CHOC FULL OF CONFIDENCE
CHRIS SATAE should be Hull’s poster boy for defying the odds if fans start to doubt their Grand Final chances.
Andy Last’s men only sneaked into the play-offs thanks to a last minute decision to expand the competition from four to six clubs.
They then pulled off a brilliant ambush of thirdplaced Warrington on Thursday to book a semifinal showdown with League Leaders Shield winners Wigan.
But if anyone fears that’s a step too far for a side that sacked coach Lee Radford earlier in the season then they should listen to Satae.
For this is a man who knows what it’s like to get written off and fight back against the odds.
He said: “We have a chance to go down in history by playing a
Grand Final on our home ground and I’m confident in what we can do.”
Satae, 28, ended up working in a chocolate factory — and piling on the pounds — a few years ago after failing to make it with Penrith Panthers’ youth side in Sydney. He decided to give his dream another crack and in 2017 won a contract with New Zealand Warriors.
But after only playing 15 times in three seasons, Satae decided to pack the NRL in a year ago and join Super League. And he’s never looked back.
The father-of-three said: “There were a lot of players ahead of me at the Warriors but at Hull I’ve been given more responsibility and that’s made me enjoy my footy again.”
Prop forward Satae scored a try in the 27-14 win over Warrington, just a month after his first ever senior touchdown.
Wigan coach Adrian Lam had admitted before the game that he wanted Hull to win because he felt they’d be less dangerous than Wolves in Thursday’s semi.
But after watching the deserved win, Lam admitted he was now wary, saying: “With the confidence they have got they are going to be hard to beat. They are a danger.”
Satae added: “We’re looking forward to it because it feels like we’ve got all the momentum.”