Murray is so Rus-ty
Roby fires warning shot at young guns
JAMES ROBY has warned St Helens that they risk being forgotten by history if they do not win major finals.
Saints are 16 points clear at the top of Super League, having also cruised to the League Leaders’ Shield last season.
But they failed to make Wembley or Old Trafford in 2018 and must now deal with being the heavy pre-match favourites in Saturday’s Challenge Cup Final against Warrington.
Skipper Roby, 33, is the only surviving member of the last Saints side to lift the famous trophy in 2008 and was also part of the 2006 treble-winning team.
And while he believes Justin Holbrook’s current squad deserves to be compared with them, he admits they could be forgotten if they fail to win the big two.
Roby said: “It’s cruel to say it and it’s a shame, because we’ve been so consistent and the League Leaders is the hardest trophy to win.
“But the importance of it gets played down a bit and people only remember who won the Challenge Cup and Grand Final.
“People want to watch their heroes win in finals and we know that as players.
“Last year we lost two semifinals and this year we’ve gone one step further in the Challenge Cup. Hopefully we can right a few wrongs and make up for missed opportunities from the last couple of years.
“This is a fantastic team and we need to cement that by winning some silverware.”
Roby has also stressed to his young team-mates that they cannot take Saturday for granted, after the club went over a decade without a Wembley trip following their 2008 success over Hull FC.
He added: “I’ve been honest and told them I was in their position back then and had the privilege of winning it.
“Then I didn’t go back for 11 years and for some people that’s their whole career.
“Lads like me at the back end of their careers might not get too many chances to play at Wembley again. It’s our job as senior players to relay the importance of the game.
“The lads are ready for it. It’s hard to compare but I’d say this team now is right up there with the best and alongside that 2006 team.
“They’re both fantastic teams but that 2006 team won the treble.
“We’ve got to write that story and win those trophies, otherwise will people really remember us?” ■
GREG RUSEDSKI says Andy Murray’s latest defeat proves he was right to skip the US Open.
The Scot is still without a singles win since his January hip operation after losing to Tennys Sandgren at the Winston-Salem Open.
Former Great Britain No.1 Rusedski said: “Andy is not ready for a Major. It would be too much, too soon.”