Is there any hope for dual players anymore. The split season at county level is crucifying players at club level. Games every night of the week. This week its football Tuesday hurling Thursday and football on the weekend. Where are all the player welfare advocates.

Foley91 (Meath) - Posts: 418 - 29/05/2023 07:22:37    2482428

Player welfare is something that is written in guidelines and promptly forgotten about. The split season wasn't thought out fully and to make matters worse it's not fully implemented yet…..the All Ireland club finals are meant to be completed before the end of the year. This has not yet be achieved so there is more cramming of fixtures and bullying of players to be done yet.
I'm afraid that the days of the dual players are coming to an end and club managements are going to have to decide on when to 'rest' some of their players during the League and Cup competitions if they want them on board for championship games. Could be managed in dual clubs but not at all easy where the players play with separate hurling and football clubs.
But sure all will be fine once the top brass get the programme finished on time.

MillerX (Meath) - Posts: 1080 - 29/05/2023 12:09:28    2482513

Its all well and good for the large sized clubs but spare a thought for the small dual clubs fighting to stay alive. Having been involved with a small dual club outside of the county for a few years they are barely keeping their heads above water with the amount of games they've played over the past few weeks.
Barely 20 lads across their only hurling and football teams. Crazy times at the moment and the amount of games being played is also crazy.

bountyboy22 (USA) - Posts: 38 - 29/05/2023 15:10:05    2482617

The smaller clubs are just about surviving in the leagues and praying lads aren't injured. County players can't play with their clubs to add to matters. 2nd teams are nearly impossible to put out

Foley91 (Meath) - Posts: 418 - 29/05/2023 15:32:09    2482633

I would've thought given the two league rounds being postponed that the hurling cup games would've been cancelled for the year or moved to the end of the season. Trying to squeeze them in when there's still two more league rounds, and finals is madness.

Six weeks until championship, and dual clubs could have this:

Week 1: Football league (tue), hurling (thur), football prem champ (sat/sun)
Week 2: Football (tue), hurling cup (thur), hurling league (sat/sun)
Week 3: Football (tue), football league (sat/sun)
Week 4: Football (tue), hurling cup (thur), hurling league (sat/sun)
Week 5 - Football (Tue), football (sun)

Some clubs won't be able to fulfill all the fixtures, and even those that can will seriously struggle with keeping everyone injury free.

RR (Meath) - Posts: 165 - 29/05/2023 16:41:38    2482663

The GAA encourages dual players and then gets bogged down by them. It is very simple Someone who wants to play 2 sports plays 2 games every week and often 2 at the weekend. If a player only wants 1 game in a week pick football or hurling and stop acting the eejit.
Trying to cater for players who want to play both codes but only want 1 game a week has the gaa fixture list in a constant mess. It seriously impinges on mentors and players who only want one code(The majority). And I wonder is it behind all the mid week league games where players are required to leave at 6pm for a 7.30 game and have to skip out of work early.

Ashrules (Dublin) - Posts: 553 - 29/05/2023 19:49:10    2482736