We should give the players who have not had much game time the chance to prove themself to barry that they are up to the challenge.

So for instance say Barry did pick a slightly more inexperienced team to send up to Barrow.
1 Would any of you bother going ?.
2 Would you still come on here moaning a bucket full, when they got hammered.
3 Would you be full of praise if they pulled it off ?.

This cup is part and parcel of applying for super league, and remember that is the aim of our new board. So I personally think Barry will be sending his 1 chioce, and not 2nd best.

1. Its a midweek game. How many do you really think would be able to get to the game. And no i wont be going.
2. No i wouldn't?
3. Yes of course i would, also just think of how good the players would feel. It would also give Barry, the chance to see how good the fringe payers really are.



So is having a stadium fit for SL. Can you see that happening within the next 3 years?

No never, unless someone with deep pockets comes along.

The original poster (GW) said:

"should we just give barrow the game?" In my opinion NO

"Is there really any need to play the game?" In my opinion YES and I am sure in the eyes of the RFL we have no choice.

If we throw the game without playing we deprive Barrow of home income and the players of winning pay - would Keighley have to make financial recompense to Barrow?
How would the sponsors feel?
We all knew the rules and chances of fixture congestion before we started, the game must be played.

I have no problem with using squad players - that after all is why you have a squad. I have no problem with using capable young players if we have injuries and have no other choice. However, I would not want to play young players who are not ready, just to act as cannon fodder. Not good for them, the team or the game.

I can see where the op is coming from and yes, the league is very important, but IMHO not at any cost.

What if we needed a win to progress, what would we do team wise then, winning breeds confidence, and confidence is just one of the things we will need this season.

That's a bit hypothetical isn't it?

All we can do is play the scenario in front of us.

1) We're through whatever the result.
2) We're away at arguably the strongest side in the competition.
3) We will have played a Challenge Cup game 4 days before.
4) We have a massive winnable home league game against Leigh 4 days after.

What do we do?

Surely the logical answer is to use the depth in the squad for the Barrow game as it's the least meaningful game.

Why?

1) Our better players don't get tired/injured for the league game.
2) It gives the fringe players the chance to stake a claim for a spot in the side if they play really well and they get experience from playing a really good side.

All we can do is play the scenario in front of us.

1) We're through whatever the result.
2) We're away at arguably the strongest side in the competition.
3) We will have played a Challenge Cup game 4 days before.
4) We have a massive winnable home league game against Leigh 4 days after.

What do we do?

Surely the logical answer is to use the depth in the squad for the Barrow game as it's the least meaningful game.

Why?

1) Our better players don't get tired/injured for the league game.
2) It gives the fringe players the chance to stake a claim for a spot in the side if they play really well and they get experience from playing a really good side.'"

Yes it is hypothetical but my question was what would we do thats all, my point was, a good result at Barrow will build confidence which would be a good thing, could go the other way thats true but confidence and belief are things we all need this season.

Blackpool still have a chance to get through should you beat Barrow by 13 or more. Which means you have the chance to knock out one of the pre tournament favourites.

Plus once you start thinking games aren't important they can always come back to bite you in the a**.

Well said Billyfax.

well said Stealth, there is no doubt in my mind that we should be saving the majority of our first team for the season based on all the above, why risk injury and lost points due to the players being exhausted from playing what will prove to be one of our hardest oppositions this season? - and for what?, they might feel good?, come on!, this has to be one of those decisions that needs to be made in the best interests of the club, we are going to have a fair old hill to climb as it is what with the points deduction!

Stealth says it's best if we send a weakend side up to barrow.
No. It's up to Barrie what team he sends. If a weakend side plays barrow we will face the wrath of the R F L.
As ever a rugby team been fined for fielding a weakend side?

I never said it wasn't his decision. I was merely offering my opinion on the difficult scenario we face (which is the essence of a forum isn't it?)



I doubt it, rotating the squad when playing 3 games in 9 days would be considered a reasonable excuse for not putting a full team out. Besides what's the point in having a squad if you're not able to use it?



I think Leeds got done for putting a reserve team in 2 games leading up to a Challenge Cup final a long time ago, might even have been pre Super League.

Put best team out or every game.

We could put Barrow out, then who would be laughing at us?

And what will it matter if they are laughing now, if we go down at the end of the season.

Only one thing matter this season and that is staying up.

Barry has said we have a small squad, we all know we have a small squad.
So why risk it in this silly cup.

Cannot agree Jim we are unbeaten since Dewsbury did us over and clearly there is a winning mentality at the club, so why hold back in what is a winnable game if all goes well.

Don't get me wrong I can see your side of things but this is not a silly cup.

This is the only realistic chance for clubs outside super league to win a trophy and I firmly believe with the squad and way we have been going we have a shot at winning it.

So therefore we should field our strongest available squad to take on Barrow keep the winning going.

GP what would you rather the club do this season.
Win this silly cup?
Stay in this division?

Am i right in thinking, that games that mean nothing have not been played before.
Didn't the game between Celtic Crusaders vs Doncaster not get replayed?

Also asking part time players to play 3 games in 9 days is madness.

Some utterly ridiculous suggestions on this thread!

You WILL play the game, there is no doubt about it. You can field whatever team you like, but Barrow will play their best 17 against every team they play. Its a dangerous philosophy some of you are suggesting, will those of you suggesting you send send a weakened side come on here and justify that decision if one of your youngsters gets hurt because you decided you didn't need to take the game seriously and play your first team? What about the teams who can't qualify, should they decide not to play also? Tell you what lets just decide who the best teams are next season and put them through, do you think you would be one of them?

For those of you talking sense, its a pity about the postponement and appreciate not many will be able to make the journey mid week. Shame really as we have always had a good laugh with you lot as one of our favorite supporters.

Will you come down to Keighley and justify playing our first team, if one of main players gets hurt and we go down a division, because he is missing for the season?

Yor first team is proving to be upto the job against Championship opposition, but what squad depth do you have?, I honestly don't know. You have admitted that we have one of the better squads in the league and without wishing to sound arrogant, probably the best pack who like to play physical rugby. Without commenting on the result ,your first choice 17 can handle a game of that nature, getting injured badly would be a case of sheer bad luck. Playing lads who are out of their depth through not being big enough or good enough for the opposition is putting them at risk unecessarily, particularly if those lads have to get up the next day and earn a living.

Jim we will not go down because of 1 player being injured the deductions in points bit of a prob





OffNumber7 is in my view correct regarding our team, we are more than capable of matching most teams in the division.

So if Jon Presley was out for 3 months that wouldn't affect our chances of staying up?

The points deduction has a direct bearing on the argument re resting players.

We have no room for injuries.

AJ, players can get injured at anytime in any game so not sure of your point.

Playing a deliberately weakened team in any sport sends out the wrong message to me.

I have total faith in whatever team Barry picks will be chosen beacuse he thinks we can win and thats how it should be, why admit defeat before you get on the pitch.