Golden point rule needs amending, says Wakefield Trinity’s Chris Chester

WAKEFIELD Trinity chief Chris Chester has urged Super League lawmakers to scrap the “all-or-nothing” aspect of the golden-point rule.
HIGHS AND LOWS: Wakefield’s players look crestfallen as Hull FC take the golden point at Belle Vue earlier this year. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe
.HIGHS AND LOWS: Wakefield’s players look crestfallen as Hull FC take the golden point at Belle Vue earlier this year. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe
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HIGHS AND LOWS: Wakefield’s players look crestfallen as Hull FC take the golden point at Belle Vue earlier this year. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe .

Super League matches that are tied after 80 minutes go to golden-point extra time with the first team to score a drop-goal, penalty or try earning all two points.

However, Chester feels that the method in the Championship, which awards each team a point each if the game is tied at 80 minutes with one extra point up for grabs in extra time, should be used in the top flight.

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“It is the point I raised at the laws committee meeting in regards to golden point and we had a really good discussion about it,” said Chester.

TIME FOR CHANGE: Wakefield Trinity's head coach Chris Chester.
 Picture Jonathan GawthorpeTIME FOR CHANGE: Wakefield Trinity's head coach Chris Chester.
 Picture Jonathan Gawthorpe
TIME FOR CHANGE: Wakefield Trinity's head coach Chris Chester. Picture Jonathan Gawthorpe

“If I was to go to St Helens and after 80 minutes we were level at 24-24, I would be pretty happy with that.

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“As a coach you would be happy with that point. It is called golden point for a reason, it is not golden two points.

“I think you should get one point for the draw, I have been saying it since day one, and the golden point should be the extra point for the winner after extra time.

COMEBACK TRAIL: Wakefield Trinity's David Fifita.
 Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.COMEBACK TRAIL: Wakefield Trinity's David Fifita.
 Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.
COMEBACK TRAIL: Wakefield Trinity's David Fifita. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.
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“I can’t see why it is all or nothing and I did raise that at a laws committee probably 12 months ago.”

Wakefield have had just one game go to golden point since the law was introduced ahead of the 2019 season.

They lost that contest to Hull FC at Belle Vue after coming from behind to draw the game 26-26 after normal time before Marc Sneyd’s drop-goal took two points for the Black and Whites.

“The rules are there, we have just got to get on with it and if they make a change then so be it,” Chester added.

RARING TO GO: Wakefield's Ben Jones-Bishop will be fit to play again whenever Super League resumes this season. Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.comRARING TO GO: Wakefield's Ben Jones-Bishop will be fit to play again whenever Super League resumes this season. Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
RARING TO GO: Wakefield's Ben Jones-Bishop will be fit to play again whenever Super League resumes this season. Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
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“I don’t know why one competition has one rule different to another competition, I just find it totally crazy that we have got one game that is played a little bit differently and with a couple of different rules.”

Wakefield will have a full complement of players back if the Super League season is able to resume this summer. Trinity contended with numerous injury problems last season which saw them battling for Super League survival right down to the final day of the campaign.

The Trinity coach revealed that July is currently the month in which Super League hopes to return but that will depend on Government advice at the time.

Chester said: “It is important that we get people like Bill Tupou back to where he has been; he was so devastating on that left edge before his injury last year.

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“When we come back we will have Ben Jones-Bishop back and that will give Lee Kershaw some competition on the right.

“Everyone should be back raring to go for the first game should it start around July, which I am led to believe is when they are looking to get back.”

Tinirau Arona and Tom Johnstone made their respective returns from ACL injuries before the season was suspended in March.

Meanwhile, David Fifita, Chris Green and Jones-Bishop are all expected to be fit and available whenever the season is able to resume. Fifita was one of the leading contenders for the Steve Prescott Man of Steel in 2019 before his season was disrupted by an injury sustained at Magic Weekend last May.

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“You look at the start of the season and see the players we had missing; Ti Arona, Fifita and Chris Green, those kind of guys who were missing the first couple of weeks,” added Chester.

“We lost Ben in pre-season and we have had to chop and change with regards to the right wing.

“I played Ryan Atkins there in the first game against Hull KR and looking back that was a mistake by me.

“I probably should have thrown Lee Kershaw out on the wing. You certainly learn from your mistakes.

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“I think it is important we get our players back playing in the preferred positions and having everyone back fit will allow me to do that.”

It was announced this week that the 2020 Reserves Championship is be to shelved due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Chester feels that clubs will be playing games more frequently when the action returns which will give a number of sides the opportunity to field their younger talent.

He added: “I think it is a great chance for some clubs to produce some young kids and nurture them into certain games.

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“It is exciting because we have got Jack Croft, who got a bit of first-grade action last year and played in a couple of friendlies.

“We have got Connor Bailey who has done really, really well in pre-season and playing in the reserve grade.

“There are people like that who are going to get an opportunity when the season starts back up again.”

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