It’s Origin time so, much like watching depleted NRL teams that could get rolled by an Intrust Super/NSW Cup side, it’s time for the annual outrage over scheduling.
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This year, Broncos coach Wayne Bennett is taking the lead. Despite the schedule robbing Brisbane fans of the joys one can only get from a Monday night home game, Bennett isn’t happy with the schedule, which has so far delivered eight Friday games and only one five day turnaround.
Compare that to another side likely to be hit by Origin, the Cowboys, who play all seven of their fellow 2015 finalists twice and all four of 2015’s bottom four just once.
“We’ve got a bigger challenge than just playing footy after Origin; we’ve got to play three games in eight days with all of our absolute best players involved in those games,” Bennet said Thursday.
While Brisbane play in the sun less frequently than your friendly local vampire, Bennett makes a fair point. The June 1 Origin opener is in Sydney, the Broncos then travel across the ditch to play the Warriors on June 4 and then have a June 9 home game against Canberra.
“If you go look at the record books for the Broncos, you look at where we are nearly every season, certainly when I’ve coached here, we’re in that top two or three and when Origin is over where we finish, it’s been all over the shop,” Bennett said.
“We got away with it last year. Am I confident we’ll get away with it this year? Not overly but the reality of the situation is that we have to deal with it.”
The Broncos coach has little faith NRL HQ will step in to fix the situation anytime soon.
“What’s the point (of talking to the NRL), it’s not going to change. Everyone has their say on it but nothing really changes,” Bennett fumed.
The Broncos will most likely have six players – Darius Boyd, Corey Oates, Sam Thaiday, Corey Parker, Matt Gillett and Josh McGuire – on rep duties, but the Broncos boss doesn’t want to hear complaints from them.
“The players can’t have it both ways,” he said of turnaround complaints when Origin’s riches – and a two-day turnaround – rarely draw criticism.
“Until they get serious about what happens through Origin, they have to live with the rest of it.
“I can’t get serious with players complaining about five-day turnarounds until players get serious about Origin and say we shouldn’t have to back up in two days.
“If we are serious about player welfare, the players have to buy into it as well.
“Player welfare starts around Origin time, but players get themselves killed because they cop their $30,000 for playing Origin, they shut their mouth, then whinge about five-day turnarounds.”
