Be good to see Salford win, seen Cas and Hull KR at Wembley in recent years and not win, surely the less fashionable club is due a win. On that note, who is the last ‘unfashionable’ club to win it? Halifax?
1) No it wouldn’t! 2) Sheff ’98 I’d say. Spelly.
Haha, fair enough....same with us and wire!
For some reason the Sheff result escaped me....although my excuse is I was only 6!!!
Catalan has to be the most recent, anyone who watched the saints fans jumping up and down when the semi final draw was made would know how unfancied they were
Sheffield definitely the biggest shock followed by Featherstone in the 80's IMO
Because Ian Watson was a Widnes player and a great example of how a good coach can improve and motivate players (including some of our recent ex-players) I hope they stuff Leeds next Saturday. “Up the ex-Vikings”
You do know Richard Agar played for Widnes too, right?
Yes I hope Salford win too but losing Sarginson to Covid 19 is a big blow for them. Just hoping no other players go down with it before the game.
They have a good replacement in Evalds who is back this week.
I want Salford to win. Don't fit into the RFL expansion plan - small club (but with RL history many would welcome and a small core of dedicated supporters). They have punched above their weight in SL both last year and this year. Just shows what a good coach can do for a club. I also want Salford to win so that Kevin Brown can pick up a winning medal at long last - future coach?.
Decent article from the RFL Chairman, Simon Johnson, included in the CC Final Programme tomorrow and defending the decision to play the final at Wembley with no crowd. I guess the crowd (about 200) would not be far short of a future TWP v Ottawa crowd at Wembley. The Wembley CC final has constantly downgraded by the RFL/SL in their haste to promote the pretentiously named "Grand Final". Maybe the RFL now recognise that the history of the Wembley final in the game of RL, giving fans and "smaller" clubs the dream of playing and seeing their team at Wembley.
He also mentions changes to the game required to ensure games were played in the current pandemic; the "six again" rule and removal of scrums. I am not sure that I fully understand the "six again" rule, but it does keep the game flowing, but in my view it would be wrong to make such a fundamental change to the game by removal of scrums. Scrums are an integral part of the game and to remove them would simply moving another step forward to adapting the game for the NA (mythical!!) market and creating a hybrid of the NA NFL game. They would be better trying to sort out the scrum rules. I cannot understand that feeding the ball into the second row is not penalised - although I am from an age when props and hookers were specialist positions in the scrum, as well as outside the scrum!!!
Watched the 1983 Premiership on Vimeo the other night. Scrums were ridiculous so no surprise that non-competitive option was chosen. Ptb's were more relaxed for sure.
I'm a Rhino for the day tomorrow, but you'll not be surprised at that I'm sure! But...………...
Taking bias out of it (if that's poss) I hope Leeds win it for Rob Burrow.
Spelly.
What a great game and advert for Rugby (not Super) League. Probably right result in the end and a Widnes lad winning the Lance Todd trophy. Well done Salford for making it a great final. Congratulations Leeds (and Spelly!)
Unlucky Salford, could have won it.Pauli was harshly penalised when they were setting position for drop goal at 16-16.Hard luck Red Devils but they can be proud of 2 major finals in 12 months.
You could see just what winning the CC at Wembley meant to the players and no doubt fans watching from home. Hopefully, the RFL recognise this and use the magic of "the Cup" to promote the game.
Feel for Brown who never really got into the game today, but maybe his time will come as a future coach of a club with a decent CC history!!
Brown has a habit of not turning up for big games.Not that we played in many but the cup semi v Cas is another example.
Not the result I wanted but a very exciting game to watch.
So far as “our ex-SL players” are concerned, I thought that Inu, Dudson and Burke player well but, as has already been said, Brown was not the playmaker today I’d hoped for.
Brown has a habit of not turning up for big games.Not that we played in many but the cup semi v Cas is another example.
And when Huddersfield were in the final v Wire about 10 years ago.
In fairness though, one genuinely class player in an era of hit and miss signings and mediocrity.
As for other Widnes connections, Richie Agar getting the cup to his name and Richie Myler with the Lance Todd, fair play.
Thought Salford had Leeds out wide but they never went that route often enough.