I think the fact that we lost Metcalf half-way through the season and all the disruption that's caused will probably see, at most, Fisher-Harris, Clark and maybe Tuivasa-Sheck, who you'd say are part ofthe Warriors Best 17, rested. Maybe beyond that Tuiapaki on the bench comes on to spell Charnze (or some other way to give Charnze a break).I will post this here seeing as it is discussing the finals.
From this article, around resting players and the impact on the broadcasting deal.
NRL issued warning as Penrith Panthers raise $3 billion dilemma after resting 16 players
The Penrith Panthers' decision to rest players has raised some concerns over a future broadcast deal. Find out more here.nz.yahoo.com
If the Warriors secure a top four berth at the weekend, they are set to rest players for their last-round encounter against Manly rather than have a full-strength squad fly to Australia and back a week out from the finals. Canterbury may also have the luxury of giving players leave passes for the round 27 showdown with Cronulla should they be secure in the top four, while likely minor premiers Canberra face a similar opportunity ahead of a trip to Brisbane to meet the Dolphins.
This reads like we have stated we will rest players. Like it is a fact. Has that been mentioned anywhere?
From what I've seen, our coaching staff are more concerned with how we have been performing on the field and turning that around.
The team has been disrupted by injuries. Our halves haven't played together consistently, our fullback was playing centre. We spent a large proportion of the year playing with a second rower at right centre and recently Pompey covering at right centre. I'd say out of the current teams vying for a top 4 spot, we are the ones most in need of game time
Surely limiting some of our travel at the end of a long season is fair enough to rest a few players. Let's hope we become a regular top 4 team to have that debate. We may get teams resting players for a similar reason, wanting to avoid travelling to NZ and back.
I have said in the past that for Grand Finals, it is more likely we will qualify for a Grand Final by playing and winning the week before in Australia and we should consider staying over there. As travelling back to NZ loses us a day, then we also have to head back early for the Grand Final breakfast etc. We lose preparation time while the opposition is training.
For all we know the club may be thinking the first week of the finals is an away game and might be considering staying in camp over there to perform week 1. The following game is then at home in NZ.
To your last point. Our home game will either be Week 2 or (if, please, please, Rugby League Gods, we win Week 1!), Week 3. I'd think the team will come back home to get some fan-love after the Sea Eagles game (I think that's just the PR choice they'll make, I wouldn't mind if they didn't do it, personally, just a few "We love you Wahs Fans! We're gonna NAIL the Raiders/Bulldogs and then we're coming HOME on the next step of Bringing That Trophy To Where It BELONGS!" videos from Straya will do me).
So, yeah, if Ivan can do it, given, as I say, the Metcalf Situation, I'd be making a few changes if I was Andrew.
