Wires71:Smiffy27:
Picking your best team (in the league game) is no guarantee of a win. To be honest there is no right answer but some will remember the decision for years if you lose at Wembley & also lose 2 points.
Years - less than one year? Cost us the LLS and an easy route to the GF in exchange for a poor performance in the final citing the absurd excuse of "inexperience"* whilst conceding a try to a player playing his 5th game ever.
For Sam, the players and the club leadership the bauble of Wembley supersedes the GF so expect resting players before the final and an impossible play off journey (if we can qualify).
* For completeness the 2024 inexperienced line up included:
George Williams (England international, GF winner)
Toby King (England international, GF an CC winner)
Ben Currie (England international, CC winner)
Paul Vaughan (Australian international, State of Origin)
Sam Powell (GF and WCC winner)
James Harrison (England international)
Matty Ashton (England international)
Matty Nicholson (England international)
Rodrick Tai (PNG international)
Joe Bullock (GF appearance)
Lachlan Fitzgibbon (100+ NRL games)
Matt Dufty (90+ NRL games)
I agree about 'inexperience' being a daft excuse for last year's final defeat. Regarding the Cas game and the possibility of resting players*, I suppose you have to ask who could we possibly bring in for that game in order to rest others. I'm guessing maybe Connor Wrench (if fit by then), Oli Leyland, Max Wood and Tom Whitehead, from the established first team squad. After that, you're probably into the youngsters.*For clarity, I'm not suggesting we SHOULD rest players against Cas, just speculating on what might happen. I am, after all, The Speculator!
