'Leeds Rhinos chief is right' - 3 games in a week can be done says club history-maker

Derek Hallas, centre, at Headingley with late teammates Ken Thornett, left and Wilf Rosenberg. Picture by Mark Bickerdike.

Rugby league is now heading for a fourth weekend without matches, due to the coronavirus pandemic and clubs will face a fixture pile-up when the season eventually resumes.

Before the shutdown clubs in Super League were guaranteed at least a four-day gap between fixtures, but that is likely to be scrapped in a scramble to get the campaign completed in time for a November Grand Final.

Rhinos chief executive Gary Hetherington believes the backlog will separate the men from the boys and Hallas has personal experience of how teams dealt with a similar schedule in the past.

Derek Hallas with friend and former teammate Lewis Jones. Picture by Simon Huilme.

Hallas made history in 1961 as a member of the first Leeds team to be crowned champions, scoring two tries in the Loiners’ 25-10 victory over Warrington in the Championship final at Odsal.

Now in his 80s, he played at the top level both in England and Australia, where he starred for three seasons with Parramatta. Still active in Leeds’ players’ association, the former centre recalls when multiple games in a short period of time was an accepted part of the sport and believes - with some tinkering - modern players can cope.

“I think if you raise the number of players in the squad from 17 to 20 you could do it,” Hallas said.

“It has been done before. I know it’s a long time ago, but in 1959 we played four games in eight days.

“We played St Helens on September 5, then Hunslet in the Yorkshire Cup on September 7.

“On September 9 we played Huddersfield and on the 12th we played Australia. We all had jobs in those days and all these guys are full-time.”

In 1959 Leeds also played on Christmas Day at Batley, had a Boxing Day home fixture against Wakefield Trinity and travelled to Huddersfield on December 28.

“The pitches we played on weren’t ideal,” Hallas added. “I remember that game we played against Australia, the pitch was rock hard, but the grounds were usually heavier and not pristine like they are now.

“It is possible, if they increase the squad by three players they could do it if it means helping the game. I think the clubs would be chuffed and fans will be pleased to see the season finished.”