The Shoestring Season

Super League's 2020 season is one like we have never seen before and hopefully will never see again. You could list so many reasons to evidence this, but an RFL statement released yesterday sanctioning three players for a breach of Covid-19 regulations was the most stark.

The specifics of the alleged breaches have not been made public but acted as a stark reminder of the serious nature of a breach. For example, James Gavet at Huddersfield has already missed one match and will likely miss another. The sanctions go wider than that though. They impose a suspension on all rugby league activity for two weeks, so that would include team training. It is not unreasonable to suspect that a protocol breach may lead to a lengthy period on the sidelines for a player.

The purpose of this blog is not to castigate players for breaking the rules. We have no idea what their circumstances were prior to the breach. Instead, the purpose is to remind of the perilous state that the Super League season is in, with still three whole months to go.

Firstly, let's start with the players. The majority of players, if not all, would have been placed on the Government's furlough scheme for several months. Then once Government support was removed, have been subject to pay cuts. Whilst some of our top players do earn handsome salaries, many do not. A pay cut will have a material impact on their household income.

As the country slowly starts to unlock, the players are unlikely to be afforded the same slight restoration of freedoms and if anything the players' freedoms may be reversed. So many people will have experienced a deterioration in their mental state since or during lockdown (I know I have). It is right that our players should be recognised for their selfless act of taking paycuts and being burdened by further lockdown measures to ensure that we have a season. 

The clubs have equally sacrificed plenty in the name of the sport. ln conjunction with the players, a schedule was carefully put together to finish the season in a reasonably timely manner. This schedule which may see players play three games per week on several occasions. Given society's current state, flexibility is needed. We saw that in the last round of Super League, with two fixtures postponed and a weekend of fixtures hastily rearranged.

A special word of gratitude should be extended to the Catalans Dragons. It is reported that their chairman Bernard Guasch is paying £50,000 per week to charter flights to the UK so his team can continue to participate. If he didn't do this, then we would potentially down to a 10 team Super League for the season.

With team withdrawals, home advantage gone, mid-season rule changes and structure changes, it is fair to say that competition integrity has evaporated. That is nobody's fault, it is dictated by circumstance. So far, we are getting through the season on a wing and a prayer for the primary purpose of satisfying the TV contract and being remunerated accordingly.

It is not ideal but it is necessary to ensure that we have a season to begin again in 2021. In the meantime, let's make the most of this most strange of years and be grateful for the ongoing joint effort from all of the sport's stakeholders to get us through these tough times.