Easter egg-sses

Easter is all about overindulgence for some, but Luke Dorn is not a happy bunny about the fixture list.

Quins stand-off has new boots ready for return to action

It's hard not to overindulge during Easter, but I believe we are all having too much of a good thing...and I'm not talking about chocolate. While the fans may relish a double-header over the Bank Holiday weekend, I don't know of a player in Super League who enjoys playing twice in quick succession. If you want people to have some longevity about their careers then the overcrowded Easter schedule is something that needs to be addressed. In Super League we play quite a lot of games anyway, but I just can't agree with cramming two in so close together. Everyone these days understands just how physical this sport is, so to want players to play back-to-back games in a short period is just too much to ask. We saw that some coaches decided that playing two games so close together was an opportunity for them to rest players. Certainly if I was a coach rotation, particularly of the older guys, would be something I would do. While you want to get maximum points out of the extended weekend, your first priority is to make sure your best players are available at the business end of the season. Let's make it clear that this is not just a bee in my bonnet since I've come to play in England. I've friends spread across other top-flight clubs and not once can I recall ever hearing one of them say they look forward to Easter. Over the course of the weekend the general standard of the games on Thursday and Friday, which are often derbies, is really high. But by the Monday it has dropped, because of mental and physical tiredness. As well as the demands of such a quick turnaround in between games, there are also issues over travel. For instance, Leeds, who played rivals Bradford on the Thursday, would have had little time to rest before flying out to France to prepare to play Catalans Dragons on the Monday. Don't get me wrong, I can absolutely see where the clubs are coming from. They want to generate as much income as possible during a busy holiday period, and I can't begrudge them that because they are businesses. So perhaps we have to put a greater onus on derby games, maybe looking to play a Saints v Wigan at a neutral venue - somewhere like the Reebok Stadium - with both clubs agreeing a fair split on the revenue. We could also look to spread one round of fixtures across the entire Easter weekend, allowing a greater focus to be put on each individual derby.

No rest

There's no rest for the wicked, with all clubs back in action again this weekend. For some this will be a key period which could make a real difference to their season. Win all three games and you could look back as this time and see it as a turning point. Lose them, and pick up a few injuries to boot, and it may end up costing you dear in the long run. I won't be in action when Quins take on St Helens in front of the Sky Sports cameras, but my return is getting ever closer. I've bought myself a new pair of boots and have been walking around my house like an over-excited eight-year-old desperate to get out and play in them. Right now we're not performing the best at Quins but we've just got to stick to the game plan and hopefully, sooner rather than later, we can turn things around. Kevin Penny has come in to bolster our ranks and hopefully he can make an impact. He's well known for his speed on the wing and that's something we can hopefully use to our advantage. You're seeing this year the loan system being utilised by many clubs, particularly those hit hard by injuries. The bonus for us about getting players in on loan, as well as back from injury, is all about sheer numbers, because it allows us to rest a younger player who has perhaps had to be pushed to the front earlier than expected. I have been able to celebrate a win, though, albeit in my fantasy league. I'm sitting pretty near the top of the ladder after beating Steve Menzies' team last week. To be honest, Beaver's bunch were abysmal - you'd expect an NRL legend to do much better! Menzies' Bradford team-mate Chris Nero is also in our league, along with Chris Malone and Peter Hewat (who saw his Red Rockets beaten by my fiancée this week) from Guinness Premiership club London Irish.