Rugby league team chief does not hold back in his accusations.
North Queensland Peter Jourdain has lashed out at the NRL for what he says is a bias draw saying they are catering for Sydney teams more than his own.
It is not the first time the Cowboys have accused the NRL of neglecting their needs, with North Queensland continuing their long-running battle with the powers that be.
Jourdain claims the final six rounds of this season heavily favored the New South Wales based sides, saying the added travel is not taken into consideration for the Cowboys.
“This is a complete slap in the face for our club — it is totally unfair,” Jourdain said.
Of chief concern for Jourdain is the quick turnaround between playing the Panthers in a Monday night in Sydney before only getting on a plane again, to play Souths away just five days later.
The Cowboys said the NRL indicated they were set to play Penrith on a Saturday night, only see that fixture change in the final unveiling.
Jourdain said the 48-hour preparation time is not enough for the side as they continue to battle to sure up a place in the top eight.
“It is ridiculous and simply not good enough,” Jourdain said.
“I have rung the NRL and said this is completely unfair, but we were told it’s within the rules.
“The NRL had sent us an email saying we had a Saturday night game (against Penrith). Then there were some four-day turnarounds, which contravenes the CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement), so they had to change some games.
“We could have lived with being moved to Sunday, but getting moved to a Monday night is a joke.
“Under that schedule, we will get back to Townsville on Tuesday night, then have to fly back to Sydney on Friday to prepare for the Souths game.
“We will have two days of travel and just two days in Townsville for the players to recover.
“The NRL talks about player welfare but I’ve never seen a schedule like this in my time at the Cowboys — it’s simply not right.”
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