Warrington have to avoid semi-final heartbreak again

The Challenge Cup holds many special memories for Warrington fans, especially fans who were born after the 1970’s and don’t remember the club winning a Championship or a Challenge Cup. Warrington have won the competition eight times in their history, but the special win in 2009 was the first for 35 years.

The club had come out from the dark ages and into the light, with new financial backing and an optimism for the future, Warrington were able to win the prestigious trophy, and then won it again the following year. 2012 made it three wins in four seasons and Warrington were making it look easy, however, three barren years and Grand Final heartbreak have made it seem like so long ago.

Saturday presents a golden opportunity for Warrington to do it all again, and get back to Wembley that has been a kind friend to Warrington fans since it was rebuilt. Warrington go into the game fairly injury free, and with a day’s extra rest over the opposition. Stef Ratchford had to leave the Huddersfield game with concussion, but should be okay to return to the team.

Wakefield on the other hand, aren’t injury free and have struggled in recent weeks. Head coach Chris Chester confirmed that Jonny Molloy, Bill Tupou and Matty Ashurst would be missing the match with Mickey Sio also a major doubt. Its further reasons that Warrington will be made clear favourites for the match, but that doesn’t mean it should be an easy victory for Warrington. The club only have to look back to the last match the two clubs played just two months ago, where Wakefield were 38-28 winners, it’s up to the coach and the players to make sure that doesn’t happen again.

Wakefield are a dangerous team and will be eagerly waiting for any drop in performance from Warrington. Being the underdogs, they will feel that the pressure is off for them, and will most likely perform to the best of their abilities, if Warrington don’t match that desire then it could be semi-final heartbreak all over again, just like it has been for the last three years. It Tony Smith did need to look for anything for motivation, then it’s the exact same situation as last year. Warrington going into a semi-final as big favourites, and last year Hull KR spoilt the party and proved that games are played on the pitch, and not on paper. Warrington will be desperate to not make the same mistake twice.

The other semi-final is between 1st and 3rd, so Warrington have a big job on their hands regardless of which team they’d get if they made it to the final, but another trip to Wembley is what all fans crave, and it’s a magical day out. It’s hard to be optimistic as a Warrington fan when you don’t know what mood the team will be in then it takes to the field. You wouldn’t be surprised if Warrington won 50-0, and you wouldn’t be surprised if they lost either. Whatever the score is, the players just need to make sure they are thinking only of the semi-final and don’t slip up again. The three recent Challenge Cup wins were magical, the following three semi-final losses were horrible. Let’s hope it’s a 4th recent trip to Wembley, and not a 4th consecutive disappointed trip home.