Another SL Game Off

[Rupert Prince]

25 minutes ago, Davo5 said:

Maybe that’s why we’ve kept win % in case games can’t be fitted in.

Yes.  So why try to even begin to fit them in.  My problem is the efforts to crucify the players, and fine the clubs for not being able to keep players out of their bubbles... if they have any.

[Davo5]

4 minutes ago, Rupert Prince said:

Yes.  So why try to even begin to fit them in.  My problem is the efforts to crucify the players, and fine the clubs for not being able to keep players out of their bubbles... if they have any.

I really doubt they’ll be fitted in.

Are you expecting players to train,play and then sit at home all day ?

 

[Moove]

5 minutes ago, Davo5 said:

I really doubt they’ll be fitted in.

I can imagine there might be a temptation from a financial point of view given full crowds will be back before the end of the season. Hopefully common sense prevails though.

[Moove]

Out of interest, does anyone know what happens if/when restrictions are lifted? Will clubs potentially still be testing and isolating like they've been talking about for schools the last few days or is it a complete end to the training bubbles and no more risk of postponements/cancellations at that point?

[Forever Trinity]

17 hours ago, M j M said:

Absent a bubble which is utterly financially impractical what exactly are you expecting them to do?

SL set out the win % as a rule at the start of the season for exactly this reason.

Covid's much more contageous variant is running rampant across the north of England right now and, whilst there are protocols and controls in place, we can't extract RL or RL players from society, or from their families and kids.

You assume I am talking about the Covid stuff in part yes but mainly about how easy Salford have withdrawn from these games, bleating about Academy status etc. signing a player on loan for 2 weeks announced after the test result its a joke, Cas have strange circumstances and have to forfeit the game I honestly do not get it bits a complete and utter shambles!

[RP London]

18 hours ago, Rupert Prince said:

Yes.  So why try to even begin to fit them in.  My problem is the efforts to crucify the players, and fine the clubs for not being able to keep players out of their bubbles... if they have any.

If you remember last season it they moved fixtures around if they could when postponements occurred so that, as much as possible, teams would still have a game that week and 1 would be off rather than 2. 

My guess would be that IF a game against Salford and a game against Wakefield or Hull were both off one weekend (because of the opposition) they could put this game on then... 

its a big IF but hence postpone rather than cancel, they may still be able to play it at some point depending on what else happens, and if not then so be it. 

I honestly believe the RFL have managed this situation very well with planning and forethought, i'm not sure what else they could have done really, very much damned if they do damned if they dont.

[RP London]

46 minutes ago, Forever Trinity said:

You assume I am talking about the Covid stuff in part yes but mainly about how easy Salford have withdrawn from these games, bleating about Academy status etc. signing a player on loan for 2 weeks announced after the test result its a joke, Cas have strange circumstances and have to forfeit the game I honestly do not get it bits a complete and utter shambles!

They have the correct number of Covid cases and close contacts to need to cancel the game, it seems easy because the rules are clear. I would guess form the delay that they were trying to get them on with more loans but maybe couldnt get them over the line in time. They have to prove all of this to the RFL to be able to do it and it is all within the rules and regs laid out at the beginning of the season... "complete and utter shambles" is massively unfair IMHO as this has all been planned for, its all in the operational rules for this season and its exactly what is expected. Its unfortunate and perhaps they should look into the "bubbles" at some of the clubs but the RFL are applying their rules and the clubs knew them its not being made up on the spot.

[RP London]

18 hours ago, Moove said:

Out of interest, does anyone know what happens if/when restrictions are lifted? Will clubs potentially still be testing and isolating like they've been talking about for schools the last few days or is it a complete end to the training bubbles and no more risk of postponements/cancellations at that point?

Its such an ever changing situation i dont think we can predict. Will there be a lifting on 19th July or will it be more of a relaxation. The key is around the self isolation of close contacts, if they relax social distancing etc then they have to relax that as otherwise its a nightmare waiting to happen and not just for Rugby league but for all work places. 

[gittinsfan]

Does anyone have any thoughts why many more games in SL are called off as opposed to the Championship.

[johnh1]

1 hour ago, Forever Trinity said:

You assume I am talking about the Covid stuff in part yes but mainly about how easy Salford have withdrawn from these games, bleating about Academy status etc. signing a player on loan for 2 weeks announced after the test result its a joke, Cas have strange circumstances and have to forfeit the game I honestly do not get it bits a complete and utter shambles!

Salford forfeited one game last season as they would have had to use two players with broken ribs. They have withdrawn from the next two games legally due to the covid regulations. So what are you actually talking about?

[Forever Trinity]

On 01/07/2021 at 11:42, johnh1 said:

Salford forfeited one game last season as they would have had to use two players with broken ribs. They have withdrawn from the next two games legally due to the covid regulations. So what are you actually talking about?

What I am talking about is they kicked off wanting an elite Academy where is the academy support now? Secondly I suspect that the number of suspensions have assisted if the suspended players are counted as Covid  then its a disgrace don't you think counting players who cannot play as o postpone. Clearly as they do not disclose who is isolating and who is positive means I could be off the mark of course I could be wrong but based on the law of averages what do you think?

[Colin James]

On 01/07/2021 at 11:36, gittinsfan said:

Does anyone have any thoughts why many more games in SL are called off as opposed to the Championship.

I'd guess it's because the squads in SL are together every day so more likely one positive test takes out others within the squad who have to isolate.

[Harry Stottle]

16 minutes ago, Colin James said:

I'd guess it's because the squads in SL are together every day so more likely one positive test takes out others within the squad who have to isolate.

But won't part time Championship player's be exposed to more people because of the other employment they partake in?

