Re: Keighley incoming! : Wed Jun 04, 2014 2:55 pm
AJ Viking wrote:
Very disappointing if Keighley put out a weakened team. Why try and progress in the cup only to do this at the quarter final stage, and in front of the TV cameras.
Ask the RFL why they've allowed the ridiculous scenario of a part time team having to play 2 games in the space of 4 days , both long distances from home and you have your answer.
The Championship set up this season means that five clubs face the drop into Championship One next year , a drop that with the massive cut in revenue that relegation will bring could well put the very future of some clubs at risk . We for obvious reasons do not want to be in that situation ,making every league point ,including those up for grabs at Whitehaven on Tuesday, priceless.
The Cup Run has been great in terms of publicity and exposure for the Cougars but that will count for nothing if we go to the wall in 2015 due to relegation.
We've also players missing due to work commitments ( in these times of job uncertainty how many of you out there seriously would know that their boss would let them finish early twice in one week without complaint ?) and others missing out who's (through age , previous injury, physical nature of their employment etc ) recovery time between games is longer .....situations that are a million miles away from the FT environments of SL Clubs.
Marchy has a squad of 32 players and will utilize the vast majority of them over these two games . Everyone of these players .bar one (the current Player of the Season who has just returned to the club after taking time out to do his University Finals) has played first team rugby at some stage in 2014 - and all will pumped up ready for a shot at the vikings .
Looking forward to the day out -obviously the decision to hold the game on a Thursday Evening will affect the number of Cougar Supporters travelling but there is at least a couple of coachloads and plenty in cars making the trip , plus a fantastic group from the North Wales Crusaders who are joining the Keighley Mob for the evening .