Null and void! What’s next for Fax after league decision?
Fax boss says player safety has to be considered
HALIFAX COACH Simon Grix has expressed his reservations about taking part in the RFL’s proposed autumn tournament after the 2020 Championship season was cancelled.
Grix said he was disappointed the season was declared null and void following the governing body’s decision on Monday to cancel both the Championship and League 1 campaigns.
Clubs have instead been invited to feature in a new-fangled competition, with a theme of celebrating the sport’s 125th anniversary and a prize pot of £250,000 - thanks in part to financial support from the Super League clubs.
The tournament is seen as a way of ensuring lower league clubs can play some games and earn some income after the coronavirus pandemic.
The plan is to start the competition in October when grounds could be open to fans once more and have two regional divisions of up to eight clubs each, all playing seven games before semi-finals and a final.
“I don’t know if there is a right call,” Grix said on the decision to cancel the 2020 season.
“Obviously I’m disappointed. From taking over last year, we had some good moments and some forgettable times. We worked really hard in pre-season to build the foundations not to repeat those mistakes, so it’s a lot of hard work down the pan I suppose.
”I believe the RFL are touting a winter tournament. I don’t know how that works to be honest, I’m not sure how many teams will view that as a good option.
“As a coach, I want to play rugby but everyone’s had more time off than they’ve ever had, and watching the substantial, long-term injuries in the NRL, if we had to come back and play you’d have to look at the risk of those injuries occurring and hampering your 2021 season. I think there’s a bit to work out there. Yes there’s prize money but it’s going to cost teams to be in it.
“Whatever anyone’s banked in this period will help them and act as a buffer for the expected fall in Sky money, sponsorship or gates going down because people don’t have the confidence to go to games and so on, but that buffer could well be spent (with this tournament). From a pure coaching point of view, I would rather be out there playing, definitely, but I think the clubs have a duty to look after the longer-term future as well, especially in light of everything that’s happening.”
Grix says the focus has been on the 2021 season over the last few weeks as the 2020 season looked increasingly unlikely to return.
“We’ve started working through our contracted players,” he said. “It’s very difficult, there’s some tough decisions because we have less money, which inevitably means we can’t keep everyone.
“So you’re making calls on some people based on a preseason and five or six games, including the friendly at the beginning of the year. But I think I’ve seen enough to know what I want and what we need. It’s a tough task but we’re on with it.”
Grix says there are a couple of signings in the pipeline but expects his playing budget will be “significantly” cut for next season and to potentially operate a smaller squad.
“While we’re not planning for the worst, I think the club are trying to be smart about how far they stretch themselves,” he said.
“We’re alright with where we are as a club. We know where we want to get to and we know what it’ll take to get there, but it’s going to be a slow process. We’re not a wealthy club, I don’t think we ever have been.
“We’re not in a bad spot, people have done a lot work behind-the-scenes in the last 12-18 months to put the club in a good position, one that’s probably put it in a position where we can come out the other side of this and be OK.”