[gittinsfan]

19 minutes ago, Colin James said:

I'd guess it's because the squads in SL are together every day so more likely one positive test takes out others within the squad who have to isolate.

That's a fair point.Harry just beat me to the reply.I have heard a few reports of PT players not playing because of self isolation,but I have'nt heard of players taking the virus back into the training or playing bubble,thereby forcing multiple isolations.

[GUBRATS]

So which teams have had the most games cancelled so far ?

[Harry Stottle]

1 hour ago, gittinsfan said:

That's a fair point.Harry just beat me to the reply.I have heard a few reports of PT players not playing because of self isolation,but I have'nt heard of players taking the virus back into the training or playing bubble,thereby forcing multiple isolations.

Call me cynic but I consider this ease of cancellations is a good get out clause.

Leigh have been devastated with injuries from the outset having only 17 "fit" player's available on a few occasions playing 3 hookers and 4 halves in the team sometimes, but they have never once applied to cancel any game knowing very well they would be on the wrong end of a hiding, somehow it only gets a flag waved if you are a top team, like we have all to feel sorry for them.

[RP London]

3 hours ago, Forever Trinity said:

What I am talking about is they kicked off wanting an elite Academy where is the academy support now? Secondly I suspect that the number of suspensions have assisted if the suspended players are counted as Covid  then its a disgrace don't you think counting players who cannot play as o postpone. Clearly as they do not disclose who is isolating and who is positive means I could be off the mark of course I could be wrong but based on the law of averages what do you think?

There are rules around the Covid rules (if that makes sense) that are set out by the likes of PHE.. these have to be highlighted with evidence to the RFL to make a call on whether the game is being cancelled (and awarded) or postponed due to Covid issues. 

If they are counting as Covid then they are isolating due to Covid reasons, to report otherwise and open yourself up to a PHE or HSE audit is not the way anyone with any sense would want to go. 

 

[RP London]

2 hours ago, gittinsfan said:

That's a fair point.Harry just beat me to the reply.I have heard a few reports of PT players not playing because of self isolation,but I have'nt heard of players taking the virus back into the training or playing bubble,thereby forcing multiple isolations.

There is also the potential that they are able to compartmentalise better in terms of the knock on of seeing other people and contact.. for example are PT clubs asking players to do their own gym work rather than having them all in the gym together. therefore their only contact is outside at which point different, longer, periods of contact are needed if someone tests positive etc.. where as at FT clubs they are in close contact inside more?

This is very much a guess but an example of where possible differences are.. and there are many more around what constitutes close contact and how long for etc.. its a bloody minefield. 

[Dave T]

30 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Call me cynic but I consider this ease of cancellations is a good get out clause.

Leigh have been devastated with injuries from the outset having only 17 "fit" player's available on a few occasions playing 3 hookers and 4 halves in the team sometimes, but they have never once applied to cancel any game knowing very well they would be on the wrong end of a hiding, somehow it only gets a flag waved if you are a top team, like we have all to feel sorry for them.

WHich top teams have been cancelling games due to injuries?

[GUBRATS]

31 minutes ago, Dave T said:

WHich top teams have been cancelling games due to injuries?

Dave , when you are a Leigh fan , ALL the others are ' Top '

Which is why I asked earlier , who has missed the most games , both because of their injuries , or the opposition's ? , And why has nobody cancelled on Leigh

[johnh1]

3 hours ago, Forever Trinity said:

What I am talking about is they kicked off wanting an elite Academy where is the academy support now? Secondly I suspect that the number of suspensions have assisted if the suspended players are counted as Covid  then its a disgrace don't you think counting players who cannot play as o postpone. Clearly as they do not disclose who is isolating and who is positive means I could be off the mark of course I could be wrong but based on the law of averages what do you think?

What has the law of averages got to do with this? If what you suspect, (although you admit that you could be off the mark and that you could be wrong) is true, then I agree with you. But to criticise a club when you do not have the facts is also a disgrace, don't you think?

[Damien]

57 minutes ago, RP London said:

There is also the potential that they are able to compartmentalise better in terms of the knock on of seeing other people and contact.. for example are PT clubs asking players to do their own gym work rather than having them all in the gym together. therefore their only contact is outside at which point different, longer, periods of contact are needed if someone tests positive etc.. where as at FT clubs they are in close contact inside more?

This is very much a guess but an example of where possible differences are.. and there are many more around what constitutes close contact and how long for etc.. its a bloody minefield. 

FT clubs are doing those things too though.

[RP London]

24 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

Dave , when you are a Leigh fan , ALL the others are ' Top '

Which is why I asked earlier , who has missed the most games , both because of their injuries , or the opposition's ? , And why has nobody cancelled on Leigh

Dont know if you have noticed but your points difference at the moment averages at just under -23 a game... just saying  

[RP London]

Just now, Damien said:

FT clubs are doing those things too though.

but by being full time they are doing them for much longer for a start.. 

as i say the one i used was simply 1 example of the differences between full time and part time.. there are loads to do with the time they spend in different types of locations I am sure, i just have work to do too so not racking my brains to try and think of them all.. 

[DimmestStar]

Hopefully as more clubs have been affected by COVID this will lessen the chances of catching it again.

Tony Smith says that every Hull KR player (except for 2) and all the backroom staff has now had COVID either last year or this. Hull FC had a mass breakout last year and so far unaffected this. A sort of herd immunity within clubs.

I notice that even the England cricket team have now had to select a whole new squad for the Pakistan series.

The good thing is that as far as I know nobody has caught COVID whilst actually playing Rugby League.

I think we getting towards the end of the disruption now, I certainly hope so.