Bridge was unlucky in that 9 times out of 10 that's called as a Wire knock on and there's a scrum on the Hull 30.

Of course desire to win, emotions and determination to beat the odds can seriously effect how a player and a team perform.

Speak to any top level coach and they will tell you that mental preparation and being able to respond mentally is just as important as being able to physically. Sport psychology they call it and its a huge part of our game.

I'd suggest that Hull went into the game with a far better mental attitude than Warrington for this one, with a greater desire to win the game. As such, played with far greater urgency and desperation. Warrington on the other hand seemed to be approaching the game very analytically. Long story short, as a result, despite Warrington being the better side on paper and on form, we edged it imo.

Our form in the last 6 weeks would allude to this. We've targeted the cup for sure this season, ever since we were drawn against Catalan away.

Firstly congrats to Hull. You will have my support come the day.

During this season we have had a make do centre in Grix perform well every game he plays and two highly rated recognised centres playing poorly at times. Yesterday's game coincided with another poor game from a recognised centre and the team as a whole being rather flat. Hill, Wood and Higham found it very difficult to get on top as did Morley, Carvell and Monas. Briers was not his usual class act. The position now, is that the team and Smith have no excuses as why they don't give the Superleague title a real go and prove that this group of players is worthy of a title winning ring. Next year we need an improvement in the playing staff at centre.

Precisely.

We are the current holders, and have won the competition 3 times in the last 5 years. I very much doubt we went into that game yesterday thinking it doesn't matter if we don't get to the final, Super League is more important.

I'm sure Tony Smith knows that each and every game is important, regardless of whether or not it's for a place in a cup final, or for 2 league points.

thats exactly what i thoght on the way back to the car.

It was an astonishingly bad display from Bridge.. his performance started badly and went downhill... he coughed up possession how many times... 4/5/6? i lost count.

he couldn't have been any worse if he had tried....mindless penalty's, knock ons and THAT kick.

at 8-0 up we were dominant.... bridge then gave them 6 points and the game totally changed.

Briers was aimless all game...maybe we should have offered him a new contract after the semi-final. Look at what happened on the 78 minute mark, free play from the Hull knock-on Briers went inside instead of getting to the outside shoulder of the last Hull defender with Joel having a one on one ten metres out...he would have scored.

All our backs had poor games (maybe excepting Joel but he wasn't faultless).

I thought our pack did well on the whole.

I thought Grix was the best of them and Ninj wasn't bad - that break at the end to set up our last try was great, the only pity being he didn't have the gas to go the whole way himself.

i didn't i thought we struggled to make distance and get on top, forwards were ineffective, westwood went back to early season form and chilly looked shagged for most of the second half

They didn't have much trouble in gaining field position for the most part and aside from the middle section of the game they won the collision and dominated at the PTB. Carvell and Cooper were the pick of the forwards.

Riley made an absolute HOWLER with his defensive read for the Whiting try. It is no coincidence that Hull concentrated most of their attack on our left edge. Then again most teams do.

my reply to the original post of we wanted it more was firmly tongue in cheek

Lefty. Both you and I were expecting that from Padders. Bridge had a very poor game and I'm sure he knows it. You're right, he is a quality player and will certainly bounce back. I see there was no mention from paddrers about the Mom performance last week.

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This is the only reasonable explanation for that kick.

I was under the impression that the free play only applied to the team who hadnt commited the original knock-on. The ref would have blown straight away as it was another warrington hand that now had the ball and Hull had no advantage. I think he just saw an opportunity to get the ball wide to a 2 on 1 situation without having to pass through hands. I have to say that looking at the replay, your two guys on the wing looked just as culpable. They didnt change their path to get closer to the ball, they just kept running straight. When Lineham takes it, there isnt a player within 5 metres of him.