There's no way I'd rest any players for this one. If we rest players for Leigh, and then lose to Leigh anyway, then the Hull KR game would be a total waste of time. There are too few games in this mini-league to start prioritising some matches over others. Each game is just too important.

Hull KR I believe are the strongest team in the Middle 8 and their perfect 4 wins from 4 record proves that. Realistically, I'm struggling to see how we'll get the win, but I said the same thing before the Salford game. Our lads will have to be really up for this, and Hull KR will have to have an off day (like Salford did against us) for us to win.

I don't think anybody would rest players. It will come down to whether players are fit or not. If Gaskell isn't fully fit then he may well be given another week. I have no idea what the situation is, just like most of the fans. We'll just have to wait and see.

But we always rest one prop for most of our games - Lauaki - average game time declining - 15 minutes against Widnes including some sort of dance session at one point where hadn't a clue what to do! For the statisticians of the SL / Championship what is the average game time for a bench prop? ...and you're all correct his contribution didn't cause the loss but neither was it a contribution to the on field effort. Shouldn't single out players given the overall team performance but he has been consistently poor throughout the season imo.

At best I hope we give KR a game but all I really hope to see is our team not running up the white flag if and when we get a couple of scores behind - professional / fulltime players should be better than that.....

Playing Gaskell - why not - may give us those few chances to convert something - can't harm our defence as we don't do that without him anyway.

Yeah, if Gaskell is less than 100% then I wouldn't risk him in case he aggravates the injury. If he is 100% I'd play him, even though the Leigh game may be seen by some as 'more important'. I'd go:

Clare
Caro
Nielsen
Purtell
Williams
Gaskell
Mullaney
Clough
O'Brien
Sidlow
Pitts
Olbison
Addy

Lauaki
Crossley
Ryan
Ferguson

Ferguson and Ryan on the bench to give us some level of impact which we sorely lacked against Widnes. Ferguson to come on early and stay on for the duration. I'd have Ryan over Mellor, who was too lightweight against Widnes.

If Jimmy plays Gaskell and Mullaney together in the halves then I'll bare my Harris on the town hall steps.

Hasn't this already happened at the start of the season when Siejka was suspended?

Yep at our away win at Fev.

Arguably our most impressive league performance.

That was before super Danny made the scrum half spot his own.

As I said on another thread, Lowes has steadfastly set his face against resting players, and I think he's far too stubborn to change that now. He will play the first choice available team

Another thing to factor in is that he clearly considers Siejka to be part of his first choice team - he said as much just the other week. Even for the Salford game he was 'pencilled in' to play. Even though most of us assumed he was dropped, he would have played had he not got a niggle the day before.

So, if Siejka is now fit, expect him to be with Gaskell in the halves, with Mullaney at full back

I don't like that anymore that anyone else, but let's be honest, Lowes is to stubborn give two hoots what any of us can see from watching the games every week.

It is of course possible that, playing alongside a fit and in-form Gaskell, Siejka may suddenly explode, like a rocket waiting for a flame, and rise phoenix-like from the dross of earlier games, strutting the playoff stage like a leviathan, into imperious top-class scrum half action.

WOW - that is some dream FA had about Seijka last night.
Oddly enough though, I would play Seijka against KR if he is fit. Jimmy will live or die as the coach because of his decisions so if he genuinely believes Seijka has the ability to do the job he wants doing then yes, he should either pick him or release him.
I thought Seijka was getting some confidence just before his ankle injury and he has never recovered properly. Addey is not the answer at SH so for me he should be 13 and Pitts in the SR with Fergusson.
Mullaney to FB and Clare on the wing as I am still not sure about Caro as he seems to lack confidence when he has a chance to leg it. His defence needs improvement.

The problem for us is that we can play poorly again and get hammered but they are capable of all hitting form at once and beating KR who may also be without halves. We will know within 20 minutes which team we have taken for the match. We have two teams. One that can attack and defend and the other that can't do either if they are in that mood. That does come down to the coaching in my mind as I do think we have a decent 20 or so players.

hi just to point out hull krs last game is Salford at home and not Sheffield cheers