Wigan will edge this .. but get ready for a truly epic final battle
I AM taking Wigan to regain the Challenge Cup but there is only the width of a cigarette paper between them and Hull.
One thing is for certain... this game has all the ingredients to be a classic.
When Wigan have all their good players back, like they have now, they are a match for anyone in the world. They showed that against Cronulla in the World Club Challenge at the start of the season.
Sam Tomkins is playing wonderfully again and not worrying about injury.
He’s great with ball in hand and also helps to organise Wigan in defence.
And Wigan have the best player in the competition in George Williams (above). He is exceptional and Wigan did well to keep hold of him. He is the complete package at halfback. Wigan also have a big pack of forwards who run hard and aggressively.
Their best side is slightly better than Hull FC’s and I believe they can just shade this game.
But it will be close. Hull have stated they want revenge for the 16-0 drubbing they received in 2013. That will add spice and aggression to the game. So will the fact that this is the
last Challenge Cup final for one of the great players of the modern era.
Gaz Ellis has been a colossus in Super League and the Southern Hemisphere. And the club timed the announcement of his retirement very well to maximise the emotional lift going into the final.
Hull were exceptional in the last two rounds. They defeated a Castleford side no other team could quite beat and then in the semi-final defeated a Leeds side that fancied getting back to Wembley again.
The guy who orchestrated it was Marc Sneyd. He was outstanding in the second half against Warrington in last year’s final and brought the game home with his kicking. He also kicked well with his penalties against Castleford in the quarters and his tactical kicking to keep picking on Tom Briscoe in the semi-final was exceptional.
Marc has great goal kicking and tactical kicking and, when he gets both right, he is better than anyone.
Hull, like Wigan, have a big set of forwards who like to run and hit the line hard. It will be an epic match with Wigan just coming out on top.