https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/52122586

And that relegation should be kept https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/apr/01/leeds-chief-challenge-cup-final-move-wembley-super-league

[Hela Wigmen]

3 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Seems some still don’t understand the objective of lockdown.

Anyhoo, more from Lord Hetherington here. Players should play three games a week and bloody well like it, he says in a rather Dickensian tone https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/52122586

And that relegation should be kept https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/apr/01/leeds-chief-challenge-cup-final-move-wembley-super-league

His opinion that player welfare doesn’t extend to the physical toil that games take on the body is bizarre. 

[iffleyox]

9 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

Without fans in attendance it would be maybe 70-100 people directly linked to the game.

That said the champions league match between Atalanta (Bergamo, Northern Italy) and Valencia which was played in front of a capacity crowd has been blamed for a large amount of virus spread - mainly by newspapers that is.

Well yes, but are those 70-100 people going into isolation for 14 days immediately afterwards? Because if they're not then they can be spreading to everyone they come into contact with (before they're showing any symptoms or know they've got it), who then spread it to everyone they come into contact with....

To be quite honest, part of me (admittedly the most pessimistic but but even so) thinks that sport, cinemas, theatre etc are the discretionary bit of the economy - and whatever the pain, and the hit to those sports, cinemas, theatres etc, the rest of the economy could stand that pain; and sport, cinemas, theatres etc are going to be the last things taken back out of the freezer.

My best guess is September for starting the next season of the "winter" sports might be possible; but in reality I think we could be looking at nothing, no professional or amateur sport, until 2021.

[DoubleD]

14 minutes ago, iffleyox said:

Well yes, but are those 70-100 people going into isolation for 14 days immediately afterwards? Because if they're not then they can be spreading to everyone they come into contact with (before they're showing any symptoms or know they've got it), who then spread it to everyone they come into contact with....

To be quite honest, part of me (admittedly the most pessimistic but but even so) thinks that sport, cinemas, theatre etc are the discretionary bit of the economy - and whatever the pain, and the hit to those sports, cinemas, theatres etc, the rest of the economy could stand that pain; and sport, cinemas, theatres etc are going to be the last things taken back out of the freezer.

My best guess is September for starting the next season of the "winter" sports might be possible; but in reality I think we could be looking at nothing, no professional or amateur sport, until 2021.

How are sports events, cinema, theatres any different than people returning to work in large open plan offices or getting on trains and planes? 

We’re not going to eliminate this virus and nor are they trying to. The whole point of isolation is to flatten the curve so as not to put too much pressure on NHS at once. They’ll continue being cases long after restrictions are lifted, and we’ll have to deal with it as a way of life. The hope is that either the body will develop an immune system to it or a vaccine will become available 

[iffleyox]

6 minutes ago, DoubleD said:

How are sports events, cinema, theatres any different than people returning to work in large open plan offices or getting on trains and planes? 

We’re not going to eliminate this virus and nor are they trying to. The whole point of isolation is to flatten the curve so as not to put too much pressure on NHS at once. They’ll continue being cases long after restrictions are lifted, and we’ll have to deal with it as a way of life. The hope is that either the body will develop an immune system to it or a vaccine will become available 

I agree with all of that - but (in my opinion, which is all it is), the entertainment business (all forms) should be at the back of the queue as things relax.

To be honest, for many people just going into work is going to be novelty enough in month 1 of "normality", never mind anything else. 

 

[iffleyox]

9 minutes ago, scotchy1 said:

There is no real difference in the risk of 70-100 people at a rugby game compared to 70-100 people in a shopping centre, factory, supermarket, office or anywhere else really. 

Once we get to the stage that the NHS can cover outbreaks caused by small gatherings, sport will probably start behind closed doors. 

Agree - although I think that might be the autumn, or in a small window of August-September-October before round 2 hits and we shut down again.

[Moove]

I'm sorry but those comments on player welfare not being an issue are a disgrace.

Sure you could get away with three games in a week maybe once or twice a year - like Easter weekend. But to do it over an extended period to rescue the season is just plain stupid.

Squads are different sizes, teams will rotate at different rates so you're regularly going to have players coming off the back of three games straight running in half-heartedly going into tackles against players just fresh into it.

