Liam Watts says that players have almost been “part-time” during the Covid pandemic and he believes it has had a significant impact on his own game.
The spectre of Covid remains but there are hopes that, as the health situation eases, Super League will be impacted less in 2022 by the cycle of cases, isolation and postponements that became the norm over the past two years.
It would be a huge relief to clubs and players, with Castleford’s Watts saying there was “a bit of a buzz back” now that the focus is on the game again.
“The last couple of years have been terrible for me personally,” said the Tigers forward.
“It’s been so inconsistent, games getting called off, missing training. We’ve been virtually part-time players.
“It’s only these last six or seven weeks where we’ve had a good solid training base and we’ve been able to get something into us that we’ve not had for the past two years.
“I’m putting a bit of size back on now because we’re able to go to public gyms and get those extra bits in that we need.
“Little things like going into the swimming pool and being able to recover, all the little things we’ve not been able to do, it’s been nice just to have them back.
“It looks like we’re moving on from it all. I just feel like the game’s just been stuck in a weird place.
“It’s nothing without the fans. They’ve constantly got a shadow over them – ‘is the game going to be on?’ We just need to get past it.
“It’s all about growing the game and the only way we’re going to do that is by putting on performances, it’s as simple as that.
“There’s a couple of games over the last few years where you’ve just thought ‘what’s the point of playing that game?’ There’s nothing at stake.
“But I feel like now, everybody’s had a good pre-season, everybody’s on an even keel, all the clubs are in the same boat.”
Watts is reunited this year with Lee Radford, his coach previously at Hull FC, and he insists they have always got along fine after his exit from the club in 2018.
“We’ve always had a good relationship, on and off the field,” said Watts.
“Sometimes you’re in the heat of the moment and stuff gets said, but what an opportunity (it was) for me to come back here.
“I left when I was 27, I’m 31 now. I’ve got an extra four years of knowing the game and growing up.
“I was at a funny age, going from being a young man to a grown bloke with a lot of responsibilities on my shoulders.
“The last four years have brought a lot out of me, as a dad and as a family man. I have calmed down a lot.
“We have chats now and we laugh and have a joke about the good and bad times we’ve had.
“It’s nice to be able to have those conversations with coaches and break down a few barriers.
“When you’re a young kid coming through it’s always hard to approach coaches, but it’s always been a relaxed environment around Radders.”
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