Holbrook slams player holidays push
TITANS coach Justin Holbrook has slammed a push for NRL players to receive extended holidays this year as the Gold Coast set their sights on hitting 2021 with plenty of momentum.
The Titans will be out to equal a club-record five straight wins when they host Newcastle at Cbus Super Stadium tonight in the final round of the season.
The Titans are out of finals contention but can finish the year in ninth spot with a win, which would be their first victory against a top-eight team in 2020.
Holbrook said he wanted the Titans to report for preseason training on November 16, giving them seven weeks off, but the Rugby League Players’ Association was pushing for a longer break.
Players are usually entitled to eight weeks’ holidays, but Holbrook said that was “ridiculous” given the COVIDaffected season had run a month later than normal.
“There’s talk about them having a longer break than usual which I think is ridiculous,” he said.
“We haven’t got time for that (longer break) this year.
“It will depend on the RLPA and those agreements. They’re trying to give the players more time off which is crazy.”
Holbrook is desperate to get stuck into the 2021 campaign as quickly as possible to maintain momentum.
Knocking off the Knights would be the icing on the cake.
“It would be terrific for us,” Holbrook said.
“We’re going up in class, we’re facing a top eight side desperate to win a home semifinal – that’s great for us.
“There’s a couple of other sides resting a lot of players, but we’ve got to face a side that’s keen to win.
“It’ll be a great test for us.”