Premier League return gives Wakefield Trinity coach Chris Chester hope of successful Super League resumption

The successful return of the Premier League and Championship has given Wakefield Trinity coach Chris Chester plenty of hope that Super League will resume as planned on August 2.
Wakefield Trinity players celebrate. Picture: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com.Wakefield Trinity players celebrate. Picture: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com.
Wakefield Trinity players celebrate. Picture: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com.

Trinity will not play until at least August 8, with strict protocols set to be put in place when they return to training.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Chester is planning to welcome his squad back on July 20 and after football returned with only a small number of positive cases of coronavirus, he is feeling upbeat about rugby league’s return.

Wakefield Trinity head coach Chris Chester. Picture: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com.Wakefield Trinity head coach Chris Chester. Picture: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com.
Wakefield Trinity head coach Chris Chester. Picture: Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com.

“There is going to be strict protocols and testing, the players will get swabbed once a week,” he said.

“There is temperature testing and a load of other wellness feedback that the players will have to give to the physio and doctor.

“You have not seen many cases in football, the numbers are very small in terms of the positive tests.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It gives us hope. There is something there to work towards.

“All the players are ready to get back in.”

Initially, Chester will only have his squad training together in groups of six and will avoid putting a number of players from similar positions in the same training group.

That is to prevent leaving him with a potential void to fill in one position if one training group is forced to self isolate.

“The players have got to come in one door and leave out another door, with the one-way system we have put in place,” he added.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“In terms of groups, we are looking at probably six players at a time.

“We can’t afford to have too many players in one position in the same group. Because if somebody does catch anything or develop any kind of symptoms, then that whole group will have to self-isolate.

“I couldn’t bring all the half-backs, hookers and full-backs in one group because it could affect us in that first game back.

“We need to be smart about the groups we bring in and there will be no hanging around after training.

“At the moment we are restricted to groups of six and the social distancing rule is still in place which makes things awkward.

“I hope that by July 20, that restrictions will have been lifted.”

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.