Bit of a distraction from our main priority this. We'll probably be without our loanees for this one too.

Roche looked like he got a knock on Sunday. Could be a bit light in the pack.

We don't need any of our main threats either getting injured, knackered or baned in this meaningless Cup tie. I expect whever takes the field to go hell for leather against Fev, but if that doesn't include the main men, so be it. We need extra fixtures like we need a hole in the head. The only way I would want a full team out against Fev is if we could guarantee Leeds at home in the next round. We can't, and could be (or example) away at Gloucester in the unlikely event that we won. We really don't need it.

Is there any way we could just concede the game? Let Fev have the next round, I mean they're going to be strong favourites anyway and the last thing we need is injuries to a paper thin squad.

Agreed. Definitely give Pryce a rest. Thomas is playing well (although has the odd mistake) so would keep him. Him continuously playing will benefit him more than having a rest. Smith has to play to get fitness up. Like to see a few youngsters play but got a feeling we'll go full strength bar Pryce. I'd like us to something like below (on the basis none of our loan players can play) Give others a run out. They may take their chance with both hands like Campbell did yesterday. Hope the likes of Ryan, Oakes &Bentley get a rest as they are still very young players and have played every minute so far.

1. Thomas
2. Campbell
3. Mendieka
4. Smith
5. Macani
6. Pickersgill
7. Keyes
8. Margrin
9. Moore
10. Peltier
11. Roche (if fit)
12. Wilkinson
13. Halafihi

14. Lumb
15. Kirk
16. One of the Rhinos youngsters possibly?
17. Keenan Tominson

I'd go along with that, is Murray eligible for the other bench spot if the Rhino's lads couldn't play for some reason?

Thomas was limping pretty badly at the end of the match yesterday. Might be nothing in it but why take the risk? I'd play Campbell or Smith at fullback (Smith in particular needs game time) and get Macani back on the wing.
We also might not have Scott Moore, and in any case I'd rest him too and let Lumb/Halafihi have a go.

Really couldn't care less what the outcome of this game is.

Strictly speaking, we're likely to be without all the Leeds lads, Murray & Larroyer. None of them are confirmed on season long loans, so their parents clubs won't want them cup tied by playing for us now.

Just put the kids out. Rest everyone.

A club can be punished for deliberately putting out a weakened team. We need to be careful.

Surely even we can't be punished for not playing on-loan players that the parent club don't want cup-tied? Mind you we are talking about the RFL here....

No No No No No.

The worst thing we do against Featherstone is rotate the team to much. We are one game from a tonnking vs London. We need to keep on finding form with the same 17 if possible and build a good run now. We don't want to change to much and have to start over again vs Dewsbury.

If our hand is forced with the loans and injuries then so be it but for me playing into form is the right thing to do.

If we get through this then let's hope we can get Fax for a big gate. Probably bigger gate than any SL team as well.

I'm not bothered about the outcome of the cup game as it is at best a distraction and at worst a chance for a derailment of the season should key players pick up injuries.

But at the same time, the team needs to play together to try and compensate for the lack of a preseason.

I'd have to agree with this, chopping and changing would do us no good. Injuries are part and parcel of the game, if they happen we have to deal with them. With Keyes looking doubtful for a month or two Pryce and Smith have to form some sort of bond if they are to steer us to Championship survival.

Does that still apply?
Tbh, I thought that idea bit the dust some time back and the only thing which seems to matter today is that you announce the team 48 hours before the game? I don't think it's like the old days when we had separate 'A' team players and first team players. Technically all players with a squad number are first team players.

I think that's right. It is a balance. The result doesn't matter a jot and we're better off not having another cup game imo. It would be great to play a full team (well, except we won't be able to as most of the loans won't be allowed to play anyway) and get a winning run going but it would be awful to lose players in a no account game which has no bearing on the main event this year. On balance I think losing our better players to injury could be catastrophic to our season and would far outweigh any benefit from playing.

Yes, they could be injured in the next game against Dewsbury - who knows, so why take the chance if we don't have to?

Without our loanees Oledzki, JJR, Murray, Lilley and Larroyer and without our injured players Caro and Keyes we may actually have a job scraping together a 19 if we choose to rest Leon. If Thomas and Roche are unfit we're really struggling not to mention Moore's possible absence.

Take all those out and we look like this:

Campbell
Macani
Mendeika
Oakes
Ryan
Pickersgill
Smith
Magrin
Lumb
Kirk
Wilkinson
Bentley
Halafihi

Peltier
Walker???
Tomlinson???
Rickett????