If it wasn't the play offs and so late in the day to be bringing youngsters in i can think of 2 players that needs a rest from the current 17 on their overall form this year.

Ah yes let's drop Tyrone McCarthy, our best player last night. Sorry, what was that you said about dropping young players after they've played well? Grix probably played hooker about twice this season.

These young players are great cover to have and add to the unparalled strength in depth we have. Their days in the spotlight will come, but today is not that day.

Haven't we played these lads in some games and then we've got beaten and the fans had a go at Tony Smith for disrespecting the fixture by playing youngsters?

The time will come for our youngsters
At the moment, we have better/more experienced players in those postions.
To "throw" these youngsters in at such a crucial time in the season, will (more than likely) be folly.

One bad game, does not a bad team, make.

Well Rhys Evans is now in the tier 1 category of 25, along with GOB, so we need to view these players as first team pool now. That's a bit tough on Evans because he has not played a lot of games, but if either underperform, they can be expected to be 'rested' I suspect.

Outside of this we have seen Currie and Dwyer. I think both have actually done very well. Currie is only just 18 and slotted in well in the second row, whist Dwyer has had a longer run due to Monas knee injury. Unless these players are tested at this level we will never know if they can make it. So TS is going to have to pick his games, ignore the criticism and get on with it. I think we already have 8 ? Contracts up at the end of the year and an 'ageing population' of players. If I were a betting man I might think that TS is deferring the problem of player replacement because he is likely to be gone himself at the end of 2013. He only really needs a grand final for his CV to finish it off.

He's already got 3 Grand Finals on his CV, 2 of which he's won.

No, I should have been clearer. I mean job done at Warrington. 3 cc's and a SL trophy would I think be bad news for us a fans as TS would want to move on and test himself elsewhere.

I remember someone on here saying that Rhys Evans was a once in a generation player. Can't remember who it was, but whenever I've seen him I've been very impressed. Obviously there are his injury problems, but if fit then he should be playing a lot more next year, we don't want to see his potential go to waste.

Ben Currie is another one who should be used a bit more sparingly because of his age and the position he plays, but ideally you would like to see him in the side more often than not, on the bench at least.

Who?

There may be another reason why we can not play some of our other youngsters;

The salary cap for the group of players outside the top 25 is £75k. If we have 3 players in this group, it would mean an average salary of 25k each. Ben Currie and Brad Dwyer have played SL and fall into this category. Its possible that we may not have enough salary 'headroom' to bring in another player.

I think that's a little harsh on the messiah although I see your POV. I think we are more or less ready for the players potentially off in the next 1-2 years.
Briers - Gaz OB to step up
Hodgo - Steve Ratchford
Morley - Chilly
Monas - Dwyer to step up

Then there's Trent, Westwood, Carvs, Higham & Woody who'll probably also be off in the next 2-3, so we've got a little more time to find their replacements if they don't get promoted from the youngsters.

Next few years could be a bumpy transitional period for us.