In my opinion I can not see the point in sending a full strength team to Widnes on Thursday.
With the Whitehaven game 5 days latter that is the game we need to be full strength for.
Realisticley we can not win the Widnes game and injury could really ruin our season.
Yes it's disappointing for the fans but staying in this division has to be the club's priority.
The way results are going in the Championship it could be tighter than people think.
In a nutshell I would love to win at Widnes and I will be traveling to the match but to the doubters and the knockers look at long term and not a cup game that could ruin the season.

Given work, distance and everything, its probably my one chance to see them play this year (now finishing at 5.45, not 8.00 due to working late tonight) so I'm hoping it will be a decent team, and decent show, but I can understand the logic about this

What ever Marchy does In terms of team selection for this one , the old phrase ' damned if you do , damned if you don't ' springs immediately to mind.

In any ' normal' season it would have been a no-brainer , Cup Quarter Final , Tv Coverage , Top Opposition should equal best team on the park possible but in light of the unprecedented situation that the 'genius that is the RFL' has put Clubs in the Championship this season , bottom five = potential financial armaggedon, nothing is 'normal this year.Add to that again more' enlightened and forward thinking' from Red Hall regarding match scheduling made Marchys decision even less clear cut.

What ever team goes onto the park on Thursday , it's worth remembering that we currently have a squad of thirty plus first team players , young or old these are players that Marchy believes are talented enough to play for the club , lads that live eat sleep n train as professional players , an ' under strength ' team on Thursday doesn't mean putting out a Pennine league division six pub side ...

Some of our stand out individual performances in matches this season have come from players not always selected ever week , lads like Ross Peltier ,Jack Lee and Lewis Graham will relish the chance of having a crack at the big boys of Widnes I'm sure If that is the direction in team selection that Marchy takes, they and the others selectedwill will do us proud on Thursday.

The CC is not important to us. Staying in this league.
Send the second team.

Great post

Agree with this.

Go on! I'll have my 'pennorth. 1. Jesse Sheriffe, 2.Gavin Duffy 3. Daley Williams, 4.Lewis Graham 5. Andy Gabriel 6. Jordan Aitcheson, 7. Ben Stead. 8. Ross Peltier, 9. Sean Kelly. 10. Ryan Patchett 11.Matt Bailey, 12. Charlie Eccleston 13. Jack Lee

Sounds good to me Len.. And I know Jack Lee is hoping to be picked

I don’t disagree with your team selection in principle. The League should be are top priority. But just a note of caution, the RFL and Sky wont be too happy and could with hold any prize money for the Cup run on the grounds of Keighley damaging the integrity of the Challenge Cup, lets make sure we have enough first team players in to avoid this, The RFL would love another chance to stitch the Cougars up.

I know you are all talking about resting players and a second team etc? Is this because you have a few injuries in your team? At Widnes we have several players who have been out injured, so it will automatically not be the best team possible. Mellor, Carberry, Ah Van, Cahill, Clarke, Joseph and O Carroll have been injured a while now. We have also had Phelps, Craven, Gore and Allen not fully fit too. Paddy Flynn has been excellent and is banned for this game. So it will be a reserve Widnes side virtually.