All this after they've had their salaries drastically cut and with a minimal pre-season to build match fitness, and he'll be "disappointed if people are whinging and whining about player welfare"?

RL is a tough sport and I'm constantly in awe of those willing to put their bodies on the line for my entertainment. But I'm sorry, intentionally putting players at increased risk of injury isn't acceptable in my view.

[Tommygilf]

1 hour ago, iffleyox said:

Well yes, but are those 70-100 people going into isolation for 14 days immediately afterwards? Because if they're not then they can be spreading to everyone they come into contact with (before they're showing any symptoms or know they've got it), who then spread it to everyone they come into contact with....

To be quite honest, part of me (admittedly the most pessimistic but but even so) thinks that sport, cinemas, theatre etc are the discretionary bit of the economy - and whatever the pain, and the hit to those sports, cinemas, theatres etc, the rest of the economy could stand that pain; and sport, cinemas, theatres etc are going to be the last things taken back out of the freezer.

My best guess is September for starting the next season of the "winter" sports might be possible; but in reality I think we could be looking at nothing, no professional or amateur sport, until 2021.

I appreciate what you're saying but as others have pointed out I don't see much difference between the rugby example and being in an office or on public transport. It may well be that we all have to be tested regularly to restrict the virus in all walks of life anyway.

Moreover, my feeling is that public morale and mental wellbeing are nearly as important as dealing with the virus itself. In such a scenario, sports etc which as you rightly point out are largely discretionary in the economy, are actually highly important. If it can be done as safe as possible in line with the Government policy it will be. It will all be a question about flattening the curve so that fewer people are ill at the same time, not necessarily the same as stopping the virus altogether.

[Man of Kent]

1 hour ago, Moove said:

I'm sorry but those comments on player welfare not being an issue are a disgrace.

Agree. He sounds a bit like a 19th century mine owner or summat.

In any case, Hetherington seems to be implying the season won’t be cut back, which surely won’t happen.

[fairfolly]

I think most people agree that Hetherington,s job is to look after Leeds. I agree he is doing his best to achieve that. However one thing his comments seem to me like he is badly lacking in common sense.To state that Rugby players should be able to play 3 games a week is just plain stupidity.He just likes to cause a bit of controversy to keep his name in the limelight.

Over 20 years a top class G.B. coach told me two names who I should never take a blind bit of notice of.You can no doubt guess who one of them was,the other will stay secret,suffice to say he is no longer with us.

[Tommygilf]

5 minutes ago, fairfolly said:

I think most people agree that Hetherington,s job is to look after Leeds. I agree he is doing his best to achieve that. However one thing his comments seem to me like he is badly lacking in common sense.To state that Rugby players should be able to play 3 games a week is just plain stupidity.He just likes to cause a bit of controversy to keep his name in the limelight.

Over 20 years a top class G.B. coach told me two names who I should never take a blind bit of notice of.You can no doubt guess who one of them was,the other will stay secret,suffice to say he is no longer with us.

Considering we haven't had a GB coach win anything in 40 years I'd take the words of someone who guided 1 club from nothing to SL (Sheffield) and raised what was a financially crippled Leeds to be the most successful Super League side ever over them, personally.

Surely also now every SL club has a reserve team squad rotation shouldn't be an issue? 

[GUBRATS]

20 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Considering we haven't had a GB coach win anything in 40 years I'd take the words of someone who guided 1 club from nothing to SL (Sheffield) and raised what was a financially crippled Leeds to be the most successful Super League side ever over them, personally.

Surely also now every SL club has a reserve team squad rotation shouldn't be an issue? 

Toronto ?

[M j M]

22 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Considering we haven't had a GB coach win anything in 40 years I'd take the words of someone who guided 1 club from nothing to SL (Sheffield) and raised what was a financially crippled Leeds to be the most successful Super League side ever over them, personally.

 

He's also someone who has coached more top flight games than any of the current SL head coaches.

And unlike most of his fellow CEO's is someone who played the game professionally.

And also happened to be someone who was on the GB coaching staff when we beat the Aussies.

