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How the NRL can save careers, five days at a time

Roar Rookie
24th November, 2016
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Adam Reynolds has re-signed with the Rabbitohs. (AAP Image/Action Photographics, Robb Cox) .
Roar Rookie
24th November, 2016
7

Yesterday, CEO Todd Greenberg released the NRL draw to hundreds of fans, who came out to see when and where their team would be taking the field.

A talking point of the draw every year is the five-day turnaround.

While the draw will never be perfect, how it can be so lopsided for certain teams shows that the NRL only care about the money, and not player welfare.

With Todd Greenberg announcing that they have reduced the number of five-day turnarounds from 31 to 19, with rounds 21-26 still yet to be released, we could still see that number climb.

Let’s have a look over the teams, and the number of short turnarounds:

Rabbitohs: 4

Roosters: 3

Dragons, Eels, Warriors: 2

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Broncos, Panthers, Canberra, Manly, Storm, Bulldogs: 1

Cowboys, Sharks, Titans, Tigers, Knights: 0

How can the draw be considered fair when you have a team facing four games with short turnarounds, and 11 teams facing one or less?

Not only that, if you look a bit closer and see when they have these games, it becomes even more shocking. The Rabbitohs will have to travel to Perth for a game against the Melbourne Storm, then travel home and face off against the Parramatta Eels. Throw in a game in Cairns in Round 19 against the Cowboys, only to have the long trip home and face the reigning Premiers five days later.

They are not the only team with a rough deal. The Roosters have three games with a short turnaround – two in the first four rounds. Then they also have to back up after Anzac Day and fly across the ditch against the Warriors.

The Dragons have two, including a trip to the Gold Coast. The Warriors face off against the Storm in Melbourne before travelling home against the Roosters. And the Eels have two, with a game away against the Dragons in Round 2, and then on the Gold Coast five days later.

How can the NRL continue to release these draws and expect the clubs, players, and fans to be happy? And how many players are going to leave, cut their career early, or be seriously injured for them to take notice?

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