Patience is the key word at KR
Tony Smith has come in for some criticism from supporters over his team selections. The number of changes to his team weekly is being scrutinised because of results.
Frustration is the biggest word I imagine the supporters are feeling. But what was the 2020 season goal for Hull KR?
In my opinion it was to secure Super League safety as early as possible to begin to build a better squad of players for 2021, on an equal level with the other clubs, giving the Red and Whites the best opportunity to be on a level playing field in terms of players available when safe from the threat of the contracts not being worth the paper they’re written on.
Regardless of how this has been achieved in 2020, Hull KR are safe from the threat of relegation.
They can, like every other club, battle it out for an out-of-contract player for season 2021 instead of waiting until safety is achieved, which may well have been the last game of the campaign.
Smith is also a big voice in regards player welfare. With the number of games a season let alone number of games in a short period of time, Smith would not be giving his due diligence to the players he coaches every day if he wasn’t looking after them physically and mentally with the tough schedule.
The players are hurting the most physically with the Covid 19 season. Add the rule changes and the extended and long layoff the players endured and it’s easy to see why there’s so many injuries and so many young players being handed debuts by all clubs.
My advice is to be patient, 2020 is giving a different perspective on life and life in rugby league.
There’s a plan at KR, a longer term plan that needs care and attention.
The players are vital in the rebuilding of the club and are no use to anyone injured.
Smith knows this, he sees the players every day, monitors them and more than anything speaks with them with regards their physical and mental wellbeing.
And the players who are selected by Smith will be aware that they must hit the minimum standards he requires of them. In 2020 there’s plenty of reasons for differing team selections, plenty of reasons for results and as I’ve said before there’s no excuses offered for poor results, just some reasons that nobody has encountered and lived through before.