Hull KR coach Willie Peters weighs in on player welfare debate with feelings clear

Hull KR boss Willie Peters has made his feelings clear on the ongoing player welfare debate, insisting Super League should find a way to incorporate bye rounds into the calendar.

Discussions around Super League’s fixture schedule and their make-up are nothing new.

But this week, they have come to the fore oncemore, with Wigan Warriors head coach Matt Peet and Warrington Wolves counterpart Sam Burgess voicing their frustrations.

Wigan and Wire go head-to-head on Friday night in a huge clash at the top of the Super League ladder, but combined, are without 19 injured first-team players: as well a couple through suspension.

Rovers head coach Peters echoes the frustrations of his peers, and made that known when presented the opportunity to speak on the matter ahead of their home game against Wakefield Trinity this weekend.

‘There’s no doubt you need to have byes in the year’

If a top-flight club in the British game reaches both the Challenge Cup final and Super League Grand Final, their players are asked to play a total of 35 games.

That tally does not include any pre-season friendlies or international games, whether they come in the middle and/or at the end of the season.

KR got all the way to the Challenge Cup final, and as a result of their success last year, could actually play 36 competitive games this term having been involved in – and won – the World Club Challenge against NRL kings Brisbane Broncos back in February.

Speaking on Wednesday afternoon, Australian Peters said: “If you talk about your schedule, it looks like you’re whinging and sulking and carrying on about your own team.

“But we always talk about player welfare and in a few weeks’ time, Warrington and ourselves are going to be asked to play three games in a week towards the back end of the season.

“We’ve had such a huge year, and unfortunately for Warrington, not through their doing, they’ve got to play a make-up game as well because they had us in Round 2 when we played the World Club Challenge.

“There’s a high risk of injury, it’s a difficult time of the season.

“There’s no doubt you need to have byes in the year.”

‘It’s outrageous to think players can play all season, play three games in a week towards the back end of the season, and not have any injuries’

After beginning August away at Castleford Tigers, KR’s schedule sees them go on to play four games in 14 days.

The jam-packed run comes as a product of success, which doesn’t sit well with Peters, who is nearing the end of his time in Super League head coach having agreed a deal to become the inaugural head coach of new NRL franchise PNG Chiefs.

He added: “We spoke personally that we didn’t want a bye, because we wanted to play in the Challenge Cup final and go to the end (in Super League), that’s the bigger picture.

“But it certainly takes its toll on every single player and team.

“It’s outrageous to think players can play all season, play three games in a week towards the back end of the season, and not have any injuries.

“At the end of the day, it’s about the product, isn’t it?!

“It’s about making sure we’re entertaining, and the way you do that is by making sure you’ve got the right players playing.

“You’re going to go into squad numbers of 29, 30, 31 when those players aren’t ready. You’re playing youth way too early.

“It impacts the players and we need to make sure going forward that changes, because it’s a demanding schedule.”

WATCH THE NEW EPISODE OF THE LRL PODCAST