Bellamy wants NRL break for Test match

Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy has urged the NRL to consider giving all NRL clubs a week off for the Australia–New Zealand Test match.

As things stand the Test will be on the evening of Friday 6th May, with four NRL fixtures going ahead from Saturday to Monday.

The City v Country fixture also takes place on May 6th.

Representative players are also expected to play in club games the same weekend, with Bellamy’s Storm side facing a trip to Suncorp Stadium to play the Broncos the evening after the Test match.

“It’s time for the league to really have a look at the weekend with the Australia–New Zealand game on and the City-Country game,” Bellamy said.

“We’re playing the night after in Brisbane […] but I’m sure a lot of other clubs are in the same boat.”

Bellamy believes that the Test match should have a weekend to itself, thus avoiding player burnout from having to play two fixtures in the same weekend.

“I think we can lighten the load on our elite players, start the competition a week earlier and have that weekend off,” he continued.

“It’s tough on the players. A lot of those players are coming into a period where they are going to be playing a lot of very high intensity footy in the Origin period.

“The league’s got to make the decision; if they don’t make the decision then it doesn’t get made.”

Storm will likely have Adam Blair, Billy Slater and Cameron Smith lining up for the Kanagroos, while Beau Champion could feature in the City-Country match.