WIGAN WARRIORS head coach Matt Peet has explained why some of his major stars may not play against Hull KR on Thursday night.
The Warriors go up against Rovers twice in nine days, with their Super League fixture taking place at Craven Park before the two sides meet at Wembley in the Challenge Cup Final next Saturday.
Whilst Hull KR boss Willie Peters has named a strong 21-man squad for the league clash, Peet has made ten changes with nine players in line for potential debuts.
For Peet, it’s about planning and ‘being intelligent’.
“It’s player by player, the priority is getting a performance on Thursday night but we’ve got to be intelligent around individuals – whether that’s lads carrying bangs or suspension points looming,” Peet said.
“I’ve got to strike that balance, but this is something we knew was on the cards, having one of the big games of the year before the final of the Challenge Cup if we did get there.
“That is something we’ve been planning for since the season started.”