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Inevitable injuries need addressing
15/ 5/2008
MALCOLM ALKER COLUMN: SUPER League and National League clubs seem to be having more injury problems than ever this season – but the exact opposite is true at Salford.
We have been very fortunate on the injury front so far this season. And, with John Wilshere returning from a hamstring problem, we will go into tonight’s game against Celtic Crusaders missing just Andy Ballard through injury. He has had to have a hernia operation with the rigors of professional rugby league having caught up with him.
And that is an all-too common tale. The game is so quick and physically intense these days that widespread injury problems are inevitable. As a player, you can come off the field aching all over after 80 minutes of blood and thunder rugby league. And training sessions during the week are no picnic either. We also play too many games in this country, especially the international players.
All of these factors lead to the problems that we are currently seeing at clubs like Wakefield and, closer to home, Swinton Lions. The injury list at those clubs is into double figures. As a result, those sides are unable to perform to their true ability. They are the victims of bad luck and this problem needs addressing. It has got so bad this year that most clubs are seemingly no longer able to let players leave.
We have been looking to replace the departed James Jiminez for months but, due to the lack of fit and healthy players out there, we have hit one brick wall after another. Somebody, somewhere needs to come up with ways to reduce the chances of rugby league players picking injuries.
It was a big blow to us when Wilshere injured his hamstring before our game against Widnes early in April. He was our best player last season and it will be great to have him back in the side against the Crusaders tonight.
The Welsh outfit are one of the clubs we are up against in the battle for a Super League franchise so it would be great to get one over on them. Celtic are only four points behind us in the table so they are clearly no easy-beats.
But we are feeling refreshed after having had the week off due to the Challenge Cup games at the weekend. And we are determined to, and confident of, getting back to winning ways following our disappointing draw at Sheffield Eagles last time out.
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