Super League: An alternative to the Easter schedule

Steven Hughes
Super League fans

After a COVID-enforced absence for 2020 and 2021, this year has seen the return of the infamous Easter schedule to Super League.

The schedule usually sees two rounds of fixtures take place across the Bank Holiday weekend. We had the traditional derbies on Good Friday, (Hull KR v Hull FC & St Helens v Wigan- decide among yourselves which one is bigger) while other matches took place on the Thursday.

Then just a couple of days later, there was another full round of Super League fixtures on Easter Monday.

Like every year, the schedule has caused debate. Coaches and players have spoken both in favour and against it.

Salford coach Paul Rowley said he did enjoy the schedule as a player, but felt as though the game had moved on since then.

Meanwhile, Daryl Powell felt as though it was a good thing that his team could back up their win over Salford so quickly against Hull FC.

Saints Head Coach Kristian Woolf also said following his side’s win over Huddersfield on Monday that his players put their hands up to play, meaning he did not make many changes for the game.

So what alternative could there be?

Alternative Super League Easter schedule

Instead of having two rounds over the Easter weekend, why not have one round spread out across the whole weekend?

There is nothing stopping the Super League from still using the full weekend. It’s a prime time to get rugby league on TV, with it being a bank holiday.

You can have games spread across all four days of the bank holiday weekend. In terms of live coverage, there could be the usual two games on Good Friday and Easter Monday.

Other games can take place on Saturday and Sunday, whether they would be live on TV though would be another matter.

It can still be a rugby-filled weekend like it is every year, but it does not need to be two games for everyone in the space of three or four days.

In numbers: Super League Easter Monday attendances

Super League Castleford Tigers