Darwin Salties coach Matt Flinn calls out ‘ridiculous’ schedule for semi-pros to play ‘three games in two and a half days’

Darwin Salties coach Matt Flinn has expressed his opposition to his side’s upcoming road trip saying it is ‘bordering a player welfare issue’. Here’s why.

Darwin Salties men’s coach Matt Flinn is calling out the scheduling of two triple-headers for his side in their finish to the season.

Darwin Salties men’s coach Matt Flinn has labelled his club’s upcoming triple-headers as “ridiculous” saying it is nearing a “player welfare issue” with the frantic schedule.

The Salties men and women sides will play three games in two and a half days when they head to Queensland this week to take on Gold Coast, South West Metro and North Gold Coast for Round 11 of the NBL1 North season.

Then the NBL1’s most watched team will have to play in another triple-header at the end of the month starting on June 30.

This week, the Salties will be based in the Gold Coast where their Friday night and Sunday afternoon games will be played, while their Saturday night match will be about a 50 minute bus ride away in Brisbane.

The three encounters for the Salties men’s side will feature top eight teams in the 16-team competition, including second-placed Gold Coast on Friday night.

The women’s biggest challenge will come against third-placed North Gold Coast on Sunday, while their two earlier matches will be against ninth and 10th placed teams.

The Salties sides, who are currently both in the top four, could have their seasons derailed by the “extremely tough” schedule.

“We’re running into some good teams,” Flinn said.

“Teams are going to see we’re battling and jockeying for those playoff spots.

Darwin Salties men's coach Matt Flinn talking to his players in Mackay. Picture: Kieron Place Art and Photo

“So we’re expecting a war down there, it is about travelling and recovery, and how best we deal with that and managing guys’ minutes.

“It’s a different beast playing three games in two and a half days.

“We’re bordering on a player welfare issue with this so we need to be careful with their loads and see where we are at.

“It is a tricky one, it’s going to be something that we are going to have to deal with and look at in the future.

“If they want to grow this league and make it more professional, those triple-headers are certainly borderline dangerous for the players.”

Flinn is a former coach of NBL club Illawarra Hawks and understands the requirements of full-time players in the NBL compared to the semi-professional NBL1 competition.

The former Hawks player said the triple-headers shouldn’t be happening, stating that it “would never happen at the higher level.”

Sean Macdonald is a Darwin Salties player who is contracted with Tasmanian JackJumpers in the NBL. Picture: Kieron Place Art and Photo

And Flinn warned as the competition continues to get better every season star players could be against a third game in less than 72 hours.

“Down the track, you will get agents talking to players saying ‘he is just not playing a triple-header’,” he said.

“That hasn’t happened yet and I am hypothesising but it’s certainly something we got to look at if we want the best quality basketball to be played.”

The trip will see 10 players take flight to Queensland on Thursday.

The Darwin Salties women's team looking on. Picture: Thommo's Photography

Salties women’s coach Rod Tremlett said he would have preferred one triple-header instead of two in their season fixture.

“I think at this level in the NBL1, it is a semi-professional league, we always have to balance budget in what we do,” Tremlett said.

“We would love to play single games every week but the budget for this level of program, that doesn’t work.

“So we’re conscious that that’s the way it is and we’re not the only ones playing triple-headers, Townsville played one two weeks ago.

“I would rather one than two to be honest but it is what it is and the fact that we have been able to bank some wins early really helps us out.”

The NBL1 was contacted for comment.