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Thread: Keeping the squad fresh before the final

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    Learning All The Songs SaintJon's Avatar
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    Default Keeping the squad fresh before the final

    It's going to be a tricky month with our 'easter fixtures' coming up a few weeks before the CC final. We are top of the league and the only team left that can do the treble. So my question is what do you think is the best way to approach these fixtures bearing in mind this month will probably have a big say on where the LLS is heading? Our fixtures are Leeds (a) Fri 11th, Wire (h) Thur 17th, Hull KR (a) Fri 25th, Cas (a) Wed 30th, Wigan (h) Sun 4th and then Wakey (a) date not confirmed but probably Fri.

    For me I'd go Leeds and Wire full strength. Hull and Cas I'd play a mixture of youth and experience with the biggest changes coming for the Cas game, especially with the older players and then Wigan full strength before playing a reserve squad against Wakefield before the final. If anyone is carrying any niggle we know that Woolf won't risk them.

    What would your squad be to face Wakey the week before?

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    Quote Originally Posted by SaintJon View Post
    It's going to be a tricky month with our 'easter fixtures' coming up a few weeks before the CC final. We are top of the league and the only team left that can do the treble. So my question is what do you think is the best way to approach these fixtures bearing in mind this month will probably have a big say on where the LLS is heading? Our fixtures are Leeds (a) Fri 11th, Wire (h) Thur 17th, Hull KR (a) Fri 25th, Cas (a) Wed 30th, Wigan (h) Sun 4th and then Wakey (a) date not confirmed but probably Fri.

    For me I'd go Leeds and Wire full strength. Hull and Cas I'd play a mixture of youth and experience with the biggest changes coming for the Cas game, especially with the older players and then Wigan full strength before playing a reserve squad against Wakefield before the final. If anyone is carrying any niggle we know that Woolf won't risk them.

    What would your squad be to face Wakey the week before?
    For me, as strong as possible for Leeds and Wire, maybe rest a few for HKR, full steam ahead for Cas and the pigs then I'd go probably half and half for Wakey, rest anyone with knocks, we're still fairly early in the season so there shouldn't be too many questions over players being tired.

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    In The North Stand With All The Old Folk The Wee Waa Womble's Avatar
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    I think a lot depends on the condition of the players. If any are carrying knocks I’d use the Hull KR, Cas and Wakefield games to give them recovery time. If any of them are managing injuries week to week I’d probably leave them out against Wakefield. I’m averse to putting out the reserves the week before as, in mid July, players shouldn’t need weeks off due to fatigue. Rotate over the 3 games I mentioned rather than all in one week would be my plan.
    Forwards win games. The backs decide by how much.

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    In The North Stand With All The Old Folk Belgian Saint's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by The Wee Waa Womble View Post
    I think a lot depends on the condition of the players. If any are carrying knocks I’d use the Hull KR, Cas and Wakefield games to give them recovery time. If any of them are managing injuries week to week I’d probably leave them out against Wakefield. I’m averse to putting out the reserves the week before as, in mid July, players shouldn’t need weeks off due to fatigue. Rotate over the 3 games I mentioned rather than all in one week would be my plan.
    Pretty much this. Unless someone has a knock I certainly wouldn't rest anyone the week before the final.

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    In The South Stand Tabasco's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SaintJon View Post
    We are top of the league and the only team left that can do the treble.
    Very disrespectful of Cas to say that, I hope the club doesn’t treat them with the same contempt in the final.

    Far too early to put forward a squad for the Wakefield game given that we might lose each league game between now and then and thus be desperate for league points. Equally, we might pick up a couple of injuries and need to ease players back before the final. I’d rather just pick a squad based on the next game, taking into account the performance, result and knocks picked up the previous week and then face Wakefield in the light of whatever has occurred but preferring to give the full Wembley team a run out against them.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Angry Dave View Post
    For me, as strong as possible for Leeds and Wire, maybe rest a few for HKR, full steam ahead for Cas and the pigs then I'd go probably half and half for Wakey, rest anyone with knocks, we're still fairly early in the season so there shouldn't be too many questions over players being tired.

    Think that would be a more balanced option, we haven't had a settled team at all this season we have had 2 games with the same players but we lost Passi and Percival in that second game.
    Woolf probably wants his team to play with a bit more better form as added insurance in what’s coming up, swopping and changing might make us a bit clunky. It’s a fine balance just don’t risk jiggly injuries getting worse.

