Trinity chief sets out his plan to get season completed
CHRIS CHESTER has suggested that one way to solve the looming Super League fixture congestion is to hold an Easter-style weekend once a month.
After plenty of lobbying from clubs and players, the top-flight did away with staging games on Good Friday and Easter Monday for the 2020 season when the fixture schedule was initially released in November.
The Wakefield Trinity head coach feels that by having two games in four days once a month when the campaign is able to safely resume, is one way to fit in at least 22 league matches without putting added strain on playing squads.
Other coaches and players have called for Super League to scrap loop fixtures for at least a season.
There have been suggestions that players could play up to three times a week but Chester feels that could prove too demanding on his players.
“Let’s try and get rid of the loop fixtures,” he said.
“Players, staff; we all want to get back playing.
“If that means we have to play two to three games a week, we will be able to get through those games with the squads we have got.
“I think everybody is behind wanting to get the season up and running. I would get rid of all the loop fixtures, play each other home and way and let’s get the top-five competition going.
“It is going to be tough on the players.
“Maybe we can play one Easter weekend once a month, if that is what it takes to get us through to the end of the season.
“I certainly wouldn’t want that every week, that will be very challenging on the players.”
Chester wants Wakefield to deliver more consistent performances when it is time for the campaign to resume.
Trinity picked up two wins from their opening five Super League outings and edged past Bradford Bulls in the fifth round of the Challenge Cup, setting up a sixth-round contest with district rivals Featherstone Rovers, who advanced with victory over Hunslet.
Chester’s charges lost their last league contest to Hull FC by golden point and Chester admitted the start of Wakefield’s season could be summed up as “just a bit of inconsistency”.
He continued: “Certainly in the last couple of weeks, I thought we were decent value and we were unlucky to not get that result against Hull FC.
“We missed some kicks there to win the game and to lose in golden point was really tough.
“We had a good result against Warrington and a good result at Salford and in between those there had been a couple of poor defeats.
“We didn’t get off to the start we wanted at Hull KR and there was nobody who felt it more than me and the players.
“We knew that we didn’t get it right but we bounced back but we need to start going on a run of games when we get back and start playing some consistent footy.
“We got the result against Bradford and we are in the next round of the Challenge Cup.
“We targeted four wins from the first six games that we played so we are obviously not where we wanted to be.
“Having said that, it is going to be a long season.”
It is hoped that the campaign can resume, albeit behind closed doors, in July and Chester added: “Everyone should be back raring to go for the first game should it start around July, which I am led to believe is when they are looking to get back.”