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Salford star’s rise from rejection to Grand Final Red Devils have done Hol lot of good PHOENIX HOPE FOR BEN BOOST
GIL DUDSON has gone from relegated reject to potential Grand Final hero in the space of a year.
So there is no danger of the Salford prop taking Saturday’s Old Trafford appearance for granted.
The 29-year-old Wales international said: “To go from relegation and no club to the Grand Final in 12 months is absolutely crazy.
“It is amazing and if you’d told me this in pre-season I would probably have laughed at you.”
Salford have defied all the odds to reach Saturday’s showdown with St Helens, after being tipped for a relegation battle at the start of the season.
Coach Ian Watson’s squad is made up of a whole raft of players who were
JUSTIN HOLBROOK admits he would be rooting for Salford if he wasn’t trying to mastermind a St Helens win on Saturday.
The Saints coach said: “A lot of neutral fans will go for Salford and that’s good for our game.
“Everyone loves an underdog and I have no issue with everyone getting deemed misfits or who were struggling to find clubs.
Dudson is one of them, having been told by hard-up Widnes that he had to leave when they were relegated last year.
He said: “Getting relegated is not the best way to put yourself in the shop window. I’d also had quite a poor season and had been injured for a lot of the year behind them. It’s great because all the hype surrounding Salford is justified.
“There’s no point in worrying about that.”
The Red Devils have stunned rugby league with their march to their first ever Grand Final appearance.
Saints are in their 11th final and Holbrook (right) is desperate to clinch the club’s sixth Super League title.
He said: “Salford are riding a wave and they have earned their momentum so so I am massively grateful to Salford for giving me a chance.
“Hopefully I have repaid their faith. I am absolutely buzzing to get to Old Trafford but we don’t just want to turn up and take part – we want to win it.”
Dudson won the Grand Final with Wigan in 2013 but admits he did not fully appreciate the magnitude of it.
He said: “We had won the Challenge Cup earlier in the year and, as part of a it’s shaping up to be a great game. But we are really focused.”
Holbrook won the Coach of the Year award on Sunday and quits Saints next week to join Gold Coast Titans in the NRL. He said: “I was proud to win that award but Saturday is the trophy we really want to get.
“I am not thinking about what comes after the Grand Final because this is not about me.
“Maybe after the game, if we win, I will get emotional but I will be fine before then.” CHESHIRE PHOENIX boss Ben Thomas is hoping GB star Ben Mockford can rescue his struggling side, starting with Friday’s visit to Leicester.
Phoenix have had a nightmare opening month to the new campaign because of a crippling injury list and an unforgiving fixture schedule.
But Cheshire, who have started the BBL Cup with an
0-4 record, have pulled off a major coup by landing 30-year-old Mockford (left).
The guard has vast European really successful Wigan side, it was kind of expected that you’d win.
“I wouldn’t say I took it for granted but I didn’t really appreciate it. I will definitely savour it more this time.”
St Helens are huge favourites, having finished the season 16 points clear of nearest rivals Wigan.
This will be their 11th Old Trafford appearance since 1998, while Salford are appearing in their first Grand Final.
Boss Watson insists his men will not be overawed by the occasion.
He said: “We are not looking at the venue, we are just looking at Saints and how we go about beating them.
“We’re not a team that get carried away with the limelight. We’re built on guys who do not let each other down. We know what we have to do.” experience, most recently in the Greek league, and played for GB at the Euros two years ago.
Thomas said: “Ben definitely has experience at a high level. He has played in some really good leagues and the national team.
“He’s an aggressive player but also brings creativity, whether for himself or his team-mates.
“The last couple of years there has been some really good British talent coming back to this league and Ben is another one. During the summer he wasn’t on our radar but we were looking for some additions and he became available.
“He is going to be a very good player in this league and a tough match-up for anyone.”
Cheshire, who hope to have Mockford’s international clearance through in time to make his debut against the Riders on Friday, are looking to make amends for a loss in their first meeting.
Thomas said: “I’m positive and, more importantly, the guys are too.
“They can see how talented we are and how good we can be.”