Forget money, fix Origin: Bennett
By AAP
33 minutes ago
Stop counting your money and start counting the cost of State of Origin if you are serious about player welfare. That was Wayne Bennett's blunt message to NRL stars complaining about five-day turnarounds, saying they were more worried about a lucrative Origin pay day than the toll the interstate series took on teams.
Bennett feared player burnout from the Origin period schedule could derail Brisbane's season but felt there was no point complaining to the NRL. "What's the point? It's not going to change," he said of addressing concerns to NRL. "Everyone has their say on it but nothing changes."
Bennett preferred to take aim at NRL stars who had spoken out about abolishing five day turnarounds. He said their priority should be pushing for stand alone Origin games, saying the inter-state series had the biggest impact on a team's season.
"Player welfare really starts around Origin time …but they are getting $30,000 a game and are happy to cop that and they shut their mouth about the other part and have a whinge about five-day turnarounds for the rest of the season," Bennett said."You can't have it both ways in my book.
"I can't seriously listen to players complaining about the five day turnaround until they get serious about Origin and say we shouldn't have to back up in two days. "If we were serious about player welfare, that would be the first thing (addressed)."
Bennett's view on five day turnarounds may be seen as a bit rich south of the border. The Broncos have one this year - Manly have four in the first nine rounds. Yet Bennett was still livid that his Queensland stars had to start the Origin period by playing three games in eight days. After the June 1 series opener in Sydney, Brisbane take on the Warriors on June 4 in Auckland and host Canberra on June 9\. After Origin II on June 22, Brisbane's Origin players must play three games in nine days.
"The five day turnaround is not the issue - it's how much you have to give (in Origin)," he said. "It's two or three weeks later (after an Origin game) when you are just flat and can't play. We could have seven or eight Origin players this year - and they are our best players. "Look at where we are nearly every season. "We are in the top two or three and when Origin is over we have finished all over the shop. Every time you get to this part of the year it is unchartered waters," he said.
By AAP
33 minutes ago
Stop counting your money and start counting the cost of State of Origin if you are serious about player welfare. That was Wayne Bennett's blunt message to NRL stars complaining about five-day turnarounds, saying they were more worried about a lucrative Origin pay day than the toll the interstate series took on teams.
Bennett feared player burnout from the Origin period schedule could derail Brisbane's season but felt there was no point complaining to the NRL. "What's the point? It's not going to change," he said of addressing concerns to NRL. "Everyone has their say on it but nothing changes."
Bennett preferred to take aim at NRL stars who had spoken out about abolishing five day turnarounds. He said their priority should be pushing for stand alone Origin games, saying the inter-state series had the biggest impact on a team's season.
"Player welfare really starts around Origin time …but they are getting $30,000 a game and are happy to cop that and they shut their mouth about the other part and have a whinge about five-day turnarounds for the rest of the season," Bennett said."You can't have it both ways in my book.
"I can't seriously listen to players complaining about the five day turnaround until they get serious about Origin and say we shouldn't have to back up in two days. "If we were serious about player welfare, that would be the first thing (addressed)."
Bennett's view on five day turnarounds may be seen as a bit rich south of the border. The Broncos have one this year - Manly have four in the first nine rounds. Yet Bennett was still livid that his Queensland stars had to start the Origin period by playing three games in eight days. After the June 1 series opener in Sydney, Brisbane take on the Warriors on June 4 in Auckland and host Canberra on June 9\. After Origin II on June 22, Brisbane's Origin players must play three games in nine days.
"The five day turnaround is not the issue - it's how much you have to give (in Origin)," he said. "It's two or three weeks later (after an Origin game) when you are just flat and can't play. We could have seven or eight Origin players this year - and they are our best players. "Look at where we are nearly every season. "We are in the top two or three and when Origin is over we have finished all over the shop. Every time you get to this part of the year it is unchartered waters," he said.
