24 Aug: Coral Challenge Cup Final: St Helens v Warrington Wolves KO 3pm (BBC)

[John Drake 4,987]

Discuss the Coral Challenge Cup Final: St Helens v Warrington Wolves here.

[GeordieSaint 5,544]

Saints by 8; it'll be a close game.

[Futtocks 11,571]

Saints to win, but Wire to up their game and make them work hard for the victory.

[DavidM 7,142]

If it’s dry and good conditions I can see Saints taking them to the cleaners . I think Wire have it all on here , Saints look on a different level

[Moove 540]

No chance I'm making a prediction, anything can happen in cup finals. All it takes is an injury, a card or a mistake to change the whole game.

Weather's looking good, got the beers ready for the coach down. Can't wait!

Will be interesting to see what team Price puts out though. He's already been claiming Warrington are the biggest underdogs in Challenge Cup history so I'm assuming they're sending their academy team down.

[costa 63]

Not sure if he'd be in the squad anyway, but St Helens' Aaron Smith has been banned for two matches following a dangerous contact charge. 

[absentee thoughtlord 503]

This is a final made for the likes of Mamo and Grace - fine weather and a wide pitch.

Just hope Price doesn't stick the same 'preferred' team out. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is surely sporting insanity.

[Dave T 13,103]

Saints are clearly, and rightly, hot favourites, and I'm not travelling down with any great expectations. I'll enjoy the day and catch up with some friends either way. 

But, this is sport, so anything can happen. Saints were by far the best team last season, but were blown away by Catalans in a one-off game, and then Warrington beat them in a close encounter, so they are beatable. 

I'm not going to go into all my reservations about this Warrington team again, what will be will be, I'm just gonna try and enjoy it and I hope we put up a good show, we get a cracking game and we all get plenty to cheer about.

[Oliver Clothesoff 2,597]

Strange one this, at this stage with what’s likely to be days of speculation around the fitness of key men for both. Lachlan Coote and James Roby haven’t played for weeks and Blake Austin hasn’t either but we’re being told that all three will be fit for the final. That begs the questions of are they fit and if so, how fit they are because the Wembley pitch is unforgiving. 

Warrington are in poor form but I’m completely disregarding their current situation. It’s a one off game and Saints don’t have a good record of winning big games under Holbrook and by that I mean Semi-Finals, we’ve won one and that was against a lower league side and even then, we didn’t exactly shine. 

[Davo5 3,102]

Warrington will raise their game and be competative but Saints will come out on top by 8 pts,assuming they don't bottle another big game.

[Moove 540]

Apparently Matty Lees will miss out with an abdominal injury from the Leeds game. Absolutely gutted for him, he's been superb this season and really brings something different to the team when he comes off the bench. Love his aggression and still only 21. Guessing Jack Ashworth will get a bench spot instead

[Oliver Clothesoff 2,597]

Matty Lees out of the final through injury. Gutted. He’s been superb this year. 

[fieldofclothofgold 406]

I think it will be a close tough game Saints by 8 .Looking forward to this after suffering Leeds for another season 

[Denton Rovers RLFC 988]

Saints by 20+ Warrington are going to get blown away by the end of the first 40 minutes I reckon, I hope not but just can't see this going any other way. Then again Hull were massive favourites against Fev and the players basically seemed to tozss it off and Fev were rightly there by being a bloody good team and took the spoils, just can't see an upset happening.

Oh and if it is a tonking, the FA cup last year was 6-0 wasn't it, the result is what it is, just don't moan if it's one sided ffs!

[Rupert Prince 901]

As a Wigan supporter I'd rather like to see both sides lose.  If video ref cannot make a mess of that option, then I would have to go with the unfancied unlucky gallant underdog, Warrington. Perhaps Wire can score the winning try with a blatant knock on plus forward pass-offside in the last minute. 

I suspect we will have to suffer the commentator "underdog" hyperbole however. 

