Hull FC hooker Danny Houghton insists that the Black and Whites are still embarrassed by their defeat in the Challenge Cup final three years ago – and says they’re desperate to put that afternoon and the club’s Wembley hoodoo to bed on Saturday afternoon.
The Black and Whites will be aiming for their first win at the national stadium in nine attempts at the weekend when they face Warrington, with Houghton and Hull still reeling from defeat to Wigan three years ago, when they lost 16-0.
And the FC vice-captain insists that they will learn plenty from that afternoon in the rain back in 2013, most notably how to handle the pressure of playing in a major final.
“2013 is not something we’re proud of. It’s something we want to put to bed.
“We’ll take a lot out of that in terms of the hype of it all and the atmosphere. We’ve witnessed that and hopefully it won’t take us by surprise, I think it got us a little bit in 2013.”
And even though Hull could technically go on and win the treble this year, Houghton insists there is one trophy and one achievement they are targeting far more than the rest.
“The Challenge Cup means everything to this club,” he said. “It’s something that is spoken about every single year and getting that monkey off our back.
“It’s not just about that, it’s about winning silverware and getting this club back to where it belongs, and that’s competing with the elite at the top.
“We’re in a position to win all three but, if you asked me at the start of the year about winning the Challenge Cup, I’d have snatched your hand off. The Grand Final’s not really talked about. The Challenge Cup has its history and that’s the thing that makes it so special.”
