Aston believes Eagles have enough left in tank to earn welcome rest

They will earn a much-needed week off if they can defeat visiting Halifax in tonight’s qualifying play-off and head straight into the semis.

Aston concedes the effects of a long season, in which they reached the Challenge Cup quarter-finals and lost a maiden Northern Rail Cup final, have shown in recent performances.

They suffered consecutive defeats for the first time this year when they fell at Featherstone Rovers last Wednesday – which also effectively saw them lose grasp of a first League Leaders’ Shield – and again in their final regular Championship game at Doncaster on Sunday.

Halifax, who finished third but arrive on the back of three wins, will certainly sense the champions are vulnerable.

“We have been a bit flat in the last couple of games,” Aston told the Yorkshire Post.

“But we have played a lot of rugby this year and that Fev game really knocked the stuffing out of us. We’ve had a good week’s prep’, though, and have two or three players back to freshen us up.

“I’ve told the squad we need to earn the right to have next week off. The last couple of years we’ve done it the hard way in the play-offs being away from home but now we have this chance to get a rest so let’s go get it.

“The Grand Final’s the big one. The lads enjoyed it last year and we want to become the first side to win it back-to-back.”

Halifax are one of four teams to defeat Sheffield this season and they arrive on the back of a 40-18 success against Workington.

Coach Karl Harrison said: “It’s always a tough game at Sheffield but on our day we can beat anybody and there’s not a great deal between the top five teams.

“When it comes to the play-offs you just need a little bit extra, and, hopefully, this season we will have that. We go with confidence.”