Edited August 19 by Rupert Prince
Latin not allowed

[Chris22 929]

If we play to our best, then we will win. If we don't play to our best, then we open the door to Warrington. I am in no doubt that we will see the Warrington that played Hull FC in the semi final (if not better) rather than the Warrington in the last two months.

I am slightly worried about a Coote being a bit rusty having not played since mid-July, especially when it comes to goalkicking. I suppose Warrington may think the same about Austin though.

I think we're going to be in for a very close game. For Saints, if we can keep our defence as tight as it has been in previous matches against Warrington this year we'll be ok.

It's only Monday and I'm already nervous!

[Dave T 13,103]

Wire getting a 10 start with SkyBet at the moment.

[Saintslass 2,995]

I'm not making predictions for this match as I'm a total wuss.  I have memories of only last season when I pootled along to Langtree Park full of confidence and the joys of the summer sunshine in my soul only to have it decimated by a total tonking at the hands of the Dragons.  Chickens are not being counted.  They can just stay in their eggs.

Weather is looking mighty good.  I hope lots of drinks breaks are scheduled because it will be even hotter in that stadium.  I have memories there too of Ade Gardner getting heatstroke and Jammer going ballistic because nobody bothered giving drinks to players playing in the full sun for 40 minutes.

It's a long old journey down and I hope the coach driver knows his way.  Back in 2008 the coach driver got lost and we ended up going via St Albans.

I'm taking my nine year old southern born nephew along.  It's only his second rugby league match, and the first where I'm expecting he will sit through the whole game (he did a first half at Langtree Park last season as his introduction to the sport, and he loved it).  He'll be wearing his full Saints kit and sporting a nifty foam finger to wave in support.  I'm hoping he'll make a good scrum half for London Broncos in the fullness of time!

[Oliver Clothesoff 2,597]

No Aaron Smith as well because of a suspension. Unless I’m mistaken, I can’t remember an incident with him that led to a penalty for Leeds on Thursday being shown by Sky. Him missing out makes me feel uneasy because I wonder how fit/rusty James Roby will be. I know we still have James Bentley who can play hooker if needs be but I suppose it’s just nerves leading up to the game. 

Also a point on Blake Austin. He’s been worse than woeful in the two games he’s played against us this year. Like completely anonymous. All of that is forgotten if he turns up on Saturday. 

[FearTheVee 36]

11 hours ago, Chris22 said:

I am slightly worried about a Coote being a bit rusty having not played since mid-July, especially when it comes to goalkicking.

I'd say his goalkicking is the least of our concerns - not playing matches doesn't necessaily mean you're not practicing your kicking.

[JohnM 5,801]

Sadly, can see no other outcome other than a resounding Warrington...

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.loss.

But then again, I was at the Wigan V Sheffield final...…...

[Chronicler of Chiswick 853]

I've gone for Saints by 7 - 12, although they'll probably win I reckon that the Wire will really make them sweat for it.

[GeordieSaint 5,544]

The real Wire are going to turn up; Warrington are a good RL side and it’ll be a close game. I’ve gone for Saints but...

[Cumbrian Fanatic 972]

13 hours ago, Saintslass said:

Weather is looking mighty good.  I hope lots of drinks breaks are scheduled because it will be even hotter in that stadium.  I have memories there too of Ade Gardner getting heatstroke and Jammer going ballistic because nobody bothered giving drinks to players playing in the full sun for 40 minutes.

I have lots of drinks breaks scheduled, so many in fact that they start on Thursday evening 

[Saint Toppy 1,285]

20 hours ago, Moove said:

Apparently Matty Lees will miss out with an abdominal injury from the Leeds game. Absolutely gutted for him, he's been superb this season and really brings something different to the team when he comes off the bench. Love his aggression and still only 21. Guessing Jack Ashworth will get a bench spot instead

Another cheap shot from fatty Ferres, hit him late in the ribs after the ball had gone.