Like him or not Hetherington has more right to talk - and knows more about stuff on and off the field - than anyone else involved in the game's administration right now. You can question what he says but he's the best qualified to say stuff.

[Tommygilf]

4 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

Toronto ?

Fair point.

[Tommygilf]

Just now, M j M said:

He's also someone who has coached more top flight games than any of the current SL head coaches.

And unlike most of his fellow CEO's is someone who played the game professionally.

And also happened to be someone who was on the GB coaching staff when we beat the Aussies.

Like him or not Hetherington has more right to talk - and knows more about stuff on and off the field - than anyone else involved in the game's administration right now. You can question what he says but he's the best qualified to say stuff.

Absolutely 

[GUBRATS]

1 minute ago, M j M said:

He's also someone who has coached more top flight games than any of the current SL head coaches.

And unlike most of his fellow CEO's is someone who played the game professionally.

And also happened to be someone who was on the GB coaching staff when we beat the Aussies.

Like him or not Hetherington has more right to talk - and knows more about stuff on and off the field - than anyone else involved in the game's administration right now. You can question what he says but he's the best qualified to say stuff.

It's not really what he's saying , it's essentially the timing of it , we are a long long way off sorting anything , maybe in a month or two yes , but this early in this crisis , it's just daft really 

[M j M]

26 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

It's not really what he's saying , it's essentially the timing of it , we are a long long way off sorting anything , maybe in a month or two yes , but this early in this crisis , it's just daft really 

He's, possibly inartfully, setting out the scenarios for how the game gets back up and running and clearly states this would be after the worst has cleared.

The leadership of our sport shouldn't be taking a vow of silence during this - they have to ensure the sport plans for re-starting operations, just like every other business is doing. Unlike most other businesses, the customers of this one are particularly engaged with what's happening.

[fairfolly]

Tommy,

            I never said the ex G.B coach had won anything. The coach in person had plenty of contact with the person in question.

Personally I knew this coach very well and have no doubt whatsoever that he was telling the truth. I will go no further than this. You believe what you want ,I will believe what was relayed to me.

[Moove]

14 minutes ago, M j M said:

The leadership of our sport shouldn't be taking a vow of silence during this - they have to ensure the sport plans for re-starting operations, just like every other business is doing. Unlike most other businesses, the customers of this one are particularly engaged with what's happening.

Likewise I'm not sure the leadership of our sport should be openly dismissing appropriate concerns about player welfare as 'whining and whinging'. Not a great look for a sport which struggles to attract and retain players. His CV in rugby league does not automatically make his view correct or more worthwhile than anyone else's - particularly in contrast to the many current players and coaches who regularly voice their concerns about welfare regularly around the one and only time of year where we up the number of games in a week.

[Tommygilf]

3 minutes ago, fairfolly said:

Tommy,

            I never said the ex G.B coach had won anything. The coach in person had plenty of contact with the person in question.

Personally I knew this coach very well and have no doubt whatsoever that he was telling the truth. I will go no further than this. You believe what you want ,I will believe what was relayed to me.

Fair enough, I just think that so openly dismissing Hetherington as someone not worth listening to is immensely shortsighted.

[fairfolly]

Like an earlier poster said, " he sounds like a mining boss of years ago".  Obviously he does not seem to quite the grasp of Mental health problems amongst players etc. Hence my post about him lacking in common sense. at a time when the whole Health Service is inundated with the problem of Mental Health he says players should stop "whining and whinging" and get on with it. I am 77 years old and that is what it was like when I was a kid. Stop moaning and get on with it. Somebody tell him times have moved on since when he played 40 years ago. Money,money,money is his concern not the players.

[terrywebbisgod]

15 minutes ago, fairfolly said:

Like an earlier poster said, " he sounds like a mining boss of years ago".  Obviously he does not seem to quite the grasp of Mental health problems amongst players etc. Hence my post about him lacking in common sense. at a time when the whole Health Service is inundated with the problem of Mental Health he says players should stop "whining and whinging" and get on with it. I am 77 years old and that is what it was like when I was a kid. Stop moaning and get on with it. Somebody tell him times have moved on since when he played 40 years ago. Money,money,money is his concern not the players.

Given that the Rhinos are expected to lose  £1.5m, isn't that to be expected?