What a weekend. Not an ideal hangover game next weekend - second place away. Great opportunity to rest and rotate but think this might be our first and maybe only defeat this season. Hoping Powell will go with something like:

Jowitt
Olpherts
Booth
Croft
McGillvary
Lawford
Kay
Bowden
Smith
Cozza
Ashurst
Pitts
Bain

Doyle
Shaw
Uele
Wood

Now will be the time to see how our team are professional & focussed, only one injury in the cup game, ie, KY Rodwell, so same team may well run as this is a big league game, not experimental time.

We have the squad depth to be able to rotate a few players and still put in a top performance.
The Widnes game is a great chance to put proper daylight between ourselves and the rest of the league.
I'd expect Bain and Olpherts to play.

It's just a game.
No reason to rest players unless they are injured.

Thornley had a problem in the second half with his ankle, I don't expect him to play so Croft will get a run.

Or Booth will get a run.

That's still only two players to replace.

There’s a few players to rotate in next week but I expect the majority will be the same.

Players like Bain, Croft, Olpherts, Lawford and possibly Booth or Smith could get a run but I’m sure the players will all be ready to go for the game. They’ll have celebrated Saturday night but there’ll be almost a full week to get their head and bodies focused.

Yesterday's game was not a physically demanding affair, in fact the second half was a stroll. Other than the pomp of the occasion, the players have 8 days before Widnes. If they are fit and have earned their team place ,they should play

Lol. Not physically demanding.

You know very well what I mean. All RL games are tough it's a demanding sport. But as games go it was not a war of attrition and a blood and guts battle. This team will suffer harder physical encounters during the season and the players being full time professional should be fit and ready to go against widnes

Of all the fringe players I'd like to see Booth get the most run outs this season, especially at FB. If he is the real deal, and I think he may be, that would save us a lot of cash and time if we return to SL next year. A quality deputy/successor for Jowitt and an emergency winger/centre if needed, would be ideal. He's already proved himself to be quick and a finisher, so he's already a fair way down the line. But I reckon Powell already knew that from his Warrington days.

Why change a winning team by rotating players- I accept changes for injuries but they were hardly in a tough game!
Change for injuries otherwise same again!

I agree.
Even if it was a real slog in the mud you wouldn't just rotate players.
It's more whether they are switched on after all the euphoria.

Widnes will come hunting so we need to be on our game.

Should be a good crowd at Widnes as they are doing well and would love to be the club to halt our charge. Remember back in the day when they came up and we were sent across as opening game cannon fodder, 2012 or 2013. Loads of Wakey fans to swell the crowd to over 8k to watch an epic defensive performance on the new plastic pitch with Steve Southern outstanding. Ben Cross saw red and we took control. Great memories.

Play best team available and go all out for win..

Why would we rest players, do we need to make sure we're full strength for Halifax the week after or have I missed something? We'll have had an eight day turnaround, how much rest do they want? Pick the best side possible and send Widnes packing as well. Wakefield by 20.

Think some of you are really missing the point. Under normal circumstances of course you wouldn’t change a winning team, you’d go all out to win. However there is nothing normal about this year.

Winning the championship matters but being ready for SL matters far more! Powell needs to test ALL his players, especially the younger ones. He knows Pitts and Ashurst are top class, he also knows they have a limited shelf life.

So personally I don’t give a toss if we lose the odd game, this season will only be a footnote if we have any real ambition. Like it or not if we are admitted to SL next years, then next years team and performances matter far more imho.

I grant you that it’s counter intuitive but as you’re most likely to gain promotion on IMG points then things are not normal. I look at it this way, do you want glory now or later. We’ve just had a taster, and I want more. So I don’t see any harm in a bit of experimentation for the rest of the season. I’m not talking wholesale change, but I’d like to see one or two other players get a fair few more run outs this year.

I certainly want to see more of Bain, Vagana, Smith and Booth to name but four We need to think ahead imho.

The issue here is that cup winning sides often fail in the week following cup final success and finding a way to ensure that we dont slip up is where we're at.
Widnes away is a tough, tough game as they have been going pretty well.
After the euphoria of Wembley, there is always a danger that some players dont perform as well as they can.

I agree.
Powell will I'm sure decide in the week but the players all said in interview that this was only the first step.

Ultimately now, in terms of IMG and promotion, the only target is winning the GF.
If we lost this one it would affect momentum and general fan chat but it won't affect the season......except maybe to give other teams the motivation to beat us when they see we are beatable.

So if we lost it wouldn't be the end of the world but I do think it's important to win from a crowd and momentum point of view. So best team available for me. No one to be risked for even a small niggle though.

Always good to debate, but I agree with vastman and wrencat. There are a few reasons to rest senior players through the season, but in particular this game:

- Give all your squad a chance to shine and pick up experience. Players like Olpherts, Smith and Booth will be dying to play this weekend. You don't sit in the dugouts at a final without being determined to prove you should play in the next final. If they play, they'll play with intensity. And if we want those young lads to be SL players, we need to give them game time against good teams to learn. But I also believe Harvey Smith champing at the bit is a better player than Liam Hood after 15 games and an emotionally draining week. Maybe I'm underestimating Hood's mentality, but I think you all know what I mean.
- Overloading players' bodies. I know players have been rested and injured here and there, but those like Ashurst, Bowden and Atoni have played something like 15 games already. It's not about whether they're already injured, it's that you're increasing their risk of injury as you increase their load.
- The hangover. It is a real thing. It's very hard to replicate that emotional intensity the week after a final, and even top players underperform because they just can't get up for it in the same way. Give them an 11 day gap and they'll be buzzing to play again.

What I'm really trying to say is it's about medium (the business end of this season) and long term (next two years) planning. But also that I think a fresher team is more likely to beat Widnes away.

We have real luxury now of having a fairly large squad, players like Bain, Boothroyd, Booth, Smith and Olpherts will be pushing for a start. All good headaches to have for Powell

We've the chance of winning three trophies and going unbeaten this season.

That's a once in a generation opportunity.

Is there a league leaders trophy for Championship?

Yes.

Where do most of the away fans go at Widnes?
Their ticket web site gives 2 options:
1. Either reserving a seat in the South Stand, or
2. Buying an (unallocated seat) ticket in the North Stand.
(neither of the stands behind the goals appear to be open)