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    In The North Stand With All The Old Folk Blobbynator's Avatar
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    We will probably losing quite a few players to the England international game (when we play Cas) so the full squad will be used over the next few weeks anyway.
    Quote Originally Posted by Despondent Dave
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    Quote Originally Posted by Blobbynator View Post
    We will probably losing quite a few players to the England international game (when we play Cas) so the full squad will be used over the next few weeks anyway.
    It's a tricky one. Lack of match fitness led us to getting ambushed at Wembley last time

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    In The North Stand With All The Old Folk The Wee Waa Womble's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Blobbynator View Post
    We will probably losing quite a few players to the England international game (when we play Cas) so the full squad will be used over the next few weeks anyway.
    Could potentially have Lomax, Walmsley, Makinson, Knowles, Roby and Percival out for England, injury/selection dependent, plus possibly a few more for the Exiles. Hopefully there’s common sense applied and a limit of how many are selected from each club.
    Forwards win games. The backs decide by how much.

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    Next Friday’s game will test us. We could be without Percy, Paasi, Bachelor, Wingfield plus the long termers Lees and Bentley facing a fresh Leeds side full of confidence after their 60 point thumping of Cas.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tabasco View Post
    Very disrespectful of Cas to say that, I hope the club doesn’t treat them with the same contempt in the final.
    How is that very disrespectful? Unless Saints, Catalans and Wigan suffer a huge lose in form and Castleford lose a maximus 2/3 games and win the rest, it's safe to rule them out of the LLS. If I'd have said "seeing as Saints are guaranteed to win the CC" then yeah, that would be disrespectful.

    I swear people overreact to things without checking all the facts/looking at things logically

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    Quote Originally Posted by SaintJon View Post
    How is that very disrespectful? Unless Saints, Catalans and Wigan suffer a huge lose in form and Castleford lose a maximus 2/3 games and win the rest, it's safe to rule them out of the LLS. If I'd have said "seeing as Saints are guaranteed to win the CC" then yeah, that would be disrespectful.

    I swear people overreact to things without checking all the facts
    Sorry, didn’t realise you had a crystal ball and knew how Cas were going to perform for the rest of the season.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tabasco View Post
    Very disrespectful of Cas to say that, I hope the club doesn’t treat them with the same contempt in the final.

    Far too early to put forward a squad for the Wakefield game given that we might lose each league game between now and then and thus be desperate for league points. Equally, we might pick up a couple of injuries and need to ease players back before the final. I’d rather just pick a squad based on the next game, taking into account the performance, result and knocks picked up the previous week and then face Wakefield in the light of whatever has occurred but preferring to give the full Wembley team a run out against them.
    You fancy Cas for the treble?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Blobbynator View Post
    We will probably losing quite a few players to the England international game (when we play Cas) so the full squad will be used over the next few weeks anyway.
    Very good point regarding England. I know we have to help the international game but I'd be so annoyed if one of our players got injured because of it. Why couldn't the RFL pick the match in July/August and not during the busiest month of the year???

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    Quote Originally Posted by SaintJon View Post
    Very good point regarding England. I know we have to help the international game but I'd be so annoyed if one of our players got injured because of it. Why couldn't the RFL pick the match in July/August and not during the busiest month of the year???
    I think we all know the answer why.

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    To me the cas away game looks an obvious one to rest players. Aside from this it is one game a week which I think our lads should be comfortable with. Having players Match sharp and in form is vital for big finals. Fair enough if players carrying knocks then sit them out but we do have to keep our momentum up

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    Moderator Div's Avatar
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    My answer is always the same . Pick the best available fit squad week after week.
    Last edited by Div; 6th June 2021 at 18:16.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Div View Post
    My answer is always the same . Pick the best available fit squad well week after week.
    Agreed.

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    Agree with playing the strongest line up and take each game/weekend as it comes however players like Norman must be given some exposure in case he’s needed at some point. I’m surprised he hadn’t been given a run out against a “lesser” side so far this season. We effectively rotated 3 props yesterday but I’m not sure we’d get away with that at Wembley.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Blobbynator View Post
    We will probably losing quite a few players to the England international game (when we play Cas) so the full squad will be used over the next few weeks anyway.
    Isn't this on Fri 25th, the same night we play Hull KR?
    "Never write off the Saints!!"

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    In The North Stand With All The Old Folk Blobbynator's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MachineGunFunk View Post
    Isn't this on Fri 25th, the same night we play Hull KR?
    Sorry yeah, you're right. Cas is the mid week game after and then we play Wigan. Tough week for us that one.
    Quote Originally Posted by Despondent Dave
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