It’s great to be in the conversation, but I think arriving at the playoffs in the best fitness possible is the priority. London should be a dress rehearsal at full strength, but with Huddersfield and Cas on the horizon we should be looking to rotate. Outside of the first choice 17 we have Philbin, Crowther, Ratchford (maybe the last two rounds), Holroyd, Lindrop, Wood, Wray and Whitehead who have all contributed to the year so far. I would be looking to wrap up Williams, Dufty, Vaughan, Currie and Powell.
Joined: Feb 10 2012 Posts: 6092 Location: Stuck in 1982
fez1 wrote:I want the LLS and the GF. We have a decent run-in. If - and it's a big if - Sam manages to keep them grounded and focussed it could happen. Game at a time and all that.
You say it's a decent run in and it probably is.....
Ideally, we get a marker down by beating a resurgent Leeds team that will be well backed at Elland Road as that for me sets the tone for this last tranche of fixtures which I think are in a subset of their own.
We can't approach any game as being easy but lose on Saturday and the next three will be trickier as the pressure builds and the opposition sense a bit of vulnerability. Leigh have caused us problems and Saints will be looking for a bit of retribution.
Joined: Jan 19 2009 Posts: 1607 Location: Purgatory
Barbed Wire wrote:It’s great to be in the conversation, but I think arriving at the playoffs in the best fitness possible is the priority. London should be a dress rehearsal at full strength, but with Huddersfield and Cas on the horizon we should be looking to rotate. Outside of the first choice 17 we have Philbin, Crowther, Ratchford (maybe the last two rounds), Holroyd, Lindrop, Wood, Wray and Whitehead who have all contributed to the year so far. I would be looking to wrap up Williams, Dufty, Vaughan, Currie and Powell.
This isn't a "have you played" esq post because a) I don't know if you have and b) I never played super league standard but when I was playing I wanted to play. A week off was crap and disturbed my rhythm. I get a mid season break from being bashed about for 16 weeks but for now I'd go full strength to ensure squad cohesion. Of course injuries are a risk but with the play off a single digit week away, I'd be be going for system over cotton wool.
As an aside,. I'd have Holroyd over Bateman any day of the week, even if the latter was a mate and had played with my brother's at junior level and me at international.
Philth wrote:This isn't a "have you played" esq post because a) I don't know if you have and b) I never played super league standard but when I was playing I wanted to play. A week off was crap and disturbed my rhythm. I get a mid season break from being bashed about for 16 weeks but for now I'd go full strength to ensure squad cohesion. Of course injuries are a risk but with the play off a single digit week away, I'd be be going for system over cotton wool.
As an aside,. I'd have Holroyd over Bateman any day of the week, even if the latter was a mate and had played with my brother's at junior level and me at international.
It’s a fair point (and yes, but not SL), but should we finish 3rd or lower, the main rivals will have a week off in round 1 of the play offs anyway, so whoever you play in round 2 (if we win the first game) is coming off a week off. That is why I suggested playing full strength against London, to get that timing and rhythm back. Particularly if we end up playing Salford who challenge on both sides of the field with lots of ball movement.
The risk is that Saints and Wigan arrive at the play offs with a large part of their squad fresh having lots of injuries and suspensions, and we have Dufty who has played all but 35 minutes (and a bit of time in the bin) of the season.
On Bateman, if he can get near his best he plays. But last week he wasn’t near that level. But he can change games when he’s on. And he’s been there and knows what it takes, which might count in his favour for a naive squad.
Barbed Wire wrote:The risk is that Saints and Wigan arrive at the play offs with a large part of their squad fresh having lots of injuries and suspensions, and we have Dufty who has played all but 35 minutes (and a bit of time in the bin) of the season.
I think Wigan are only really missing French and Smith, aren't they? Their losses haven't been down to lack of first team players, more a slump in form as they don't seem to fire in attack without French.
It will be interesting to see what happens with Saints though. Their poor form started when they had a full team with the likes of Welsby, Lomax, Percival, Clark et al, but as you say those guys will be fully rested after their injury layoffs. They could finish sixth and then peak for the last 3 games.
easyWire wrote:I think Wigan are only really missing French and Smith, aren't they? Their losses haven't been down to lack of first team players, more a slump in form as they don't seem to fire in attack without French.
It will be interesting to see what happens with Saints though. Their poor form started when they had a full team with the likes of Welsby, Lomax, Percival, Clark et al, but as you say those guys will be fully rested after their injury layoffs. They could finish sixth and then peak for the last 3 games.
They have been with it O’Neil too, who is their first choice 9. And Leeming missed a big part of the middle of the season, some through selection. Cooper, although getting on, started at Wembley and has been missing a lot since with ongoing concussion issues. And Keighran missed a bit through suspension then injuries straight after his return. They’ll have fresh legs at 1, 6, 7 and 9. And have a habit of rotating the middles anyway, with Mago not down to play yesterday until Farrell pulled out. They’re still the team to beat, and we need to be at our near our best to beat them in big games.
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