Watching the game back now. The first half is as intense as any recent cup final, yes there were a few mistakes but it's not half as bad as many are making out. Still got the 2nd half to watch mind...

You're dead right about the first half. I've not watched the 2nd stanza yet but from memory I think Hull were worn out and their completion rate got even worse as a result. At that point I imagine a lot of people stopped believing they could score and make a game of it, even with only 10 points in it.

That doesn't make it the worst final ever, mind, nor does it mean we can't appreciate the positives, but as we all know the RL fan community aren't the most positive bunch. Lets face it there was always going to be a thread saying it was the worst final ever and that the 78k attendance means RL has died.

Watched the match back now. Defence's were on top, Hull in particular defended very well and it may very well be that effort that took the energy from them when it came to going forward with the ball. The game in general wasn't as bad as some would have you believe, I'd say it got very scrappy in the last 25 minutes inparticular . mainly due to Hull chancing their arm a bit, which as you would expect led to a lot of errors. Although a few of the Mistakes Hull made we're very poor.

It was bad because we won.

100% agree. The advent of the SL playoffs renders regular season games largely pointless. What's more remarkable is that play off game attendances are no where near those of regular season games.

Personally I don't think the play offs brings out the best in the sport. It certainly shows in the attendances of play off round games.

FWIW, I'd have taken a 1-0 win yesterday and I'd have celebrated long and hard.

Hope you Wigan fans do celebrate this win. That's the point of being in the competition.

Pity all the decent teams got knocked out early

Could it be that the game looked so much worse on TV than it did at the stadium? For whatever reason there was no feeling of atmosphere. Is that down to how the BBC presented the game or is it down to the stadium design. If the same game had been played at the DW or HJ I suspect it would have come over better than it did.

1. Are you actually being serious when you state that the Challenge Cup Final would have been a better atmosphere at the DW or HJ?

2. How would you hope to fit 68,000 in either?

The HJ, capacity 15,200.....Bless.

BBC coverage was shocking. Robbie Paul stopped talking mid sentence whilst still on camera! Milward looked like he needed to take his medication, Wilkins pitch walk was as if he was talking to a camera being carried by a child, and they interviewed Sam coming off at half time!!
I only relaxed when Sam went in for his try. Hull were always in that: two tries in two minutes was unlikely but possible.
It seems mostly the 'Worst Final Ever' brigade weren't there, and are just trying to pi$$ on our parade.
But I guarantee every one of them would rather their team was driving home with the cup today.


We are the boys..............still at the top!!

Reminiscent of all the clamour for a Wigan - Wire GF we've had to put up with over the past two seasons



TBH the only real disappointment was Hull's inability to create any pressure whatsoever. They never, even remotely looked capable of a win. I'll grant that some of it was down to your defence but it would've been better viewing had it been tested a bit more.

Agree with all that. Even enjoyed watching it on TV this morning. It was a battle fought in awful conditions and we were the better army!

And me.
Also how many "fans" on here and on other sites said we couldn't close out a close game?

n n n n n n n n nineteen...

Must be played at the next home game....

Worst final for getting wet between Wembley Park tube station and the stadium, apart from that great day, oh and bright sunshine this afternoon here in London town.

From a hull fan well done on the win you played the conditions far better than we did and your big games players didn't panic unlike most of are younger players and players who have less big game experience. Josh charndleys (excuse spelling) chase back really was the game breaker if we had scored think we may of calmed down not panicked and would of been a very exciting finish.

But there was no way this games was going to be a blow out and talk of putting 80 points would never of happened as we many be poor in attack are defence has been fantastic all hear.

Well done hope you all celebrate well all week including your players cos could do with you being hungover on Friday need the 2 league points.

I usually enjoy everything about the beeb's RL coverage except Robbie Paul. However, there was a lot not to like on Saturday's coverage. Millward needs putting out to grass, the sound engineer needs sacking, whoever came up with the 'leaving the pitch interview' concept needs shooting, and the VR mic needs losing down the back of the sofa.

On the plus side, Chappers, Arnold, Wilkin, Noble, and even "Jiffy" imo make a strong and very competent team. I'd love to see them joined by the likes of Crabtree who has proven he's comfortable and savvy in front of the camera.

Come on guys yesterdays final was very poor,was it the worst ever? possibly
But we won a trophy and that is all that matters


Lets hope we play as bad and win on Oct 5th too

I agree. Not only that but mistakes made by Hull (who obviously made more than us) were not all down to them being poor and just dropping the ball. It was chucking it down to the obvious tactic was to stick up a few bombs and Smith's kick along the ground to the in-goal which brought a knock on wasn't poor play because Hull fumbled it, it was good play by Smith. It was what he was trying to achieve! Fans were clapping the kick not thinking "Oh dear, Hull dropped it we must have a poor final here".

The final was one of the worst games of RL I have ever seen, never mind the worst CC Final. Very poor indeed.

Not been to many games then have you M

The weather was terrible on the pitch. The players were not used to it. The weather dictated the game.

Which bit of this don't you get?

The point I was trying to make was that even 15000 in the HJ would create more atmosphere on TV than Wembley managed with 78000.

Five hundred people singing in an auditorium would create more atmosphere on TV than the HJ would manage with 15,000.

How silly would you like this to go?

Yes the game was awful and it was the worst final I have seen but it is hardly Wigan's fault. They played the perfect gameplan to win in those conditions and that is what they had to do.

A lot of factors combined to produce that final, the weather was truely dreadful, the Hull team were dreadful and I have never seen as few neutral fans at a Challenge Cup final before. This all combined to make for a poor final and flat atmosphere imo.

Well done Wigan . Best team won on the day hope you all enjoy your victory and good luck for the rest of the season