The point of getting top 4 is getting a chance of a rest during the final series.
Why not make it a certainty by resting finals game one.
Usual option
Fight Tooth and nail against a top 4 team and risk injury and suspensions to maybe get a rest next week then face two games against the best teams or face a lowere placed team after being weakened and then two of the best teams
Alternative
Take your rest in the first final. Then play a lower placed team with a full rested roster. Then after the warm up play the two best teams. Hitting the lower placed team at full strength is not only more chance of a win but if we do not need to struggle we have less chance of injury and suspension
Replies
Honestly, cannot believe you even posted this as a suggestion.
Strategically it was our best option
Storm threw the Round 20 game to make sure they were strong for the finals
What is the difference?
We had a hard Round 20 game and hit week one weakened and with DB stretched. We were playing a fully fit and rested Storm in Brisbane.
Discretion is the better part of valour. We had the opportunity to rest week 1 and hit Souths fully fit. Now we hit them weakened.
LOL
The advantage of winning week one is that you have a rest and play a team that has had 2 tough finals games.
resting week 1 just means you only play one tough finals game before playing a rested team.
no. never. you play hard and go for the week off and one more game to get into the grand final. potentially equaling a three game finals series instad of a four game series.
No I reckon we should rest them this week for the Panthers game...