So thanks to Hendo, Workington away is our next fixture. We have in recent times shown little interest in the Challenge Cup. Quite rightly as the league has to be our focus. I think this game will give us the chance to rest our big guns and give the youngsters a chance.
I have said elsewhere that I would leave Jarrod out and give him the weekend off.
We have a group of youngster who we could bring in and give Workington a run for their money. Plus Elliot Kear was in the nineteen last week, so he must be in line for a return, he needs game time. Channing too is yet to play a competitive match, let him play.
SO WHO WOULD YOU LEAVE OUT?

Agree about Jarrod, Meadows in I presume? Agree Channing, then I think anyone with a knock leave out. Have Battye, Ioane on bench and don't use unless essential.

it would be nice to have a cup run, but the league has to be the priority and I would noy sacrifice 1/2 place for a cup semi-final, now a cup final might be different.......................

Anyone with a knock gets a weekend off.
Anyone on the fringes looking to make an impression should step in and do so.
Any of the kids who look worth a squad place should be taken on the trip, get them involved with the first team.
I would like to see us get through AND draw a struggling SL side at Ealing in the next round - but the league has to be our priority. We need our best players fit for the Swinton game.

I think we should be looking beyond the Swinton game to Easter.
Swinton have not shown anything so far to cause me to think we have anything to fear from them. So resting a couple there ought not to be a problem.
As we have Toulouse with Willie scoring for fun then Leigh away, over the four days. That is when we need to be at full strength.

Not particularly worried about Swinton but we've not played away, and on what could be a boggy pitch, for some time.
Just want the first team to pick up where they leave off League wise.
Could be a good run out ahead of the tough Easter games as you say.

Sammut will be desperate to play against his old club, so maybe he and Meadows will do a half each. Give KPP, and Ogden a run out. A trip to Worky will be quite an eye opener to some of the kids.

The Cup is the club's only chance of live terrestrial TV during the year. I think it is more important that large league wins. I would play full strength with our big names on the bench to ensure a win. Swinton would be a better game to rotate players, before the two tough matches in 4 days.

we need to see how we perform without Jared.. in case we lose him. So we need to find a game where we can do this and see how we perform.

We will lose him for a game or 2 at sometime in the season, so we need to see how the others step up

Battye was carrying a knock last week hence not playing, we can afford to give him another week out.
As I understand last week kear still not 100% hence not playing, if he is fit this week actually give him a run out to get some game time.
Think you have to balance resting guys against the week off and losing there fluency, I think that’s what happoned on Sunday, timing was a bit off.
Swinton, again don’t take em lightly, they should be easy pickings for us but easy to trip up, especially in there own backyard

Predict the side for Worky game:

Kear
Williams
Hellewell
Fleming
Ogden
Meadows
Api
Bienek
Davis
Spencer
Gee
Lovell
Davis

Battye
Butler
Cunningham
Hindmarsh

With the Sheffield game to rearrange how far do we really want to go in the cup. It would be a nightmare to play midweek.

I am wondering if the game will be on today. Cumbria Police have advised that all non essential travel should be avoided. So things must be bad.
We had planned to travel up today and stay over, but have decided to heed the advice and stay at home.
We could well do without it being postponed though, as fixtures will start to build up.

The games is on. Apparently there is no snow it is just very cold. There are at least a couple of Bronco supporters there, they travelled up overnight.

Is it on the radio?

It will be covered on BBC Radio Cumbria along with the Haven game.

Seem to be struggling a bit with the grass pitch and without Sammut and others.

Certainly good preparation for Swinton next week.

A narrow 2 point victory.
Shows how weak the squad depth is.

Really can't see any benefits of progressing to the next round.

Just hope there were no injuries.

As someone said earlier, winning is a habit, we kept it up - a win is a win. Everything was against us as far as I can see, length of trip, weather, pitch and a team relegated last year who would have wanted to prove something - not, sure it says anything about the depth of the squad.

Agree about injuries

A wins a win, so well done to the team. Think they’ll learn from that particularly the younger players, it was never going to be easy.

Though might want to reflect that our league position is based pretty much on home games so far. Including today both away games have been relatively tight. The league game was hardly a commanding performance though the press have perhaps glossed over it.

What an odd view. We travelled the length of the country, beat a highly motivated team whilst blooding two debutants and giving more air time to another to, without Sammut, I'd say very very good outcomes.

I agree.. Pitches will speed up as we get into summer, and what is important is keeping winning... I will happly take a 22-20 win next week over Swinton.

32 points is goal for top 4, probably 36-38 for top 2. Every 2 points that takes us closer is what matters.

Each to their own and all that.

My view is that we are never going to win the cup so another game is more of a hindrance.

But I agree on your point re the debutants.

Do think the discussion is quite interesting, some folk on here suggesting that the result today shows we don’t have much flex or depth in the squad, but on another thread when the question was asked re grabbing available players, apparently we don’t need em because we have enough cover.
Wonder what folks thoughts are now.
For me we need a couple more bodies in the squad.
But on today, sounds like they went to sleep! Am I right were they 8-22 at One point?
Happy we won, and the result is probably the wake up call needed and reminder that going up to Swinton on grass in grotty weather the win is not a given

From what I saw of Swinton when they played Toronto. They were rather poor. As was the pitch, I might add.

See Swinton lost today