Former Wests Tigers fullback Brett Hodgson has vowed to inspire Warrington Wolves to victory over Leeds Rhinos in Saturday’s Challenge Cup final as he bids to finally get his hands on the trophy.
Hodgson has unhappy memories of the Challenge Cup after losing the 2009 final when his Huddersfield Giants side were downed 25-16 by his current club Warrington.
The 34-year-old recalls vividly the pain he felt that day, but with the chance to claim his first ever Challenge Cup winners’ medal against Leeds at Wembley this weekend he can’t wait to make amends.
“Losing the final with Huddersfield back in 2009 has only made me want to win the final more. This is my second chance and I want to make it count,” Hodgson said.
“Playing at Wembley is an amazing experience, nowhere else has an aura quite like it and having the opportunity to play there is something I will never forget.
“Growing up in Australia I was definitely aware of the stature of the Challenge Cup and now to be playing in my second final is fantastic.
“One of the most special things about the Challenge Cup final is the fans, the atmosphere they create on the day is unreal and will definitely spur us on.
“Winning the Challenge Cup would be up there as one of the highlights of my career so I’m very excited for the game.”
Warrington go into the game having secured a top two berth in the Super League, winning six of their last seven games in the process, but Hodgson has cooled suggestions of a famous double.
“A few people have mentioned Warrington doing the double, but we are not thinking about that,” the 2005 Tigers NRL premiership winner said.
“We’ve hit some good form of late and hopefully we can take that into the final. We’re going well in the league as well which always helps.
“We have trained hard all week and given ourselves the best opportunity possible going into the game and fingers crossed we can leave with a victory.”
Rhinos, meanwhile, will be heading into their third consecutive Challenge Cup final and on a revenge mission of their own after failing to win the last two.
Australia duo Brent Webb and Brett Delaney are likely to feature, as is former Manly prop Kylie Leuluai who has yet to taste victory in the competition in his six years at the club.
But with his family among the Wembley crowd, he admits there would be no better time to put that right than on Saturday.
“It’s definitely better if you have your family there watching you and it means that bit more,” said Leuluai, a former Samoa international.
“Of course it’ll be even better if we win. We know it’s going to be a tough game but we’re confident we can do it.”
