Former NSW coach and Melbourne mentor Craig Bellamy doesn’t seem to mind switching rugby league’s State of Origin games to Monday nights – as long as Origin is on a stand-alone weekend, with no NRL games on.
The NRL is considering shifting Origin matches from 2012 onwards from their traditional Wednesday nights to earlier in the week and plans to discuss the possibility with broadcasters.
Bellamy has long been an outspoken critic on the timing of Origin due to the increased workload on key players who back up just a few days later in NRL fixtures, but he doesn’t believe Monday is the answer if NRL games are being played as well.
“It doesn’t matter to me what night they play it,” said Bellamy at Storm training on Wednesday.
“My opinion has always been that it (Origin) should be a stand-alone weekend (with no NRL games).
“Hopefully the next TV agreement, we’ll be able to do that.”
Bellamy presented another idea, and that was to switch NRL games.
“A way would be if they didn’t have club games on the Sunday and play them on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
“That would give everyone eight or nine days.”
Bellamy’s call for stand-alone weekends has the support of Dr Ron Muratore, the NRL’s chief medical officer.
Muratore said he had figures to back his belief.
“I’ve seen research from Europe on the Champions League which shows a higher number of injuries with short turnarounds,” he said.
– with AAP.
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