Focus already moved to 2021 for Bulldogs

MOST OF the current planning being done by Batley Bulldogs is primarily focused on next season with head coach Craig Lingard unsure when, if at all, the Championship season will resume.

The Bulldogs chief feels that it is increasingly likely that promotion and relegation could be scrapped, leaving him and his coaching staff to look towards the 2021 campaign.

All forms of rugby league have been suspended since the middle of March, with the Batley squad unable to train together for almost three months.

“What we have done as a coaching group is plan more for next season. I think the longer that this goes on, the more likely there will be no promotion or relegation out of our division, I would have thought,” said Lingard.

“You can look at recruitment and retention for next season and the positions we need to strengthen.

“The majority of our conversations have been for next season.”

Lingard admits that he has not been able to do much preparation for the remainder of the season, due to the uncertainty surrounding a possible resumption.

There is a growing feeling among part-time clubs that the Championship campaign could be cancelled, as the majority of second-tier sides are unable to afford playing behind closed doors.

Lingard added: “You can’t really do much preparation because you don’t know when you will get back, if at all. When you do get back, the teams that you are going to play might be different, so you can’t really prepare for what sort of line-ups teams have because almost everyone will have a fully-fit squad. I don’t think you can plan too much.”