Hypothetical: Resting Players

[_G-Dog_]

Hypothetical Question similar to the situation the Sharks find themselves in today (but points difference will make a difference to the Sharks with a 30points loss or 60point win)..

If you were a coach , its the final round and the result and points differiential for your last game wouldnt effect your position at all nor who you play the following week in the finals:

Would you rest your start players or majority of the team to give them a break, rest up and avoid any chance of injury

Or would you play your full strength team so help keep cohesion and build "momentum" and form etc

Its a scenario that happens nearly every year in the final round and I dont think there is a right or wrong answer , just depends on case by case..

Personally if I was a coach I would be more likely to rest the players and keep them "fresh" for the following week

 

[Raysie]

Rest for sure. A lot to lose if a key player goes down and nothing to gain with a win.

 

[Typical dog]

Its a must to finish top 4 as history shows. If sharks rest players and lose by 18 then they have to hope that brisbane dont pump manly to knock them out of the 4.
I can see the stars aligning for brisbane on a sunday afternoon playing a pretty ordinary manly.
The last thing sharks need is for the dogs to be red hot and have a half stength side on the park...

 

[coach]

Its a must to finish top 4 as history shows. If sharks rest players and lose by 18 then they have to hope that brisbane dont pump manly to knock them out of the 4.
I can see the stars aligning for brisbane on a sunday afternoon playing a pretty ordinary manly.
The last thing sharks need is for the dogs to be red hot and have a half stength side on the park...

It's 60 difference
If we do win by 18, highly unlikely
Brisbane need 43 point win to knock em out
Not happening

 

[Mr Invisible]

Sharks will probably play some players then rest them for long stints.

For example if Fatfita goes down they are up shit creek.

 

[Typical dog]

It's 60 difference
If we do win by 18, highly unlikely
Brisbane need 43 point win to knock em out
Not happening

It is highly unlikely. However would love to put 30 on the sharks and have them shitting bricks.
Not sure i want the broncs in the top 4 however.....

 

[Bulldog_4_Life]

It depends tbh, we see it every year after the bye round, some teams come out firing and others come out so slow and results in them getting crushed, so it’s a gamble. If it was us for example I would rest:

Smith - Only because he has gotten through a lot of work for a winger for us and as someone who isn’t used to the speed of first grade for that long it will probably help to have a rest week.

Jackson - He hasn’t missed a game all year and made the most tackles in the team so I would definitely give him a rest to help with any niggles, I also know that Jacko would come back and still perform at a good level if he had a week off due to his work rate and consistency so I wouldn’t worry about him coming back slow.

Klemmer - He has gotten through a mountain of work this year, easily run for the most metres in our team and plays a position where he would rely less on needing momentum heading into the finals to really fire.

I wouldn’t rest anyone else because they either play in a position where it’s to risky to potentially lose momentum heading into the finals or there still trying to build partnerships.


But this isn’t something we have to worry about as we won’t be in the finals

 

[_G-Dog_]

The question wasnt about the sharks just a hypothetical for any team if the final round result made no difference

 

[Kaz]

Sharks will probably play some players then rest them for long stints.

For example if Fatfita goes down they are up shit creek.

I may go to the game.

 

[Bad Billy]

I may go to the game.

That won’t even penetrate the hide.

 

[dogluva]

I may go to the game.

Kaz you would need one of these....

that should penetrate the thick hide.....