I am not professing to be a doctor, scientist or coach. What I do know is that anyone who has passed their GCSE Biology exam would be able to tell you that a 17 year olds body is different to a 27 year olds body.



In fact, anybody with a working pair of eyes could tell you that.

And I see you are diverting away from what you originally said. The comparison of 17 to 27 year old was mearly hypothetical in relation to your example of someone busting their shoulder every 15 games. The point was, if that was happening then it would happen whether 17 or 27.



Now back to the silly point of after 30 odd games you believe it is now right to say, Sorry Mr Ward but you are not ready for super league physically. Yet the coaching set up, the club, and even the National set up, somehow thought differently.

I honestly don’t know what you think I was proposing for Ward when I was pretty explicit in what I would do for him, which wasn’t to stop him playing ever after he has hit this apparent milestone of 30 games, but simply to not push him in to playing every minute of every game as his body is proven not up to it yet.



Im not moving away from what I have said at all. Im sticking steadfast to it. Over-playing and over-burdening a young player puts him at risk of injury. A 17 year olds body is not conditioned to deal with the rigours of SL level rugby as a 27 year old. A 20 year olds body is only just completing growth, and that isn’t just growth as in height but growth from a childs body to an adults body, an increase in pelvic size, and increase in shoulder width etc etc. Over the next few years Ward will add size and he will add strength, through training and conditioning his body to deal with the rigours of SL level RL. A 27 year old players body will have already been trained and conditioned to SL level rugby.

Slightly OT, but on the subject of injuries, one wonders what positive impact our so called sports scientists and conditioners have made.

It seems the more we have of these people, the greater the pressure to get players back on the pitch to justify their status and salary.

Am I the only one who has been baffled at the early returns of people like McGuire, Delaney, Peacock and Watkins, when it would have seemed a better long term solution to give them more recovery time?

Getting back to the subject in hand, I do think, given our back row resources. we should have spelled Ward a lot more; overplaying such a young boy could just end his career before it has properly started.

True Fred.

But as discussed many times our Coach and so it seems some of his staff (including players at times) feel that as long as you have a pulse and plenty of bandages and tape then that equals match fitness!!

If it's ridiculous I suggest you take it up with a Rhinos academy coach. I can remember his exact answer to questions put to him on a coaching clinic.

Q. At what age are these lads (at an u19's training session) ready physically for SL?

A. They can "manage" from a young age, but a young persons body doesn't stop growing until around 21/22/23, so my advice is to ease them in to first team rugby.



Further Q. Would that be week-in week-out?

A. Yeah, around 21/22/23 depending on the player's unique circumstances. Prior to that you've got to be careful with their exposure to first team rugby. I'm sure Barrie & Chris (Barrie Mac and Chris Plume) would agree that it's a balancing act between player development and physical development.



Just after he said: Obviously, this is in general and there will be players who can manage it earlier and those who need a bit more time to adjust.

There are some players who are simply prone to shoulder injuries - David Creasser and Gary Spencer come to mind. Other players have issues through technique - IMO its no coincidence that Sam Burgess has been getting far fewer shoulder problems since the shoulder charge was effectively banned.



I'd assume that the club recognise that Ward may have a particular problem with his shoulders and look to work around that as far as possible. The main solution would be to not ask him to play as a battering ram at all - which since he's supposed to be a playmaker is not actually that bizarre.

Agreed BR. I think slowly does it is the way with Ward. I would like to see him as a bench player to give Sinfield some relief in games. I know KS is on there for his goal kicking, but feel that, in KS's last few seasons, we would get more bang for our buck by easing KS' workload and easing SW into a play-making role.

Every person is different in physical makeup, and it may be SW needs to be spelled as he grows, especially as he goes in to the tackle very positively and fearlessly. He himself may also need to look at his technique, a point, I hope not ignored by the so called "sports scientists".

There are a decent number of trained professional sports scientists, conditioners, physios and medical staff involved with the Rhinos.



I'm happy to take their way of dealing with any issues Stevie Ward might have over the opinion of anyone else on here.

I had similar concerns over kallum Watkins a few years ago and have learnt that the Professionals involved with the club are far more adept at reading the situation with players than I am, sat here at my keyboard.

Stevie Ward is an immense prospect and I hope to see him really fulfil the potential in the coming years.

Why the 'so called' and inverted commas?