So near yet so far.
I really feel for Huddersfield and owner Ken Davy, who has put so much into the club and was within minutes of seeing what would have been a tremendous reward in the shape of a first Challenge Cup success since 1953.
But credit Wigan, who for most of a cracking final, were nowhere near at their best but who kept pulling away, and when it really mattered, came up with a moment of real quality to clinch that 16-14 win.
People will obviously say had Tui Lolohea landed more than one kick out of five attempts, then Huddersfield would have won.
But you could also argue that had they turned that first-half pressure into more points, they would have won, and I feel that’s also where the game swung, because at half-time, Wigan were able to regroup with only four points to make up.
They did that with some superb play by Bevan French and Jai Field. And what entertainers they have in those two!
But fair play to Huddersfield, who hit back again, with Jermaine McGillvary showing that he should be a central part of England’s World Cup plans. I’d love to see him and Tommy Makinson on duty.
His try gave Huddersfield a 14-12 lead, which they clung onto until those crucial, final few minutes, and maybe Wigan should have been a man down for ten with Morgan Smithies pushing the boundaries with some of his challenges.
But as I say, Wigan seldom go away, and you have to admire that stubbornness.
They kept their heads, and when a chink in Huddersfield’s defence appeared, showed some real vision, with a lovely Tommy Leuluai pass and a clever kick by Harry Smith, who I thought was their best player, paving the way for Liam Marshall to strike with that match-winning try.
I also enjoyed the 1895 Cup final, deservedly won by Leigh, and if I was marking the matches, I’d say nine out of ten for each.
Adrian Lam’s side had that bit too much quality and pace for Featherstone, who now have some food for thought as they look towards a likely Million Pound Game rematch at the end of the season.
Can the Red Devils get the backing they deserve?
It’s fair to say all Rugby League clubs are crying out for investment.
But some are particularly in need, and there’s no doubt Salford Red Devils fall into that category.
I’ve always liked Salford, going back to my playing days when I went to The Willows with Hull, then Leeds.
There always seemed to be some pride and passion among the supporters, and a community feel about the place and the club.
So it’s been great to read about local businessman Sebastian Gerrard’s interest in buying the AJ Bell Stadium and potentially putting some cash into the Red Devils’ coffers.
There have long been reports of Sale Sharks rugby union club, with whom Salford have been sharing the venue since moving there ten years ago, buying it from Salford Council and setting up home with Salford City Football Club, whose owners include several well-known former Manchester United players.
The talk was that the Red Devils would move to Salford City’s current ground Moor Lane, which with a capacity of just over 5,000, is less than half the size of the AJ Bell.
That might be just about sufficient for their current fanbase, but the aim must be to grow the club, and with that, attendances, and that would be far easier at the current ground, which after all, was built for them after they left The Willows.
However a move to Moor Lane is dressed up, it’s very hard not to see it as a backward step.
When you look through the history books and read about the Brian Snape era at Salford, when top stars like David Watkins, Colin Dixon and Keith Fielding were signed and the fans flocked to watch an entertaining and successful team, you start to think about the potential of the club.
Times are different, of course, but they are still situated in a big city with a proven interest in sport, and of course, they made both the Grand Final and Challenge Cup Final under Ian Watson.
And when you look at the great job Ian Blease has done as chief executive, and the way Paul Rowley has got the team playing on a limited budget, you wonder what the pair of them could do with the help of some extra financial backing.
Let’s hope we get to find out.
My Super League predictions
Salford’s success in getting to Old Trafford in 2019 and Wembley in 2020 came after they had to win the 2016 Million Pound Game to stay in Super League, and there’s a repeat of that trip to Hull KR on Sunday.
The Robins haven’t been singing so sweetly of late, losing four in a row including that Challenge Cup semi-final defeat by Huddersfield, and while the Red Devils edged it by a point six years ago, I can see them making it three wins on the spin by a margin of eight.
Huddersfield did Wakefield a favour by pipping Toulouse by a point at the John Smith’s in the last round of Super League games, since a win by the bottom-placed French side would have put them level on six points with Trinity.
Willie Poching’s team have lost six league games in a row, and I can’t really see anything other than that becoming seven when Hull head to Belle Vue on Sunday. The Black and Whites won by four there in the opening round – this time I think it will be by 14.
One of Toulouse’s two wins so far was 22-20 at home to St Helens back in March, and there’s a repeat of that fixture on Saturday.
Saints weren’t over-convincing in seeing off Warrington last time out, and Kristian Woolf will surely want to see a far-tighter performance. With the benefit of a blank weekend, I reckon the defending champions will turn the screw and win by 32.
It can often be difficult getting back to business as usual after a Challenge Cup Final, and I can see both Wigan, who visit Castleford on Saturday, and Huddersfield, who have to go to Catalans Dragons on Friday, getting turned over.
I’m going Castleford by eight and Catalans by 26.
All change at Warrington
Warrington might not have Thomas Mikaele, the prop freshly brought in from Wests Tigers, on board by the time they take on Leeds at the Halliwell Jones on Friday.
But Kyle Amor, who with his power and experience should prove a great loan signing from St Helens, is set to play, and I believe he’ll provide a boost, with Daryl Powell’s side winning by 14.
It’s been obvious that while the Warrington pack is quote mobile, size is lacking, and these days, that’s telling.
Snapping up Mikaele and Amor with immediate effect and getting Catalans frontrowers Sam Kasiano and Gil Dudson signed up for next season, is a clear sign that Daryl Powell has had a look at the club from within and decided that some things need to change.
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