Mailbox: What is the point in 19-man squad announcements?

Mailbox gives you the chance to get your voice heard and start the debate with the rugby league audience. Want to be featured? Email the editor: james@loverugbyleague.com

Dear Love Rugby League,

What exactly is the point of announcing 19-man squads anymore? What do we get out of it?

We are meant to get excited when they are announced two days before the respective games, but what is the point when the matchday squads are different to the 19-man squads that are originally announced?

It has happened a lot of times this season and in previous years. Ben Currie wasn’t included in Warrington’s squad to face Castleford earlier in the year, but made a surprise return from injury.

And it happened again the other week when Joe Westerman was not included in Hull FC’s 19-man squad to play Catalans Dragons due to a knee injury, but then started the game.

There are a lot of things that are great in our game, and a lot of things that need improvement. To me, 19-man squad announcements just seem pointless if they aren’t correct. It’s not fair on the opposition, who spend a couple of days preparing to face a certain 19 players.

Fans like to come up with what they think the 17 will be out of the 19, but there is no point in even trying to do that now.

We should either have to play with just the 19 players we have named in the matchday squads, or just don’t have any pre-game squad announcements and that way, clubs could pick from anyone at all in the squad.

Paul Ashton

Mailbox gives you the chance to get your voice heard and start the debate with the rugby league audience. Want to be featured? Email the editor: james@loverugbyleague.com