It’s still a very strong team, though, this time. I think it’s a sensible selection.

WEP reports that he has a foot injury, but yeah, he’s never played on the new pitch. Sarge also in doubt with the back spasm that kept him out v Cas.

That approach is what stopped us winning the double in 2011 IMO. We won 20, drew 1, lost 1 in the run up to the final, then we ran out of steam and won 2 lost 3 of our last games to miss out on the League Leaders and the Grand Final. I'm a big fan of rotating when we are strong, giving the fringe players the experience of playing in a winning team, rather than chucking them all in at once when injuries inevitably hit.

We have to take in to consideration the Widnes absentees as well. We’ve rested four and they’re missing 7 or 8 through injury so there really is no excuse.

We look like a side that fancies a crack at the LLS this season and to be in with a chance you need to be boxing off games like this and Salford at Home next week.

I’d like to see our strongest side out all the time BUT reality dictates that squad rotation is key to a successful season.

That being said it still is a strong side.

It should be a hungry side as well with guys like Escare, Hamlin and Ganson desperate to impress.

If Widnes had a full team to pick from then I'd be non to happy with the squad selection but as it is they've been dropping like flies so its a fairly safe time to perhaps rest a few, normally though wherever possible you should try and play your best team in my opinion.

Time though for Widnes to put proper grass back down rather than that rubbish they force teams to play on, they won't of course but safe to say this spectator isn't a fan of the plastic grass.

Hoping for not a season ending ACL injury this year. Gregson and Sharrocks have suffered last 2 years

Agree, but to be fair the Cas pitch has been even more of a "killer" to us with injuries over the past two or three years.

They’re putting a new pitch down at the end of this season but it will still be artificial. Hopefully it’s better then the one they currently have.

Some squad rotation is inevitable but I think Wane has gone overboard here. It's not just about resting players but how who you leave out affects the team's ability to play to the game plan. I can see some sense in not playing Joel. His knees are knackered and it's the plastic pitch but I am surprised at the others. Particularly Faz. He's a really key player in terms of our attack and is the source of many of the breaks we make.

Yeah, I'm all for giving Escaré a game, but I'm surprised Faz has been left out.

Weirdly Phil Wilkinson has said Wane mentioned Joel may be brought back in the squad and play yet.

Bateman is ill

SW has explained on Wigan TV why certain players won’t play.

ST - foot injury
Flower - Achilles injury from last season, not worth aggravating it on the Ipitch
Bateman- illness
Sarginson - Back spasm

All plausible reasons and it’s sensible not to risk anyone unnecessarily. We’re going well but there’s a long way to go yet and I’d rather we had a full strength side out in the GF play offs than at Widnes in April.