Coaches should stop moaning and see double weekends as extra special
THERE’S been a lot of moaning about the two double weekends in Betfred Super League last month – and my first reaction is, “Cry me a river”.
I’ve heard players and coaches complaining about playing twice in four days, but there are three main reasons I think it’s misplaced.
The first is that when Jon Wilkin and Ernie Benbow set up the players’ union, League 13, a few years back, there were not enough players buying into it.
I was involved as well but not to the extent of those two, who put a lot of hard work into getting it off the ground.
There were other reasons that it didn’t work – there were problems with the RFL, and with rival unions that had been around before.
But although some players bought into the concept, the majority didn’t – and that would have given them more of a voice.
My second point is that playing two games in 72 hours isn’t that big of a deal. If you can’t get up for doing something you love, in front of 10,000 people, with your body a bit sore, then there’s something wrong.
And you’re going to have the shock of your life when you finish playing and compare it with the kind of challenges and obstacles most people have to deal with.
I actually loved the challenge of trying to be at your best when you’re sore from a previous match. Finally, take a look at players in Australia and how they cope in a ‘State of Origin’ week.
On Wednesday, 34 players took part in probably the most intense rugby league contest you could wish to see, and the majority of them will be back up and playing for their clubs again this weekend.
I know the mindset of those players won’t be that it’s an obstacle or a problem – it’s simply a challenge to overcome.
That’s what champion players do – they see challenges rather than problems and obstacles, and there needs to be a bit more of that kind of attitude.