We don't seem to have much of a squad to rotate !

Our front row is in tatters.

Some have said "well it will give our young lads a chance"

.

How old are Prescott and Mossop ?

And they want them even younger in the front row ?

How long have these pundits been watching/playing the game ?

Front rowers are usually in their late 20's or more often in their early 30's. Front rowers have to intimidate their opposites.

Isn't the point though that you didn't have to bust a gut to beat HKR or Saints because at that stage you were quaranteed a top 2 finish. Wire eased off later in the season when they still had the opportunity to finish t
op because they know it counts for little.

What is the point you are trying to make?

Are you are suggesting playing a fringe player yesterday ahead of a first choice would mean the that the team would be better rested and prepared at the end of the season? Obviously the team would have to raise their performances to support the new fringe player, learn the players ways and maybe be prepared to try and pickup points towards the end of the season that were lost at the start.

You say it doesn't matter if first of fifth, so we have to be good enough to target first or fifth as presumably the rest of the league will be doing? Your very point, would suggest that it does matter and Wigan should target fifth.

Finally as out best won't be playing, do they get paid less while the new players pickup some extra?

And if Wigan had finished 2nd would this have got a GF win? The LLS is still a reward, how happy would the fans be with no silverware last year?

Would everyone be happy with targeting the GF and losing out to get nothing?

Is this now a valid defence for a team who aren't performing? Oh, we are trying for the 5th place to get to the GF as it's a sure fire way of winning, see Leeds. That's why we had a barely above average season, it's just unlucky that we didn't win the GF and the CC.

Yes, but what was the point of winning the 'league'? You could reasonably argue that we should have said screw the hub cap and made sure our players were fit for the play-offs, which we'd already easily qualified for.

And yet Wire didn't win the Grand Final either. So cleverly saving themselves in the league didn't work out too well.

Wane wanted to win the league. Whether that was the right thing to do or not is a different debate but given that was his stated intention there is only one sensible approach to winning the league when you also have to play-off - get it won as soon as possible. Otherwise you end up in the situation I described.

like it Dave O.......win the league as soon as possible if you can then you can rest/rotate or even try out new plays in remaining games that have no meaning ready for the playoffs....

Given there is only one way to win the league, amass more points than anyone else, it seems to me you must try and take every point on offer. If you come across a weak side you still want to ensure victory as you never know when you might needs those points in the bag later on. That was shown by what happened last season IMO with us having to bust a gut at HKR or face Saints to win the league in the last match.

The fact we play-off after the league just makes it even more important you get winning the league over with as soon as you can. Of course this assumes that you have made winning the league a priority which Wane did last year.

What? Completely missed the point.
My point does not suggest we shouldn't finish fifth whatsoever, but rest key players when playing weaker opposition. I believe resting key players doesn't mean we can't finish top whatsoever. I believe a team without 1 or 2 stars could beat the likes of Salford, London, Widnes etc.

We need to be fit and fresh and in the right state FOR THE PLAYOFFS. Players playing less games throughout the season will keep them fresher.
There are other advantages squad rotation.

Not really. You simply have to get into the playoffs and win the playoffs to be SL champs. Winning the league is irrelevant.

Exactly. There are two trophies worth winning throughout a season, the GF and CC. You do what you can to ensure winning.
People who think winning the league is the goal are sadly living in the past, it doesn't mean much sadly.

You didn't read this bit then?

"Of course this assumes that you have made winning the league a priority....".

Speak to Wane then. You can go on about squad rotation all you want but until the coach buy's into your view of the world you are banging your head against a brick wall.

Of course this ignores the other aspect of this which is that treating the league as you suggest would be commercial suicide.

This a discussion board, hence we are discussing different thoughts and opinions. If you don't have anything to offer more than 'speak to Wane' don't bother commenting, you could say 'speak to Wane' after nearly every OP.

Why would you make winning the league the priority? When to be CHAMPIONS you have to win the GF.

Wane got it right yesterday. He rested Powell and Taylor bringing in Logan and Crosby. It's just a shame about the injury to Mossop.

Also on the plus side Ben Flower has been really good this season, I wish he was about 6" taller and two stone heavier though, but he does look like a good squad member.

Shortly I'd like too see Burke given a rest and Lloyd given a couple of games.

Because winning the league:

1) Gives you a nice piece of silverware to stick in your trophy cabinet
&
2) You gain an easier route through the play-offs making it more likely that you'll reach the grand final.

And yet one 'thought and opinion' that almost no-one who advocates fielding weakened Wigan teams seems willing to debate is the one Dave O mentions in the post you've responded to regarding commercial suicide.

We already have a problem in Super League in that at least half our home fixtures are not sexy enough to attract all but the hard core fans. Poor attendance by away supporters is another issue. Too often the North Stand is closed. Too often the atmosphere is flat because everyone expects it to be a dead rubber. Even yesterday, when it was close at halftime, no-one seriously expected that Wigan would lose.

Under those circs, would it really be sensible to start fielding weakened Wigan sides as well? The club is in the entertainment business, and yet some people are calling for a policy that would make it even less entertaining.

would there be 9500+ season ticket holders if you knew that half the home games would be a weakened side due to squad rotation or would fans decide to only turn up against Leeds/Wire/Saints and a couple of others..... The club needs the revenue to spend up to the salary cap and deveolpe youth.....

That is not how I meant that comment and you know it. There is far too much of the coaches always right on here as it is. However it should be obvious to you that Wane [idoes[/i like to win the league so if you want success in the playoffs as well then instead of putting forward your squad rotation idea you should be thinking about what he could do to win both the league and the play offs. And as I said, the way to do that is get the league won as soon as you can then you are not doing as we did last season.

Nothing wrong with resting a couple of players against a side like London. What Wane didn't do was go OTT as he did v Widnes last season and rest another three including the likes of Sam despite the shoulder injury keeping him out the week before. Maybe Wane has learned something from last seasons experiences.

You can't wrap up the league early Wigan aren't far superior to the other teams, plus there is very little incentive to win the league. Sooner do what we can to win the playoffs.

Surely this is what I've been saying all along.

Really? Your opening post for the entire thread was hardly suggesting one or two players rested.