Jamie Peacock Column: Masters, rules and motivation

It’s been a busy but enjoyable start to the new season.

I’ve been studying for a Masters degree in Sports Business Management, working on my Easter training camps at Kippax and looking after my three kids – and then there’s the rugby!

Rugby is a short career and it’s important to look at what I’m going to be doing for the next 20-25 years.

Being involved in the admin side of the game and being able to help make decisions is something that interests me, and I decided that I needed to work hard to gain the formal academic qualifications to make that happen.

There are a few players like myself keen to get involved in the running of the game, and I would love to be involved somehow in the administration of rugby league.

But I’m not limiting my options. I’ll have to go where the work is, so if that takes me to another sport, then so be it.

Motivation

At Leeds, we’ve had some good and bad performances this season so far. From a personal level, there are standards that you want to set.

I’m under contract until the end of 2014 and we’ll see at the end of next year if I’m still feeling good, or whether there’s any difference, but to be honest, I feel as good as I’ve ever felt.

We are determined to defend our title and win at Wembley this season. 

People ask what motivates us after winning Super League regularly in recent years, but there’s a still lot of room for improvement – it’s not as if we’ve won everything and dominated. We want to finish higher than fifth, that’s one of the goals.

We want to get back to Wembley and have another shot at the Challenge Cup. You look at Leeds over the past few years, and the Challenge Cup is the only thing missing really.

Rules

One of the big stories of the season so far is the banning of the shoulder charge. 

It should have been kept. They decided they wanted to change it in Australia, and we’ve had to follow suit.

There should be one board that decides internationally what the rules are, not just have one country do something and then the rest have to follow. The Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) has no power. The problem is it may be difficult to get an international board in place, but it needs to be looked at.

The change to the advantage rule is the other one catching attention. I don’t mind it. No one has come up with a try on it yet, but it’s only a matter of time.

The players are still getting used to it. Once someone works out a way to exploit it, others will follow.

It’s good now that there are at least a couple of players who go to the meetings where the law changes are discussed. It’s important that those that play the game get some sort of input in to the changes.

Jamie Peacock’s Easter Camp takes place on Thursday 11th and Friday 12th April at Kippax Welfare ARLFC, Longdyke Lane, Kippax. It’s £30 for two days, and is open to 5-13 year olds. Find out more at www.jamiepeacock.co.uk