Win the next 2 games and secure top 8 then I would:

Give Alex Mellor a month off, hes been all but ever present in his first season in Super League and let him concentrate on the 2nd row in pre season.

Make sure Bruno is ready to come back, if not 100% save him for next season to be 100%.

Let Adam O Brien get some bigger minutes, don't want Kruise burning out.

Give Sam Wood and Tyler Dickinson a run of few games in the team.

Give Darnell an extended run at FB or leave him on the wing for the rest of the season to develop in a position.

Give Matty English another opportunity.

Give Seb Ikahihifo a couple of weeks rest and let Mason try re discover some form, been poor every time hes played this season for me.

Let Brough get a partnership going with Rankin for a few games, see how that works

RECRUITMENT:

Prop Forward

Play full strength till the last game for me. Definitely alternate Leeming and O'Brian as leading hooker.
McIntosh for me is a fullback but i guess Rankin has guaranteed the fullback spot somehow.

Next season I would offer Ridyard a 1 year deal OR bring back Ellis and play him.
Certainly in the need of a good couple of props with Rapira and Smith imo should leave.

The season doesn't end in three weeks. The 2nd phase begins.

it ends for us in 3 weeks hopefully do not want to be in that bottom 4 again.

That's a very defeatist attitude. We have an opportunity to influence the top 4 with some great performances. Why should we put out would would be an academy side and get pasted every weekend? ot only would it affect our renewals, it would affect the confidence of the players we put out.

We should be (and will be) fielding our best team available.

It is not fair on the integrity of the competition not to put out your strongest team on every occasion

same for me, objective achieved if we seal that top 8 place, start planning for 2018. if some players need surgery get them in early... ferguson will be one and will be no need to rush anyone back

we may very well put out our strongest team but will be flogging a dead horse as we wont get in the top 4 which is where you need to be to winning anything... hell some were saying we wouldnt win another game not long ago!!

shakefield lost most games last year once they secured top 8 if not all of them?! didnt do them any harm for this season, got to plan early for the following season

Im just basically saying once we have got through into the super 8s there is no need to play players with niggles and let players recover as we have nothing to play for.

Give the youngsters a real chance such as Dickinson, Wood & McIntosh at FB

I agree with jake and brearley on this. Players who are not 100 percent shouldn't be risked. As brearley says if any opereations like clear outs are required let's get them done so we have a fit full squad for pre season.
Look at putting combinations together for how stone sees them for next year where possible! The preseason of preseason.
Hopefully take s few scalpes of the better performing sides while we are at it

brough in todays examiner even said they have no chance of top 4.

Not in the next two weeksicon_wink.gif

ha yeh the tune will change but deep down we know its job done

Not to mention the effect on crowds, of playing academy players.

Bruno has said if we have a chance of top 4 he will play this year once the split happens but if we don't he won't play till next year and let some of the youngsters have a crack.

Pretty please can Fax have AOB for our play-offs / middle 8s push?

nope , been great for us now he has established himself in the team and interchanging with leeming.

No chance !!!

Just got back from the Wigan v Hudds academy game, and you have some excellent prospects there, who would definitely benefit from some 1st team games and not be at all out of place. Young Farrell at scrum half especially was a handful all game, very exciting to watch!

Farrell is developing very nicely indeed- has a lot of natural skill- which needs still needs honing, and good game vision. (He's Anthony farrells young lad-eldest Joel now at batley). Brough is his mentor and I'm hoping he gets a few games soon.
One who's caught my eye is young jack Flynn- still only a first year but a very accomplished hooker for such a young lad.

he got a game in the challenge cup defeat to swinton.

he can certainly kick goals! may see him pushing into the halves in years to come