Smh let's risk a real chance at grand final success to win a trophy that only really requires a handful of good performances n we can call it a successful year!!


Yes Let's rest the starting 17 until Wembley not like anything else matters it actually makes more sense to just drop out of superleague altogether and just focus in winning the challenge cup as it's got to be the big one it's on the beeb!!

THE MOST IMPORTANT GAME IF THE SEASON IS ALWAYS THE NEXT GAME!!

It baffles me people want a "good. Day out" over league success, bonkers

Looking back at previous games before the final. Smith will not field a weakened side.


2012 game before final. Lost 62-18 against London (2 x 1st teamers missing)
2010 game before final. Won 36 -18 against Hull (1 x 1st teamer missing)
2009 game before final. Lost 28-40 against Wakefield (2 x 1st teamers missing)

I'm coming round to this view too. We have 3 x CC Final wins in very recent history, but the league has eluded us since 1954/55. The monkey on our back.

We should be looking to challenge on all fronts not looking to one or the other as our best bet..

We can still win all 3 bits of silver so that must be our goal. If a player needs a break then fine but to just rest a player for an upcoming game is wrong.

Why are Challenge Cup and Grand Final success being viewed as mutually exclusive?

2011: Knocked out in the quarter-finals of the cup, won League Leaders, no Grand Final
2012: Won cup, lost Grand Final to Leeds who also made it to Wembley.
2013: No cup final, lost Grand Final to Wigan who had won at Wembley.
2014: No cup final, no Grand Final.
2015: No cup final, no Grand Final. Leeds win both.

There doesn't appear to be much evidence that success in one of the competitions has a negative effect on the other.

We are the Wire ,have we got it in us to win the necessary number of play off games ,a play off semi ,a GF & Wembley?

I think other teams will have a few things to say about our end of season achievements.

Select our strongest team, simple decision.

Not convinced though that our strongest team isn't Evans back in the centre with Penny on the wing though.

Bench for me is Dwyer, GKing, Bailey, Westwood.

Couldnt agree more.

Penny needs to be in this team right now, T.King (it sounds awful) shouldnt be. If Lineham isn't in the reckoning then our 3/4 line should be Penny, Evans, Atkins & Russel.

I think there were more than 2 x 1St teamers missing from the 2012 game V harlequins the week before Wembley. IIRC Hodgson and Briers did not play v quins
Higham, Carvell, McArthy and Westwood all missed this game but played at Wembley . There were a fair amount of changes but we still should have beat them with what we had on the pitch. It was like watching a pre season friendly and I don't see this weekend being any different.

That's if penny is fit after the stretcher was needed last week in the reserves. I can only assume his hamstring hasn't been right yet, maybe it was a worse tear than we thought. It can't be down to performance he has been good when he has played this season.

True enough. But if Penny hasn't been fit since his leg went I'd rather Smith say he wasnt fit as opposed to coming out with the bull that he wasnt in form.....even the most anti-Penny supporter out there would admit he's our best winger!!

Shouldn't Tony Smith select his best 17 and tell them they are playing for there Wembley shirt?
Surely he is not going to just say have a week off guys... Hope he does as we CAN still make the top 4, and are playing some good stuff atm. If your best 17 are playing could be a cracker.

Be interesting how the weather affects this match. Supposed to be wet & windy on Saturday.

Ben Harrison and Joel Monaghen were also rested, so roughly half of our 1st team. After the debacle I remember TS saying that the side he picked was capable of winning the match - which I would agree, but the side that turned up was less than enthusiastic.

I think TS will play his strongest side. Perhaps Cox will get back to the bench as it would ensure we keep him match fit for the rest of the S8's.

Wasn't there a big outcry from the fans about travelling to London to watch the reserve ? Superleague admission prices should justify the strongest possible team on the pitch.

Yes, I think there was. In fact I think was the reason TS said the side chosen was capable of winning the game. It all blew over when we won the following week.

I definitely agree with that, I'm not anti penny at all. It could be form if penny doesn't trust hid hamstring and is holding back? Its all ifs, buts and maybes really. There must be a good reason for him not playing though.

I do hope we are in the market for a winger or 2 anyway. I'm not convinced by anyone we have other than penny.

It doesn't matter who plays v Cas, Penny in or not. The team that played at wakey +Bailey minus Wilde or B Evans will play at Wembley.

Winning at Wembley is the monkey on our back so I'll do you a deal. You give us the CC next week and you can have the GF...yeah?!

Nar

I would take that without hesitation!!

However there's no reason that we cannot win both!!

Added dimension now. After Catalans loss last night, a victory against Cas will guarantee us a top 4 place. Means we go into the final without that next step to overcome. Best way of doing that is to pick your best injury free team and tell them to go out and play for a place.

I am quite sure that we have already qualified for the Semi Finals. I don't think Catalans have got another win inside them this year and Cas although they can still catch us don't have the Points difference. We do still need to win to keep momentum going.

If the weather stays like this...I would rest all the key players.
One injury and we'll be making up the numbers at Wembley.

hope your players come through, even though am gagging for a win at Wembley wouldn't want any player to miss Wembley,