It seems like every year we are thrown into the exact same argument – is it disrespectful to fans for teams at the top of the table to rest players? As the regular season approaches an end and teams at the top of the ladder have secured qualification into the finals, they start giving regular players a break to make sure they are fit and ready to go for the sudden death important games. That’s exactly what Craig Bellamy has done; 11 players have been left out of the 17-man squad to face the Cowboys. Eight have been omitted entirely, while three are named as reserves, should there be a last-minute injury.
More League It makes perfect sense. The Storm will virtually travel the entire length of the country from south to north to face the Cowboys in a game where there’s little to play for. Both teams have secured finals and the only change that can happen is that North Queensland’s results could determine a home elimination semi in the first week.
Some have mounted the argument that it’s insulting to local fans by robbing them of seeing talent on the field – but are they going to care at the end of the day if they go home a winner and finish higher up the ladder? For Melbourne, the minor premiership is wrapped up; they cannot go up any further, or lose any position on the ladder. The players have done the hard work this year to get them into the place that they are in, and now they deserve to cash in the rewards. Should the Storm be resting the majority of their best team this week? ???? Watch #NRL360 on @Foxtel CH 502 or stream on @kayosports : https://t.
co/NUcyGh33g4 pic.twitter.com/aZ65x0YB0W Melbourne Storm Football Manager Frank Ponissi noted on SEN radio that the last two times the club won the minor premiership, they didn’t even make the Grand Final.
So perhaps, a different preparation is needed from Bellamy to ensure they get through the finals. Penrith’s Ivan Cleary did the same in previous years, resting players in the latter rounds as his focus shifted from the regular season to claiming the premiership trophy, so there must be some method in the madness. Win a Ziggy BBQ for Grand Final day, thanks to Barbeques Galore! Enter Here.
It’s not a new argument, but some commentators of the game seem to forget that the “competition” aspect of rugby league should remain the cornerstone of the game. For all the pyrotechnics, high-action slow-motion replays and loud music at stoppages in play to try and make it a full entertainment event, at the end of the day it’s a sporting competition – and the integrity must be upheld. The NBA is starting to slip the other way, where it has become more of an entertainment show for the majority of fans who attend.
That’s not to say there are not a lot of basketball fanatics who attend games to see their team win championships, but the majority of stadiums are filled with people who just want a fun night out. The casual fan may only attend a game once every 2-3 years. The desire to be entertained for a few hours with a basic knowledge of the sport is apparent in the amount of people standing and taking selfies during games.
To some, the desire to get the perfect photo to share is more important than appreciating the sporting action on the court. The teams even cater to this with light shows, dancers, comedians, magicians, prize competitions and even quirky interviews at time-outs and in between quarters. I’m not saying that the NRL can’t have some of that too at matches, but it is actually irreverent to say that fans turn up to see this – or a particular player take to the field, over the team winning the premiership.
Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy. (AAP Image/Julian Smith) Individual player brilliance is great to watch. Whether it is Reece Walsh scorching past the usually sound defender Dylan Edwards, Billy Slater’s stunning solo Origin try or even back in the day of the late Arthur Beetson steamrolling over opponents with speed and strength.
It’s true players make the game what it is, but rugby league cannot be looked at as simply individual products of 80 minutes at a time. It is a competition of 27 long weeks – plus finals – that requires stamina. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
If a team has been good enough to secure their place at the top of the ladder, they should get the luxury of preparing for the ultimate prize in the best way that they feel like it. How many teams have played a full season, without form slumps and drop-offs along the way? Being able to rest players at the right time not only rewards consistency but allows the best chance to peak when it matters most. It can be frustrating for some fans who see their sporting role models on television or social media and want to see them live in action at the stadium.
But it’s not uncommon across all sports for players to be rested. Last year, there was an Argentinian boy who travelled more than 7000 kilometres just to watch his favourite NBA player Jimmy Butler play for the Miami Heat, only for the coach to withdraw him from the game hours before the start. ???? #heatculture pic.
twitter.com/ImYKVMYDJn The story had a happy outcome as the boy got more than watching him play – he got a trip down to the court, a jersey and a ball – best of all he got to meet Butler. Players don’t have to be in action to give back to fans.
In fact, NRL players are more accessible and accommodating to young fans than ever before. Just weeks ago Reece Walsh left the field on a cold winter’s night in Newcastle in his pink undies and socks as he virtually gave everything else away. It’s the scene at most grounds, the front rows are filled with people holding signs asking for a player’s boots, socks, shorts and other gear.
Players sometimes spend around 30 minutes or more on the ground after games taking photos and signing autographs. Sports opinion delivered daily While mingling with the fanbase is all part of a player’s contract, it is not the primary focus – and shouldn’t be. Players are paid contracts by clubs to use their skills as sporting athletes to win matches – ultimately the Grand Final.
They say winning isn’t everything, but in professional sport careers are made or broken by results. Melbourne Storm Football Manager Frank Ponissi has defended the decision to rest key personnel from Thursday's match up against the Cowboy's #NRL pic.twitter.
com/GdooKlKUJJ Administrators are treading a fine line in an attempt to balance sport and entertainment, in order to get more attention from the general public and grow the code through audience size. Given the NRL wants to expand to 20 teams eventually, it will mean more matches and a longer season so coaches will have to utilise fatigue management more often to keep the athletes at their prime. Expect to see more resting than less of it.
The ultimate question that needs to be asked is, would fans rather see more of their “stars” on the field more often, or their club win trophies in a year-long quest? You can probably guess the right answer..
