Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson believes the club’s rising injury toll is due to fatigue brought on by an NRL draw and rule changes.
Trent Robinson has never experienced a worse injury crisis, but knew getting the NRL season not only up and running – but completed – would carry certain risks.
Rule changes and an uninterrupted season was determined the best way through the pandemic for the NRL, which is a decision Robinson helped make on the Project Apollo committee.
And now, with more fatigue in the game through rule changes and a relentless draw, injuries have taken their toll.
Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy likened Thursday night’s match at the SCG to a M*A*S*H unit as five players suffered injuries.
Luke Keary, Mitch Aubusson and Lachlan Lam add to an already full casualty ward for Sydney Roosters, who are now without ten players who would be regularly picked in the starting 17.
“Without a doubt it is,” Robinson said when asked if it was the worst injury toll he had seen.
“We knew the risk of it all and we assumed the risk because that’s what we’re here to do, but I was a part of it.
“Not having byes and the rule changes obviously increased the intensity by about ten or 15 per cent in the game.
“There are consequences for that, a better game and more injuries at the moment.”
The 2020 NRL season was always going to be about survival of the fittest, but Bellamy doesn’t believe it should be this hard.
Storm lost Jahrome Hughes (groin) and winger Suliasi Vunivalu (broken jaw), who will join stars Cameron Smith and Cameron Munster on the sidelines.
And while Melbourne’s injury toll is not as bad as some, Bellamy said some of the rule changes need to be reconsidered for player safety at the end of the season.
“We decided we wanted some fatigue in the game but I’m not quite sure whether there’s too much fatigue at the moment with the amount of teams that have got a lot of injuries, and I mean a lot,” he said.
“You look at the Roosters’ list, and we’ve probably got two of our most influential players out.
“It’s not just about fatigue and soft tissue injuries, it’s about when people get fatigued they start putting their bodies in the wrong places to make tackles or absorb the contact and you get injured from there.
“It’s something we need to look at because it was like a M*A*S*H unit tonight, there was blokes getting hurt left, right and centre.”
Brendon
Roar Rookie
I've said this multiple times and just replied to a comment in the other article on this. The injuries to the Roosters is unique. While other clubs have injuries, the amount they have (and the amount that are not related to external factors) has got to be riasing alarm bells. They really went hard after the break and played an uptempo style to take advantage of the new rules, other clubs "didn't adapt" yet those are the clubs that are thriving and going uninjured. I think this falls to Robbo, has he demanded too much and failed to manage fatigue as he should? Look at last night, once the storm were up 24-0, they dropped off in intensity massively, I can't say the Roosters have done the same in the past.
Albo
Roar Rookie
Indeed , kk ! Another evil in our game.
kk
Roar Pro
Can we add the TPA to the interchange.
Joe
Roar Rookie
I think the way the Roosters play has some part in it. They play up-tempo and aggressive footy and in the early rounds when everyone was fresh it was outstanding to watch and they dominated. I don't think though that can be maintained every week for 18 rounds with no bye. As the season went on more and more players started getting injuries I think through sheer wear and tear playing that type of game. I do think when they come back fresh just in time for finals they'll be back to their best assuming no more stars go down in the meantime.
Albo
Roar Rookie
Get rid of the interchange. It is the source of most evils in our game. Real footballers play for 80 minutes.
Albo
Roar Rookie
Penalties were 4-2 the other way ! Awarding penalties & 6 again restarts are still a complete luck dip. Both teams stood off side all night , yet I don't recall any penalty being awarded ? Maybe next week we will see some ?
Rellum
Roar Guru
Or players could spe d more time getting aerobically fit and less time on weights. Who ever is doing that now will dominate teams who dont next year.
PaulC
Guest
The Referees control of the 6 again rule is ruining the game. The Referees are so interesting in finding a nit-picking moment in the play the ball area to call 6 again & they are not policing the 10 metres. In the Storm V Roosters game last night there was 6 calls in total for the 6 again & it was very hard in at least 4 cases to understand the reason for the call. If the game has got too fast & tiring for the players, drop a player, preferably a forward bringing the number back to 12 a side. The 6 again count went 4 to the Roosters & 2 to the Storm. I didn't do the penalty count.
farkurnell
Roar Rookie
I’ve been saying for a while now the gang tackle has to be outlawed.Its inevitable for Health and safety reasons- otherwise only 100-120kgs players will be playing NRL.The end of the skillfull little guys is fast approaching. Unless you restrict 2 in a tackle injury tolls will keep mounting.You won’t need the 6again rule as 2 tacklers will also clean up the wrestle,a blight on our game