If we hadn't just lost Aiton I'd agree with you on Hardaker and Sinfield.
As it is I think we need as many games as possible with our halves playing in order to get used to playing without Aiton.

If either of them have knocks though then I'd rest them.

The LLS now has £100k status with WCC place so very much worth going for.

I think if Hudds beat saints and wire beat Wigan we should be away with the LLS. Pies and saints still have to play each other too.

I'm not worried about resting a few players for Hull, it's the games after vs saints and if we get any more injuries, the away to cats game. Really need Delaney to string some games together without injury, same for Achurch

I reckon the WCC is going to become a big deal and - for the kudos - it should be a focus for the club to proper batter an NRL side or two.

1. 100k, the same amount of money you win for winning the challenge cup.
2. a trophy in the cabinet.
3. a place in the world club series which gaurentees more income into the club.
4. The most consistent side throughout the season, which we have not been in quite a while.
5. you'll play the second best team in the world club challenge, rather than the third (requested) team if we win the challenge cup.
6. The possibility of a treble which doesn't happen much in rugby league, especially with JP, Leuluai, Sinfield, Aiton all leaving at the end of the season.

1-3 I might give you as being in some way important (although arguably our red hot start to the season benefitted from not having to fit in a glorified friendly against a mid-table NRL team), but 4-6 as justification for risking players ahead of a Cup final? Really?

Not a cat in hell's chance any player since its introduction would swap a LLS win for a Challenge Cup win.

They might not have done previously, but under this new concept, I bet they would now. I personally would have done anytime, but certainly now under this new concept and prize money.

The different to previous times though, is that we know who we are playing at Wembley, and should be capable of winning that with players missing. We have a chance of doing this League Leaders aswell as we stand, but are unlikely to win games with players missing.

I agree on your first post with regards Hardaker, and with regards Cuthbertson. Hence why it seems stupid to me that Watkins and Moon are the ones rested. I think with the first choice settled centres, even resting Hardaker and Cuthbertson we would still beat Hull. But with the selection chose by missing your centres, I don't think we will beat them, and you are still risking the likes of Hardaker.

Watkins and Moon are undoubtedly a large part of Leeds' success story...but is strange MDermott seems to value conserving these two above the likes of Hardaker and Sinfield .These two along with Peacock; Cuthbertson and McGuire i would suggest are the more important team members to be running out at Wembley !!!
Injuries to any of these in a relatively unimportant match a week before the cup final would be unforgivable!!!

Can only think the centres have sufficient niggling injury worries to be prioritising their absence this week.

So you'd rest a fit Hardaker so you could play Moon with an Achilles issue instead.

I'd suggest the reason both Watkins and Moon have been omitted is the massive drop-off in quality between them and their potential replacements is arguably higher than any other position on the field.

Not saying I agree with it, but I can see an element of logic about it. If either of those two are missing, then you're looking at Ablett/Briscoe/Handley/Keinhorst to come in - all of whom are a significant downgrade.

I agree, it would be nice to get top spot sown up as soon as possible but i reckon at least one of Saints or Wigan will lose this weekend and like you say they have to play each other too aswell. It's the sensible thing to do to rest a few and i think we certainly are in a position to do it. I don't think we will win tomorrow but that 19 man squad still has the enough quality to pull it off.

I agree with your first two paragraphs but as I previously said Moon and Watkins apart from doing a lot of solid defensive work are our main creative attackers along with McGuire and both look to have been carrying injuries. I think the coach would have not rested anyone if fit for this one as he values momentum and better get the points in the bag now and give rests just before the playoffs.

I do think we will win although it will be tough.

Can't see why so many people think we'll lose. Hull are a poor team this year and beat a poor Saints team. We still have lots of quality in for tomorrow. Yeah, Watkins and Moon are big losses, but we can deal with it and still put in a performance. It's not like we've got Vickery coming in.

The player I'd most like to rest/protect from injury is McGuire, simply because he seems to pick up injuries more frequently than our other key men.

Looks like McDermott has decided that the centre position will be key against KR in the final?

I'm guessing he rested those with knocks

I think they may well rest Danny, this is one game where he doesn't need to be anywhere near the pitch for me. I'd have him sat in the stand with an armed guard at his side, just in case those crazy cod heads seek retribution for him "only" missing one game after Sneyd tried unscrewing his ankle from it's joint. I'd rest Cuthbo as well. It may be a tough ask to go there and do it without the above two and Watkins and Moon, but if he does rest them I wouldn't complain whatever the outcome. Wembley beckons, and getting that piece of silverware on the shelf in a convincing manner live on national TV is priority.

Saints lose so will he rest a few more?

Why? Top spot was what mattered. If your not getting that, then you might aswell be fourth.

Wigan losing would be totally different.

I'd still try and go as strong as possible from the 19 (apart from Cuthbertson). Could give ourselves two/three rounds to rest players if we win our next two games.

Saints losing does make things interesting for us though looking ahead. Looked for a while we'd be looking at a Hudds playoff game if we finished top. Now looks like we could be facing Saints.

Going on this seasons form would that be better? Or does Saints good playoff experience make them a tougher prospect than a Hudds team that always falters in the playoffs but we always have close battles with in the league?

Could be Cas in 4th if Saints maintain their current form.

Saints are falling into an enormous hole in terms of confidence, and have arguably had their easiest fixtures of the Super 8s already.

They'll do well to hang onto a top four place, teams have worked out that you just run at their left edge all day and eventually you'll get some joy.

If Wanky-Warrington decide not to be that y-tonight could make the Hull game moot.

Wilkin will make a massive difference to that side. They miss him like crazy. Isn't he back for Leeds game? There form will pick up.

Seem to remember them saying something last night about him going in for another procedure on his broken thumb this week, so not sure whether there have been further complications with it?