From my ground level perch behind the sticks (i haven't watched it back yet) my impressions were that it was a a very entertaining game with mostly very little between the teams who gave everything in stifling heat. I think the differences that won it for Hull were their refusal to give up & their finishing was much more clinical & concise when sniffing chances to score. The Hull goalkicking was more accurate & ,was it Houghton who kept turning us round in the second half with precision kicks that had to be run out of our in goal area.I thought both defences were excellent.
As for the Wire we need to up the ante in finding a solution to scoring from close quarters...we had some good pressure on the Hull line but there is no one who can execute the telling moves & many a time we ran round like headless chickens.The goal kicking from us was again poor. It has let us down several times this year & could well be the epitaph to our season.We are much better attacking opponents from outside the 25 when we have room to run & had some good assaults on the Hull line yesterday which may have been more fruitful but for unfortunate game stopping injuries to Hull players on numerous occasions that allowed their defence to regroup. If we can iron out our deficiencies then we will have a complete team, & hats off to the King brothers for rising to the occasion.

Tony Smith doesn't win close games in big cup/playoff games (with the exception of the 2004 GF). Since then his victories come from getting a few score ahead before the final quarter. If it's close going into the final quarter he usually loses. That would be my worry if I was a Wire fan in the final 20 mins of the GF (if you get there and it's close) a Smith side fails.

By the way, Well done Hull !

Commiserations on the loss, obviously we know how you feel.

Warrington played their part in a great final, Hull's sheer refusal to lose was key. Honestly thought you'd nicked it before Houghton's try saving tackle, the stuff dreams are made of.

The Warrington fans I met were very sporting and magnanimous in defeat.

It was, and I am pretty sure it was Houghton in the 2013 semi that kicked us to death... And a a few games in SL...

You played a great part in a classic cup final and had you turned pressure into points you would have been in a winning lead by half time but when it became a war of attrition and players were fading towards the end of the game I always felt Hull would come back into it with a chance of nicking it. Hopefully both teams can recover in time to have a repeat at OT and a new name on the SL trophy

Gutted to lose but , at least we lost to a decent team full of heart and desire and our players gave every last drop for the Wire

All credit to Toby King. He played well & didn't let us down. It was a pity that Ryan Atkins wasn't up to his excellent standard. The game turned when Gidley went off the field.

I would just like to congratulate Gareth Hewer on his first final. I don't know if all his decisions were right but he let the game flow in a showpiece game that will hopefully attract new fans to RL. I know the scrums seemed to last for ever at times but at least it allowed players to take on water which would have been critical yesterday.

At the end of a tough game like that it is a tidy hike up the steps to get the winner's & loser's medals.

Commiserations on the loss, it was a great game. At 10-0 down I thought thats it there is no chance that we are going to win this. Then when Gidley missed that penalty kick I turned to my dad and said that's the turning point. When Currie got through and was inches away from the line my stomach dropped. I would of been heartbreak. But it was our day.

Good luck for the result of the season.

Commiserations, that must have been tough to take.
Having watched it back, it was a fantastic game of RL.
Kudos to the team and Tony Smith, they conducted themselves impeccably in defeat.
Also hope Gidley and Westwood are OK.

There was nothing between the two teams. It was a great game between two great teams. Hopefully see you guys in the GF come October. Still can't quite believe it! Good luck for the rest of the season.

Not only the team and Smithy scarrie,the wire fans who wished us well and shook my hand at the end was humbling.
Both our clubs have "dicks" but after yesterday i have nothing but praise for your fans.As scarrie has said,you also conducted yourselves impeccably in defeat.

Gutted to have lost such a close game. But it was a great final to watch and both teams gave everything they had and more for the 80min hull just had a little more in the tank at the end if the game. We used up a lot of energy containing their pack early on and in the conditions payed the price late on, that wouldn't be the case at ot if we get there.

As mentioned the ref was great and put the full full time pros to shame

Hull defended immensely when it looked like they were tiring they managed to hang on, we didn't quite punish them enough during the time Ellis was off the pitch which would have not put us in such a precarious situation going into the latter stages of the game, but hindsight is 20/20 and it's just ifs n buts now nobody can fault the effort or commitment from the players n that's all that can be asked of!

His goal kicking lost you the game. But you did look lost without him on the field.