All costs covered by the RFL. This has been covered before i think. Plus there is some prize money apparently.

When 'all costs' I would expect that they just meant in terms of travel/accomodation, rather than the actual staging of the game along with win bonuses etc.

IMO we should rest some of our players for this one. Bearing in mind we have a few wingers spare but no extra centres to make the changes my team would be -

1.McGilvray
2.Clay
3.Maden
4.Laithewaite
5.Rowe
6.Riddy
7.Brierly
8.Ostick
9.Nico
10.Nash
11.Taylor
12.Hopkins
13.Briscoe

Bench

Thornley
Gallagher
Goulden
Bibey/Gardner

I would put Murphy in at centre but i wasn't sure he went to Oz

think duffs will be fit for this one so would be a good move to rest ridyard in my opinon

Ricky Murphy is still in Oz, I'd recall young Sam from Widnes and give him a game on the bench.

Maybe we could have Riddy or Duffy on't bench & give them 1 half each

What if they both want to play? what if the coach doesn't want to disrupt a winning team? all factors that have to be taken into consideration.

I forgot about Singleton we could recall him & give Riddy a rest & altenate Duffy with Singleton

PR said on Sunday that he would be putting out a strong side when asked about the match

your reserves could beat their first team !

Might aswell keep a full squad out and try some new stuff

Bet they can't - we haven't got a reserve side this season.

Unfortunatly with such a small squad we might have to play some key players which will be particularly upsetting if we get injuries just as the season starts to get important with the NRC Quarter final looming and some good Championship fixtures which could decide our league position.
Glad we have only opened one stand (be amazed if we get 700 on for this game ?) and kept costs right down.

My understanding was player costs also.

Sheffield 5 days later

oh well, looks like it's a good opportunity for you and frankb & others to get their boots out of the attic then Alan ?



the interesting game for me will be the Carcassonne v Sheffield encounter which will be close - most of the Carcassonne squad are still together and it should be a belter

all the aussie lads at Toulouse have returned home so that will be another farce !

the Lezignan game will be a good game too but the opposition will be too strong with Lezignan low on confidence after 'expecting' to win everything this season but ending up with red faces...

Would be very surprised if that's the case but, if so, then we certainly can't complain!

Not sure as a player that I would want to be "rested". As I understand it the win bonus is a big chunk of this seasons salary for them, not sure I would want to give this up for what appears to be a banker.

I'd just leave out any players who have been playing with injuries, which there inevitably will be.

It would be great to have the luxury of 'resting' players. However, we just haven't got the depth of squad to be able do that. Also, as someone has pointed out, the winning pay (if we win!) would be most welcome to the players!

Need to organise a ticket deal imo with the Sheffield league game eg £22 for both. Too many home games coming up for a lot of fans with hols nearing as well - plus Alan will be kept busy

Risky doing a deal including the Sheffield game - there must be a good chance they'll not be back from France in time for the Thursday! (unless of course Mr. Aston sends his reserve team there!

)

Resting key players is a darned good idea in a game that doesn't mean owt.

Leigh East would probably beat Avignon - "sur le pont" and all that

It would be a good idea, but the problem is we don't have any to replace them with!!! For instance, last Sunday's 18th & 19th men were Andy Thornley, who had literally just come back on trial from Preston Grasshoppers, and Chris Rowe, a kid who we had 'borrowed back' from a D/C spell at Wigan Academy.

Also, the game does mean something, in that winning it well, will contribute towards prize money we can earn.